If she has no meniscial cartilage, she should not squat. How old is she?
Member
Knee Reconstruction and the Squat
Rip, I got my wife to start doing the program with me. She has had 6 knee reconstructions over the years due to a gymnastics injury in high school leaving almost no cartilage. She squat for the first time 2 days ago and the 2nd time today. There was no pain on the first day, the next day she had some soreness and today while squatting she had a very visible grimace on her face due to pain in her knee.
My questions are:
1. Should she be squatting? Is it possible for the surrounding tissues will strengthen enough to overcome the loss of cartilage?
2. Should she be doing power cleans or would some other fast lift be better on her knee?
Thank you for your time.
TMPHBITEU
If she has no meniscial cartilage, she should not squat. How old is she?
Member
She is 41 and does not have any meniscal cartilage left. Are power cleans and deadlifts ok? She has in the past gotten injections into the affected knee with a substance that acts as cartilage. This seemed to work for about a year. She wants to hold off on a knee replacement as long as possible. I was hoping squatting would strengthen the surrounding area enough to give her some relief. Is there any lower body exercise she could do?
TMPHBITEU
She does not have a functional knee. She needs a replacement so she can train, get back in shape, and enjoy the rest of her life at a more physical level. Why has this not been done?
Member
The thought process is that a knee replacement typically lasts 7.5-10 yrs. With each subsequent replacement the chance of infection increases. A knee replacement infection often results in the replacement coming out and a cement block going in. If this doesn't cure the infection the lower leg usually comes off. Assuming she makes it into her 60's she'll be on her third one, 70's 4th. She doesn't want to lose her leg at a relatively young age.
TMPHBITEU
Where did you get the 7.5 -10 years data?
✓ Member
Rip,Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe
A good friend of mine is going through the same thing - he was told the same - 8-10 years the knee will need to be replaced as the "plastic stuff" wears out. Further, every time they replace it, they cut off more of the femur. Eventually, the patient no longer has enough femur...
He told me this Wednesday night. Seems preposterous to me, but he said that's what the doctor told him, and the specialist he is now seeing.
Seems kooky to me that with today's "space age" technology we can't make a knee last longer than ten years. Washing machines last 20+.
Member
For what it's worth my father had no cartilage in one knee and very little in the other due to several work related injuries. His doctors recommended that he wait wait wait for over 10 years. When he finally had it replaced it was an amazing change. He completely missed out on his 50's due to constant pain and such poor mobility. Now his knees feel "great" and he wishes he could have all that time back. Too bad he lost so much physical ability/conditioning in his lost decade. I know he'd recommend getting a knee replacement sooner rather than later.
Member
My younger sister had most of the cartilage in her knee removed during ACL surgery in her teens. She is now in her early thirties and recently had knee cartilage replacement surgery. I believe they harvest some of the remaining cartilage from the knee and grow it into an implantible replacement.
TMPHBITEU
What is especially hilarious is the true fact that he could have gotten killed in a car wreck the week before the surgery, and then he would have spent ALL of the last years of his life as a crippled person. Hahahaha. When he could have just gone ahead and had it done it, so that he was functional sooner. Hahahahahahahahahaha.
So, Matt, ask her which 10 years she'd like to have good knees -- her 30s or her 50s, 60s, or 70s.
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