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sailorboy1 · 23-02-2015, 13:50

One on my knees is just trying to do me in. This isn't anything new really, just that is seems to happen more often each year. Sometimes I start to wonder if the end of my cruising plan is going to be nothing like all the things worried about, but something as simple as bad knee.

Curious to how many cruisers out here doing it have a bad knee.

Cheechako · 23-02-2015, 14:05

Dealt with that and ankles a lot. Not sure if the Cat or Mono was best, but thinking cat....

nautical62 · 23-02-2015, 14:06

I've had a few knee surgeries including a new ACL. Now that I'm overdue for an artificial shoulder, the knee problem doesn't seem too bad.

Such issues are a part of what has made me re-evaluate my cruising future. It's one thing to charter with 5 other people never far from a charter base quite another thing to be on your own far from anywhere when everything goes wrong and you are not 100%.

Life is about chasing dreams, but there's no reason we can't adjust those dreams along the way. My goals now are very different from what they were 10 years ago.

**a64pilot** · 23-02-2015, 14:15

Define bad.
I've had three knee surgeries so far, not for a few years though, mine are literally worn out from the Army, just little cartilage left.
I've had a few "bucket handle" tears.
My Ortho guy has told me I'll need them replaced, I asked when and his answer was he didn't know, I would determine that.
Eventually he said the pain would just become un-bearable and that is when you get them replaced.
I've not left yet, but I believe just me personally it will be my back that will have me eventually buying a trawler, or just swallowing the anchor.

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Tayana42 · 23-02-2015, 14:16

Keeps us humble doesn't it? No guarantees to how long we will have. Knees or otherwise. Go while you can. Do what you can. Enjoy each day life gives you. Aspirin helps.

S/V B'Shert

**a64pilot** · 23-02-2015, 14:16

Bottom line, it's not getting any better and every year I delay going, is one less year I will have to cruise. I know that, and it's one thing that makes waiting hard.

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jaybird1111 · 23-02-2015, 14:18

Wife is arthritic, with bad shoulder, neck, knee. The arthritis is why we changed from a smaller, more athletic, faster trimaran to a cruising catamaran. Big cat was the answer for us

btw the thing that is the most help for her is weight training/phys therapy

sailorboy1 · 23-02-2015, 14:27

I figured there were lots of knee sufferers out there.

I long have come to terms with the "you only notice the thing that is hunting the most" far as body parts go. For the last 4 years that has been my foot that many times got me to be thinking life would be better off without it, but it hasn't hurt the past 2 months.

Yesterday it was my knee and elbow taking turns to the point that I'm going to the doctor this week for the first time for each.

I have noticed that everyone I meet who has had a knee replacement says pretty much the same thing. They wish they had done it sooner instead of suffering the pain all the extra years.

colemj · 23-02-2015, 14:49

Maybe you have been shoveling too much snow?

keepondancin · 23-02-2015, 14:59

My wife had a leg that was severely injured In a car crash is '71, spent 7 months in a full body cast. We had the dream, and the boat was in the Caribbean for 10 years, after planning a 1 year escape. we would leave it in Trinidad for hurricane season, then back aboard. She was in constant discomfort, but found being on the boat was actually soothing. The knee, along with the femor was severely damaged, and did effect her mobility on the boat, but didn't dampen the enthusiasm one bit. When on land she was way more uncomfortable. After it got so bad, and after numerous falls due to the leg not bending more than a few degrees, a knee replacement was done. Improper physical therapy caused a catastrophic fall, femor went out the front of her leg resulting in a near amputation. Until the fall. After the total knee replacement (TKR), the pain and discomfort was severe enough for constant pain management. Didn't deter her from being on the boat. Even after a failed TKR, she would tell people to do it. Before the fall, after surgery, she was pain free for a couple weeks. Have met several cruisers who have had TKR. Beats the alternatives, which include giving up.

thomm225 · 23-02-2015, 15:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

One on my knees is just trying to do me in. This isn't anything new really, just that is seems to happen more often each year. Sometimes I start to wonder if the end of my cruising plan is going to be nothing like all the things worried about, but something as simple as bad knee.

Curious to how many cruisers out here doing it have a bad knee.

You can probably fix your knee problem with cycling. If you aren't up to cycling outside, get a stationary bike and pedal slowly.

Work up to 30 minutes per day.

I know triathletes that can do the stationary bike in front of a TV for hours in winter.

It's all about blood flow.

It the mid 2000's, I had to stop running because of my knees and shins so I started cycling.

Soon afterward I was able to go back to running, but then I became addicted to cycling and was cycling between 100-150 miles per week. No more knee problems but I lost 20 lbs or so and had two bad crashes trying to stay with the group/peloton.

Btw, I paid more for my used bike than I did my sailboat! ($3,300 in 2006)

It's a 2004 Litespeed Vortex Titanium Dura Ace.

Therapy · 23-02-2015, 15:33

I participated in total joint procedures for 10 years. (thousands)

If you have lost cartilage and are bone on bone there is no amount or type of physical therapy that is going to do any real help.

Right now replacement is about the best we have but there are only so many "miles" one can put on a joint before it wears out. Hence the waiting for replacement. Revisions are tough procedures and in reality, few surgeons are good enough at it to do it well.

I am hoping before I have to have it done there is a way to grow new cartilage. They are trying but no real success as of yet. The problem is mostly genetic. One can blame the work they did but the person next to them may not have any cartilage problem at all. I have no cartilage left on my patellas and bending down or kneeling is very painful. I try not to do it at all.

Just one if the reasons I am not going to be a cruiser like I thought I would. There is a LOT of bending and kneeling aboard. Even on the catamaran.

DeepFrz · 23-02-2015, 15:34

I decided against knee replacement last fall. Exercise and a combination Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen help a lot. thomm25, you don't fix a knee once the cartilage gets to a certain point but you are correct that exercise and strength training help a great deal with the pain. I use a recumbent bike 3 or 4 times a week plus strength and balance training. I also practice Tai-Chi 3 times a week. Helps a great deal. I have decided to wait until I get into a more accessible apartment before I have the joint replaced. Although I don't have a problem with the stairs where I am I have wondered how it would be on a sailboat. I may charter this summer just to find out.

SB1, you need to move the affected joints through the full range of motion every day. That and heat, heat, heat. Also like I said a combo of both Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen helps a great deal.

Therapy · 23-02-2015, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

I decided against knee replacement last fall. Exercise and a combination Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen help a lot. thomm25, you don't fix a knee once the cartilage gets to a certain point but you are correct that exercise and strength training help a great deal with the pain. I use a recumbent bike 3 or 4 times a week plus strength and balance training. I also practice Tai-Chi 3 times a week. Helps a great deal. I have decided to wait until I get into a more accessible apartment before I have the joint replaced. Although I don't have a problem with the stairs where I am I have wondered how it would be on a sailboat. I may charter this summer just to find out.

SB1, you need to move the affected joints through the full range of motion every day. That and heat, heat, heat. Also like I said a combo of both Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen helps a great deal.

Have you tried glucosamine and/or chondroitin? It didn't help me but I have heard stories.