Gary's Patient Story – Knee Replacement

“I had bad knees. The right one was crushed when I was 15 and the left was injured when I was in my early 20s. Over the years they got worse and worse. I couldn’t walk 20 feet without sitting down. Couldn’t run at all. Couldn’t lift my leg up very high. 

On a scale of one to 10, it was a 5 all the time and a 10 a lot of the time. It took a lot of effort to get in the car. It took effort to climb in the bathtub. The constant pain … I had to give up everything. I couldn’t work like I wanted to. I definitely couldn’t play golf. I became totally out of shape because I couldn’t do anything.

I had always told my wife, if the pain gets to the point where I can’t go and do anything, then I’ll have my knees operated on. And, I finally got there. When I went to see the doctor, he said, 'You need to have your knees done.'" Not all patients are candidates for this product and/or procedure. Only a medical professional can determine the treatment appropriate for your specific condition.

"After talking to him I said, 'Okay, let’s do it.'

The initial recovery was easier than I thought it was going to be. I was expecting months and months of pain and strain… and more pain. That wasn’t the case.” Appropriate post-operative activities and pain will differ from patient to patient. “It’s done nothing but get better. I went in to see the doctor 6 weeks after the surgery. I carried my seven-iron golf club with me as a joke because he’s a golfer too. He said, 'I like your cane.' And I said, 'Am I ever gonna be able to use it for what it’s supposed to be used for?' He said, 'Absolutely!'"

Results are not necessarily typical, indicative, or representative of all recipient patients.  Results will vary due to health, weight, activity and other variables.

"The biggest surprise about the recovery was that I’m able to do things that I wasn’t able to do for 20 years and I’m still getting better. I’m still doing things today that I couldn’t do yesterday. I didn’t expect to be able to play golf again. I didn’t expect to be able to work. My life now is great! It’s 100% better than it was a year ago, because I can do what I want to do. That’s the best part of my life right now.”

Talk to your surgeon about whether joint replacement is right for you and the risks of the procedure, including the risks of infection, implant wear, loosening, breakage or failure, any of which can necessitate additional surgery or treatment.