Conditions + Treatments
Knee Replacement (Total)
For a 65-year-old woman, I consider myself to be very active. I go to the gym regularly and am always setting new fitness goals for weight lifting (my personal best is a deadlift of 255 lbs.). I know a lot of women my age lack bone density and muscle mass, so I told myself I would do whatever it takes to never get to that point.
Within the last 10 years, however, I developed a long-standing problem in both my knees. There was no specific injury that took place, but my Mom had problems with her knees growing up so I assumed my problems were hereditary. I found that the inside of my knees didn’t have cartilage like the outside did, causing me to have to get both knees replaced. I even began walking bowlegged because my knees would hinder me to walk in a straight line.
I kept putting off the knee replacement until after making a "bet" with my son last year. He told me he would get some things checked out by his primary care physician (that he had been putting off) if I would go get my knees replaced. I made a deal with him and we ended up both visiting our respective doctors.
As my daughter began researching sports medicine practices for me to go to, I told her I wanted the best of the best. She discovered Andrews Sports Medicine, which led me to my visit with Dr. Wayne McGough in June of 2017.
During my first appointment, I told Dr. McGough I wanted to go back to working out as soon as possible. When I asked him when I could go back to deadlifting after the surgery, he laughed and said “I’ve never been asked a question like that before, but we will get you back to the gym soon and with no complications.”
Both knees were equally bad. I began surgery first with the left knee in August and then with the right knee in November. Four weeks after my surgery I was back in the gym, just as promised. Two weeks later, I didn’t have physical therapy anymore and was 100% back to my normal self after years of pain.
Today, I am happy to say, I have no pain in my knees and I am able to walk straight again. I am back in the gym doing deadlifts, working my way up to where I was before surgery. I know it’s going to take a while for my muscle to come back, but there is progress and I’m getting there. When I’m in the gym now, I am able to do almost everything. A matter of fact, I’m currently deadlifting 150 pounds on my way back to my PR of 255lbs!
