Re: crutches, arthroscopic surgery

October 2, 2001

---Trudy -

What a great idea (using crutches now)! Here I am building up muscles

in the gym and all I have to do is walk around the block. I do have

crutches already, from previous arthroscopic surgery, and will get

them out. (They're not as cute as the physical therapy intern,

though) I haven't gone to regular use of crutches yet, I get out my

Leki pole (aka " cane " ) for long walks.

About arthroscopic surgery, which I had 3-1/2 years ago. Everybody

was pessimistic when I had it, saying it wouldn't get me more than 2-5

years. Well, they were right, but it got me long enough to find out

about resurfacing, a much better alternative than thr, so I figure it

did what I wanted it to! It was never proposed as a solution to my

problem, only a temporizing procedure. (By the way - recovery to

better function than pre surgery was about 8 months, even with

exercising)

I don't post often, but read this every day. I want to tell you guys

that the postings here are very informative. As a medical person

(M.D.), I find the science good. True, we're all somewhat biased, but

read with that knowledge, the info is great. It is almost impossible

to find out much about this procedure through the normal " research "

channels - old info is available, but not much new. I find myself

" educating " my colleagues about this, and a rheumatologist friend

asked me for my website references before giving a lecture about

osteoarthritis!

As a prospective patient, the info from others' experiences is

invaluable - the kind of advice about day-to-day management that an MD

can give only after years of seeing patients with a particular

problem.

Good luck to all of us as we try to become " surfers " !

Gigi

Recommended Posts