Sitka Gear Turkey Tool Belt

Trying to save my knee. Kinespring Implant coming up!

Joe Hulburt

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7 years ago I knelt down to tighten a nut and when I stood up I couldn't straighten out my knee. My Orthopedic Dr. diagnosed a "bucket tear" of my meniscus and 1/3 of the meniscus had to be removed. I walked out of surgery with a perfectly functional knee and haven't had a problem in 6 1/2 years until this May when I stepped in a hole crossing a river and tweaked it. IT ended up swelled badly and consequently really cramped my style. After much talk Dr's finally tell me the main problem is I have Osteoarthritis as a result of lost meniscus and I will never be the same.:confused: All the sudden I am 48 years old and I will never head to the bottom of a canyon and pack out an elk without concern my body might not make it again. I thought I had many more years before that reality would hit me.:( I know better than to take my health for granted but I really have a lot of stuff I still need to get done!

I spent most of the summer and fall feeling depressed and suffering from a sore knee when I pushed it much at all. Luckily I went to the best Orthopedic Dr. I could find and he referred me to an associate who is doing a clinical study on the Kinespring Implant and I was accepted into the study. Long story short I am getting a little shock absorber implanted along the medial side of my knee that will (in theory) act as a permanent, internal unloading brace and stop (and possibly even reverse some of) the osteoarthritis.

I am certainly apprehensive to get it done as I am currently getting around fairly well and a week from now the best case scenario is I will be in a lot of pain but.... I live to hunt and hike in the hills and the fact is I will be headed for a knee replacement in the future if I do nothing and this procedure appears to be much less involved and should allow all normal function if it works. I have to give it a try! I guess I am partly putting this in writing to convince myself! :)

Hopefully this procedure will be approved for everybody in the near future and a lot of hunters will extend their prime years. I will let you all know how things are going come spring bear season. ;) Wish me luck!
 
Good luck with this procedure and am looking forward to hear how things work out for you .I too have had knee surgery for a torn meniscus . I actually had the scope surgery twice in two years as the first surgery was a total failure and the second surgery (a different surgeon ) had better results but it has altered my lifestyle . No high impact exercising ( running was my all time favorite ) and a constant awareness of a weak knee with very little cushion . I still do a lot of both whitetail and mule deer hunting but it is not the same with a weak knee .
 
I feel your pain. I was given the same diagnosis a few months ago. Very sobering news for an avid outdoorsman in his mid 40's.
 
last December I had a meniscus repair and ACL Reconstruction. I had the same worries about my hunting, being 39 and very active in the outdoors. Take the time needed and REHAB! That is so much more important than I would've ever imagined.

Once in a great while my knee will feel a little weak, but for the most part it's good. I also wear a light knee brace in the field, due to not quite having the confidence in it fully. The mental aspect of the surgery is more difficult to get past than the physical. Good luck
 
Ditto blue devil on the rehab! Had major surgery on my knee a while back and I think a combination of good attitude, pain tolerance and open mindedness helped me through the whole process. Listen to what your therapist tells you and find a therapist that listens to you too! They know what they are doing but they don't know you. If you tgink you can push harder then tell them, or if you think you need to slow down tell them. Comunication will be the answer to getting the most out of rehab.
 
Good luck with the new knee, Lee Majors. ;)

Ha! Now if I ever kill a world record they will have to put an asterisk by my name.

Good luck! see if you can get a picture of said device prior to install!

Here you go! This all lays UNDER the skin along side the medial (inside) compartment of the knee. It doesn't go into the actual knee joint.


Good luck with this procedure and am looking forward to hear how things work out for you .I too have had knee surgery for a torn meniscus . I actually had the scope surgery twice in two years as the first surgery was a total failure and the second surgery (a different surgeon ) had better results but it has altered my lifestyle . No high impact exercising ( running was my all time favorite ) and a constant awareness of a weak knee with very little cushion . I still do a lot of both whitetail and mule deer hunting but it is not the same with a weak knee .

I feel your pain. I was given the same diagnosis a few months ago. Very sobering news for an avid outdoorsman in his mid 40's.

Sounds like you guys might be good candidates for this procedure. Your knee can't be too far gone and you have to desire to maintain a high activity level to justify the pain. I'm in!

Good Luck Joe, get the video

Good luck with your replacement Dave! Your thread is what inspired me to post this. One of my best friends just had his replaced and he is all smiles and has a straight leg again. It's amazing what modern medicine can do.
 
That's is interesting Joe, thanks for posting.. Can you expound on the candidacy criteria?
 
Good luck Joe, I am struggling with the same decison on a totally destroyed hip joint. Nervous about being the 1% that has something go bad during or after surgery.
 
That's is interesting Joe, thanks for posting.. Can you expound on the candidacy criteria?

This device is only intended for osteoarthritis of the medial compartment which is the most common. I got the feeling that being someone who really wants to be active is important to get into the clinical study. This is where the most benefit will show up. If all I wanted to do was walk to the tv and walk around the mall I wouldn't consider this at this point. The goal as I understand it is to be able to return to normal function with no limitations.

This procedure is available for everybody in many countries in Europe and has been for 8 years or so. I've read a lot of accounts of people who were sidelined from the activities they love and they were able to resume them. Fingers crossed on that!
 
Oak said you have to hunt Whitetails now.........................John Good Luck!

Ha! I just did that but had to wear a really uncomfortable unloading brace to get thru blacktail and whitetail hunts. That's why surgery is in December. Dr was ready last month but November was busy! ;)
 
Well, the spring is in! Everything went smooth and Doc gave the install an A+. He scoped it first and noted a lot af arthritis. I quit wearing my external unloading brace about 2 weeks ago and my symptoms were getting a lot worse. If the Kinespring works it will be obvious to me.

So far so good! I just wish there were more shows on tv like Fresh Tracks. That's about the only television I enjoy! Bored already..
 
I really wish you the best on this deal. I feel your pain. I have a very similar story. Please keep us posted on the recovery and results.
 
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