Joe Hulburt
Well-known member
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.
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!
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!
