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Mountain climbing and running after a total knee replacement
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Hello,
Apologies if this has already been asked. I am looking at the possibility of a total knee replacement, just as I’m about to turn 40. I love climbing mountains and running in the mountains, so getting a knee replacement would be to allow me to continue doing that. Google searching doesn’t give me a clear answer if running and climbing is still reasonably doable after TKA. In this esteemed group’s experience, is mountain climbing and running doable after a total knee replacement? If so – what might be some caveats or things I really need to pay attention to.
Thank you,
Joseph
Hi Joseph
Thanks for the question. Generally most orthopedic surgeons don’t recommend a lot of impact to prosthetic knees and hips. Repeated impacts can lead to premature wear of the implants, and in rare cases peri-prosthetic fracture or loosening. Low impact activities – cycling, hiking and in your case climbing/mountaineering would be just fine. I do have patients with replaced knees who do occasionally run. Generally it’s recommended to stick to softer surfaces to lessen the impacts – ie trail is better than road, but really you should keep runs short and slow to lessen the stresses. Many orthopedic surgeons would take a dim view of running, however!
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