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ainulindale

Skydiving after Knee Replacement

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I recently shattered my Tibial Plateau and had to have a metal plate put in my knee. My surgeon and physical therapist say I've healed remarkably well, but that I'll need a knee replacement in 10 years. I'm 29 years old and was wondering if anyone has had a knee replacement and still skydives. Thanks.

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I had a knee replacement about 18 months ago. It's not quite as good as I hoped, but I'm not sure it's done improving. I was skydiving before surgery. Pretty much sliding in all my landings. Now I'm up to landing on my feet about 50% of the time. If I'm team training I can make 10 jumps a day and I can run across the runway better now than before surgery.
Janna

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ainulindale

I recently shattered my Tibial Plateau and had to have a metal plate put in my knee. My surgeon and physical therapist say I've healed remarkably well, but that I'll need a knee replacement in 10 years. I'm 29 years old and was wondering if anyone has had a knee replacement and still skydives. Thanks.



I had a similar ( each one is different!) accident 12 years ago at 50 and was told that in 5 years I might need a knee replacement. In two years I had 5 operations and lots of PT. I jump more now then before my accident and try to swim 3-4 times a week for about an hour as PT. I don't run and am still on my original knee. Very little discomfort.
Dano

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Thanks for the answers, that definitely gives me hope. I don't know much about knee replacements, surgery etc. and feared that I only have 10 years of skydiving left. From the research I've been doing though, it seems likely that I'll be able to jump into my older years. It's good to hear from those who've had similar experiences.

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Just saw our post while looking for something else. I sustained shattered tibeal plateau in 1981- State of medecine then was primitive compared to now, and they advised (strongly) that I would not jump any more. Due meniscus loss and bone on bone, I had my knee replaced 8 years ago at 53. No pain, better range of motion and better snow and waterskiing too. Discovered the local tunnel 2 years ago and determined to make a real skydive again. While only 3 jumps so far- and can't kneel in Cessna 182's any more- no other issues really. Doc told me the current generation of artificial knees hadn't been around long enough yet to get a read on their longevity absent 'excess abuse'... whatever that is. did tell me running was a no, no, but I am required to as part of my employment, and still the joint is working fine- knock on wood. The replacement rehab was no picnic and hardly pain free, but definitely worth every bit of it.

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It will be 10 years this summer since I had my tibia plates fracture. Displaced 2 cm down about 6-7" starting at center. Split where meniscus attaches to so that is anchored in. Had two surgeries on it. I am a long long way from any replacement. They said that about fusing my ankle. They try and scare you. They always do that to me on my surgeries. I have way more joint concerns than that knee
That spot isn't bad at all, the winds were strong and that was the issue! It was just on the downwind side.

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for Andy9o8- Hey I actually don't know!- Due 'density(?) issues, hard arching, and the prevailing 'fall as slow as possible' theory in the '70's, it was thought that I fell like a polished rock- thus the nickname. Still near the same size, (6'3", 195#) but I noticed in the tunnel, I wasn't needing 140 mph air to stay afloat- mostly I was pretty close to most everyone else- even wearing a nowhere-near-as-baggy tunnel suit on. During the actual jumps, the coaches didn't seem to be in head down to keep up, so...? I would actually like to find out what my mid-range freefall speed would be using a 'normal' jumpsuit. In those days, I had to fly LOT of base/pin... Even with a pretty baggy custom suit. Would like to learn to fly better and graduate from being a high speed swooping target for the floater types :-)

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