The Impact of “High-Risk” Sports in Knee Replacement Patients

At the recent meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a study was presented where survivorship of total knee replacements in patients who participated in certain “high-risk” sports was compared to those who did not participate in such activities.1

In this study, a group of 1500 patients that received the identical prosthesis were asked if they participated in certain high-risk activities. These are activities which place excessive load on the implant such as basketball, soccer or football. Within this group, 218 were identified as having participated in such “high-risk” sports. These patients were then “matched” against a control group so other factors such as BMI, age and sex could be eliminated.

What the researchers discovered was somewhat contrary to conventional wisdom. At roughly 7.5 years after surgery, the high-risk group had slightly superior function and slightly lower rates of failure (loosening, wear of the implant etc) compared to the control group. As stated in the study, “At a mean follow-up time of 7.5 years after modern condylar TKA in 218 patients no significant differences in implant durability could be demonstrated between those involved in not-recommended sports activities compared to matched controls.” Only time will tell if differences in implant longevity over longer periods will become apparent, so further study is warranted. Nonetheless, as increasingly younger and more active patients elect to have total knee replacement surgery, the limits on total knee replacement design and longevity will be tested and questioned.

References
1 Parratte S, Lynn Dahm DL, Stuart MJ, Pagnano MW, Berry DJ, Does Participation in Not-recommended Sports Impact Total Knee Arthroplasty Durability, AAOS Annual Meeting Podium Presentation, 2010

Comments

4 Responses to “The Impact of “High-Risk” Sports in Knee Replacement Patients”

  1. The Impact of “High-Risk” Sports in Knee Replacement Surgery Patients « Total Knee Replacement on March 19th, 2010 5:43 am

    [...] read the rest of this story on knee replacement surgery here. [...]

  2. ricardo garro on January 6th, 2011 5:08 pm

    hace cinco años tengo un reemplazo total de rodilla, lo unico que tengo son aderencias que me las voy a quitar con artroscopia.
    hago spining y juego golf sin ningun problema

  3. Simon Sargent on January 19th, 2011 11:39 pm

    I am 43 and have severe biltateral osteoarthritis of both knees. I got injured in high school football and back then there was nothing any doctor could do because my knees were injured so bad. Now I can not work(electrician) and I’m on disability and I hate it. The pain is very bad and I can only walk short distances. My life is stagnet. I just want to be able to run again and enjoy the rest of my life without this pain and immobility. I would like a doctor to replace both knees but I am scared it will be worst if I do not get the best doctor and the best knee replacement. I know I would be very active if my pain was gone so I would need the best knee replacement product availible. Is there a doctor out there that can help me? Someone please!

  4. Gene James on March 1st, 2011 3:26 am

    I had my TKR 2/17/2004. I have been riding my road bike 6-7 thousand miles a year for a few years now. I’ve stated to “feel” my knee lately. Is anybody out there in the same boat?

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