My Dad 71 years old with Knee Pain

Pain & Rehab Forum [Moderated]
1

Hello,
Was talking to my Dad (71) this morning because he recently mentioned about having knee pain and possibly needing to have it replaced which his Doctor’s office said is his only option. They’ve tried gel injections and cortizone I think he said but they don’t work. He also said his meniscus is basically non-existent.

I was reading the article. A Second Opinion on Your Meniscus Injury | Barbell Medicine. But obviously this is geared more towards people who exercise regularly.
The only exercise he does is occasionally the elliptical and maybe some work on a Total Gym. He is not looking to return to any sport outside of our occasional bowling trips. He would just like to go without pain and keep all his original parts instead of having a knee replacement.

I was wondering if there would be any benefit for him having a Consult with the Pain and Rehab team since he’s not a lifter and not returning to sport?

2

Hey Brian,

It sounds like your dad may have osteoarthritis (OA) and not an issue stemming from his meniscus right now. That said, a remote history of meniscus tear or really any knee trauma is a risk factor for OA, so it may all go together.

It’d be inappropriate for me to give your dad specific recommendations about his condition via the forum, but generally speaking, surgery is likely to be beneficial if he’s not responded well to physical therapy so far. Our pain and rehab team would likely be better than the PT your father has had access too, and so, yes, it’s possible he could benefit from a consultation now. If it were my dad in this situation however, I’d probably make an agreement to get a consult and some help AFTER the surgery to ensure he regains strength and full capacity, in addition to all the other health benefits from regular exercise.

My 0.02.

-Jordan