These Knees Are Made For Racing

Story by Ben Holt, MD, Columbia Orthopaedic Group.

HOW ACTIVE CAN MY NEW KNEE BE?

Many patients question how active they can be with a knee replacement. Don Prevost can answer that question.

Don has led a very active life. Long before his knee problems, he was signi cantly involved in running, hiking, playing handball, and motorcycle racing. at’s right. Racing, not just riding.

Don was introduced to motorcycle racing in the Marine Corps. While stationed in Japan, he attended an exhibition race event sponsored by Yamaha. Since he had some riding experience, he was asked to participate. He took second place.

After returning to the states, he began racing with a local motorcycle club. at was in 1970. He also has his pilot’s license. Clearly, Don has led a very active life.

Around 2006, Don began having increasing problems with his knees. Whether the cause was his active lifestyle, genetics, or injuries is not known, but his knees began to interfere with his lifestyle.

“Simple things like going to the mall, going shopping, and getting in and out of the car became a painful experience.” -DON PREVOST

He could no longer live the active life he loved because of his arthritic knees. He tried exercises, oral medication, and steroid injections. However, none of these measures gave him relief from his knee pain. He owned a machine shop but couldn’t tolerate the standing he needed to do in his business.

“Simple things like going to the mall, going shopping, and getting in and out of the car became a painful experience,” says Don.

Don was referred by a friend to see me, Dr. Benjamin Holt of Columbia Orthopaedic Group, about his knees.

“Once Dr. Holt saw the X-rays, it was so apparent that the joints were boneon-bone and that surgery was the only recourse. ings had gotten so bad that it became painfully clear to me that surgery was what I had to do,” says Don.

Don had both knees replaced at the same surgery in 2008.

“In about six weeks I was getting around pretty good. I can’t stress enough the importance of sticking with the physical therapy. It makes all the di erence in the world,” says Don.

Don answers the question as to how active a person can be after a knee replacement by listing things he can still do with his replaced knees:

“I still ride and race motorcycles, kneel down to do house projects, go on walks with my wife, work in my machine shop, maintain my 10-acre property, and go for long drives with no pain, and the surgery has had no e ect on my medical certi cate for my pilot’s license.”

Not every patient can be as active as Don after knee replacement, but he is living proof of what is possible.

By Dr. Benjamin Holt, Columbia Orthopaedic Group