Hi Rookie,
While I personally don't know any snowboarder who underwent a TKR, but I've heard a bunch of stories that show it's possible. For your inspiration:
Snowboarding after TKR: http://www.americanwaymag.com/snowboarding-idaho-golf-bypass-surgery-carl-manus
Surfing after TKR: http://surfandthefury.blogspot.com/2009/07/is-there-surfing-after-knee-replacement.html
I also got curious and tried to find out whether any studies have explored this question, but couldn't find much info. Here is a list from the Knee Society of recommended and discourgaed activities after a TKR: http://www.kneesociety.org/web/patienteducation_totalknee.html. Snowboarding and surfing are not on either list, but downhill skiing got the ok!
Good luck with your snowboarding! Keep us updated if you find any concrete answers.
09/17/2009 11:24 AM
rookie1213
Posts: 1
i'm new to this forum but have posted similar request elsewhere
i do intermediate-level, recreational snowboarding for about 2-3 weeks every winter, in the powder of Colorado -- nothing too fancy, just cruising the blue runs (no jumps of any kind -- hate moguls)
i go thru 3-4 months of intense conditioning (aerobics, free weights, machines, core) to get ready, esp. for my bad knees -- my R knee is the worst, right now, w/constant pain and clicking/popping/snapping -- the R knee had open ACL repair 1988, ACL reconstruction 1990, post-surg infection 1991, hardware removal 1992, arthroscopy 2004 -- been doing PT, Synvisc, cortisone, etc. for last 10 years but now OS says only thing left to relieve the wicked pain is TKR -- i'm hoping for 1 more round of synvisc (maybe we'll try SynviscOne this time) and then go snowboarding in Jan/Feb 2010 (hopefully, not for the last time)
please share your stories if you got back to snowboard (or wakeboard or surf) after a TKR -- i prefer to rest on my knees so i can take off on my toeside -- being a female, that's easier for me than struggling to get my (big) butt/hips off the snow if i rest on my heelside -- i wear neoprene hinged knee braces (with or w/out metal stays) under thin kneepads -- will the scar site after the TKR need more padding?
thanks alot!