Hi Everyone:
I'm fused from T2 - L3.
I've read a few postings here about people who are fused to the sacrum having toe and heel problems because they stand differently after surgery, but I haven't seen anything about arthritis of the knees resulting from Harrington Rod surgery. I am 48, and three years ago I came down with painful arthritis in both knees. Injections helped for a year, but now they don't help anymore, and the pain is awful. I can't walk more than two blocks without my left knee flaring up for weeks on end. I have Degenerative Disc Disease below my fusion, and I cannot express to all of you how difficult it is to have knees that don't support your broken spine. Walking was the ONE exercise I could always do, even with a fused spine. Now, I can't even do that. Even going up the six steps to my house flares my knee up! I've read that Scoliosis flatback can cause knee problems, but have found no further info on this. Plus, I've been told I only have mild flatback, if at all. I've asked the spinal surgeons and they all won't comment, I guess they don't know, they say to see a knee surgeon. Trying to get knee replacement surgery at age 48 is difficult as the surgeons don't want to do it on younger people because later on you will need a revision. Plus, whenever I see a non-spinal doctor, they have NO understanding of what Scoliosis surgery really is. Please, if anyone has any info on younger people coming down with knee problems because of Scoliosis surgery, let me know. I've got to find a way to convince some knee surgeon to operate on me, I can't go on not being able to walk! Walking is painful enough with my spine. I have to think of some way to impress on the knee doctor that the two things - knees and spine - are too much, that because of my scoli surgeries I need to be put in a different category than just a younger person with bad knees. Any ideas or research on this, please let me know. Thank you!
I'm fused from T2 - L3.
I've read a few postings here about people who are fused to the sacrum having toe and heel problems because they stand differently after surgery, but I haven't seen anything about arthritis of the knees resulting from Harrington Rod surgery. I am 48, and three years ago I came down with painful arthritis in both knees. Injections helped for a year, but now they don't help anymore, and the pain is awful. I can't walk more than two blocks without my left knee flaring up for weeks on end. I have Degenerative Disc Disease below my fusion, and I cannot express to all of you how difficult it is to have knees that don't support your broken spine. Walking was the ONE exercise I could always do, even with a fused spine. Now, I can't even do that. Even going up the six steps to my house flares my knee up! I've read that Scoliosis flatback can cause knee problems, but have found no further info on this. Plus, I've been told I only have mild flatback, if at all. I've asked the spinal surgeons and they all won't comment, I guess they don't know, they say to see a knee surgeon. Trying to get knee replacement surgery at age 48 is difficult as the surgeons don't want to do it on younger people because later on you will need a revision. Plus, whenever I see a non-spinal doctor, they have NO understanding of what Scoliosis surgery really is. Please, if anyone has any info on younger people coming down with knee problems because of Scoliosis surgery, let me know. I've got to find a way to convince some knee surgeon to operate on me, I can't go on not being able to walk! Walking is painful enough with my spine. I have to think of some way to impress on the knee doctor that the two things - knees and spine - are too much, that because of my scoli surgeries I need to be put in a different category than just a younger person with bad knees. Any ideas or research on this, please let me know. Thank you!
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