Dear Ian,

I hope you are well

Next Thursday is the 12 month anniversary of you performing a full knee replacement. Where did that time go!!?

I wanted to give you an update on how it is and will separately send you an email with a review. Sophie and I still plan to that video – our diaries have been a challenge but I’m sure we will get there.

So, 12 months in, what can I tell you?

I can summarise it by saying my wife reasonably regularly tells me a person not knowing, simply wouldn’t know the surgery has been done. Yes, the scar is visible, but it’s very much less angry now and I’m sure will get better with time. A straight leg with my heel striking the floor first is now normal and I can do a 140 degree flex on pushing it. Day to day the degree of flex is just fine.

From my perspective, I don’t get the pain I had pre-operation. The joint still feels a little stiff so I get some pain on occasions after sitting for a while i.e. at work. It soon goes though once I start walking. When exercising, I don’t notice it at all and in this regard, it’s been a big success. For example, yesterday I did a 65 mile cycle sportive at an average speed equal to my pre-operation time. It does though feel different to my left knee in that I know it isn’t my own knee – it just feels different. Also, the nerves in the knee cap still haven’t connected so its numb on the outside of the knee cap and I can’t kneel comfortably. You did warn me this was possible, so I see it as a side effect rather than a measure of the outcome.

So in summary despite a couple of side effects a success – a huge thank you.

Curiously, I’ve found myself with a growth on the bone below the knee joint. There is no obvious link according to Sophie, but any thoughts you have would be welcomed.

I’ve found myself very one-sided in terms of leg strength – the replacement knee leg now being somewhat stronger. I’m on a mission to address this but it’s proving a challenge. In terms of my left knee, it isn’t happy although the new knee (I call them the old and new knees) is no doubt masking the position. The old knee needs replacing but I confess the rehab process did scar me(mentally) and I’m looking to give myself some time to allow the memory to fade. Current thinking is October 2025 – by then I should be mentally ready.

If you have any patients who would like to discuss my experience, I’m very happy to speak with them.

Also, I’m happy to speak if you would like to.

Kind regards

Jon Claypole