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Do I Really Kneed a Knee Replacement? Part Two
About two and a half years ago, I wrote a blog about my achy knees and whether I needed to consider a knee replacement — or two. At the time, I was about to visit my orthopedist again because the pain was getting worse, and the previously suggested exercises were no longer providing relief. In that post, I noted that my wife, Barbara, and I “would like to travel more, and I don’t want to be the guy in the tour group, who is always at the end of the line, hobbling and trying to keep pace.”
As a result of that visit, however, my doctor suggested one more option that might help me avoid surgery. He suggested shots of cortisone (or a similar steroid) in both knees every three months, and I decided to give the shots a try.
At first, the shots did provide some relief. My knees didn’t ache as much, and I felt confident that they wouldn’t give out on me. I also walked more easily, and when I was distracted by other activities, like pickleball, I was able to forget about my pain for short stretches of time.
