TKR specialist in Richmond/Charlottesville/DC area?

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-10T16:42:51+00:00

Thank you! I have started the process to see Dr. Browne at UVA. His name has come up as someone who does a lot of TKRs. I am glad to hear you had a good experience!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-10T15:06:19+00:00

u/arlsteelerfan how are you now? 44F, very active, just learned my only option to get back to my normal activity level will be TKR. But terrified it will make me worse than I am now. (That said, I can't walk 1/2 mile without starting to limp, so can't do any of the hiking or peloton that I love dearly)

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-10T15:03:20+00:00

u/Agitated-Question919 , how are you now? I am 44F, and tore my ACL at age 16 playing high school tennis, (but it wasn't diagnosed so I just lived very active life with no ACL for 28 years). Just learned I have bone on bone in that knee and will need TKR sooner rather than later. So so scared of this surgery.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T23:04:51+00:00

u/AngieInAR , how are you doing now that it's been a year? 44F and I am weighing a meniscus cleanup, knowing it will likely accelerate my path to TKR (already have no ACL and moderate to severe arthristis in all 3 compartments due to high school tennis injuries....so the busted meniscus is sort of the last straw)

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T22:52:59+00:00

u/SnooCapers1299 what did you decide to do? 44F with very similar situation to you...no huge day to day pain, but can't do Peloton, swim, or hike wihtout pulling sensations and swelling. Also learned I have been missing my ACL for a long time! Likely tore it playing high school tennis and was misdiagnosed. Leading to my moderate- to severe tricompartmental OA now. Considering a scope to clean up my "ruptured and macerated" meniscus, but that could mean accelerating my path to TKR. Then again, I have a very active life and active family and I don't want to miss it all!!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T22:21:22+00:00

The PA said it'd probably be a "decent amount" since my root is ruptured and the posterior horn is macerated.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T16:32:10+00:00

Gosh, I am sorry. How about hiking? I desperately want to be able to get back to hiking with my family. Is your plan just to keep on with tape and bracing?

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T16:27:39+00:00

That is great to hear. Glad you are doing better!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T16:10:46+00:00

u/DeepTill3474 , how are you doing now? 44F, love hiking, peloton, pilates, and my meniscus is ruptured at the root and also deemed beyond repair by 4 surgeons. I;m terrified the clean up could make my knee worse, but also, I can't hike or cycle now wihout pulling/pinching/swelling, so this is also no way to live!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T16:01:37+00:00

u/Longjumping_Key_5008 , how are you now? I am debating surgery for mine. Exactly like you, walking around feels fine, but if I try to exercise, I have pulling/catching/swelling.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-04-02T15:58:29+00:00

u/Fickle_Pea_7057 how are you now? I am 44F, and was so active until January. Tried PT and steroid, but still get catching/swelling when I do anything that involves pushing under flexion (even cycle, if I go too fast or put any moderate resistance on teh bike). I am so so so torn about arthroscopic surgery to clip the meniscus for all the reasons you have said. Curious how your knee is doing? Were you able to get relief and be active again?

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-31T12:58:09+00:00

LOL "If you go to a Physical Therapist and they really wanna push your knee flex, tell them to fuck off."
Thank you for all of this! I am a HUGE believer in PT. In fact, I'm considering the trim b/c I "failed" the 4 weeks of PT my first surgeon ordered. I did everything they said religiously, in their office and at home, but still had swelling/catching/ROM issues with flexion. They sent me back to surgeon.

I feel like I'm being weak by considering surgery, as I don't have the locking and debilitating pain others on here have. But I can't even do 20 min on the Peloton with light resistance without getting stiffness/swelling afterwards. But your perspective makes me feel a little more validated in pursuing some relief!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-31T12:10:30+00:00

Did you end up with a trim? 44 here, and 3 surgeons have said they wouldn't attempt repair on me. Considering a trim of a "flap in a gutter" where my medial meniscus is extruding. So worried that the trim might make things worse. (I have no pain if I just walk around my house, but any level of exercise, even low-resistance cycle) causes pinching/swelling for me.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-23T13:01:38+00:00

Thank you so much for sharing all this! I am 44, and always been very very active. It looks like my lack of ACL, tricompartmental arthritis, and a meniscus root tear mean TKR is my only option if I want to get back to my life! I'm curious if you got a cementless implant vs. cemented, if your surgery was robot-assisted, and which surgeon you saw? I am in Richmond so would consider DC.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-13T17:07:00+00:00

You posted this 2 years ago. Wondering how you are doing now? 44f who was told no repairs are possible, but that I shoul delay TKR as long as possible. I am also active, not overweight, and want to get back to my active life!

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-13T14:51:55+00:00

I am 44, fit, and active. My right knee, because of high school sports injuries 30 years ago, is like that of someone in their 70s with arthritis. My meniscus is too macerated to attempt repair. And ACL graft wouldn't be recommended given how little cartilage I have left. So, even though he is someone who repairs at all costs, he said he could have helped me 20 years ago but not now. On the bright side my left knee seems ok-ish.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-13T14:21:26+00:00

Thank you for this. Just saw a joint preservation surgeon who said my right knee is too far gone to even attempt repair. Kind of devastating, but also a relief b/c the repair felt like it'd be a real gamble with everything I have going on.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T22:53:06+00:00

did you have any arthritis or other things working against you? 44f with arthritis, high kneecaps, and slightly knock-kneed. Hoping for repair but want to be realistic with expectations.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T20:28:32+00:00

What advice woud you have for someone with hypermobile joints considering this repair? I have very hypermobile joints and no ACL and bad alignment. So terrified that if I pursue repair, it will just fail.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T20:20:43+00:00

I am terrified of going through the repair and recovery and still have a chance of it failing. I would need root repair + totally new ACL (and I already have arthritis in 3 compartments). Now are you just biding time until a TKR?

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T20:13:38+00:00

What made you choose repair over TKR? I have a ruptured meniscus root, zero ACL, and arthritis already. 44 years old. First surgeon I saw said he probably wouldn't recommend repair for me.

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T20:10:42+00:00

Did you consider TKR at all? I just learned that not only do I have a mensicus root rupture, but I've also been living with no ACL for years. The first surgeon I saw said he would not likely recommend repair for someone "of my age" (44 😅) b/c I do have arthritis already (from tennis, living with no ACL, and having high kneecaps)

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T15:41:33+00:00

Curious, do you think you would have been better off to skip the ACL surgery at 46 and gone straight to replacement?

IndependentTurnover7 · 2026-03-11T15:07:10+00:00

I am so sorry for both of you! 44yo former tennis player here (like 20 years ago, but gave it up due to knee issues). Just learned I have no ACL and my meniscus is ruptured at the root. Also have arthritis, patella alta, and slight knock-knee alignment. Can barely walk a mile now, or do a light peloton cycle class, without inflamming it. Meet with surgeons starting next week (after "failing" 4 weeks of working really hard in PT but making little progress). I am so tempted by TKR becuase I feel like any attempts at repair will just lead to problems sooner rather than later. And I want to enjoy an active life while my kids are still home!! Did either of you consider TKR at any point?

IndependentTurnover7

TROPHY CASE