Client Testimonial – Bilateral ‘Oxford’ Partial Knee Replacement
Michelle – Gibraltar
‘Dr. Thomas Boerger has given me my life back! Now my knees are perfect. I can’t sing his praises enough. The first week was a painful and I had a difficult recovery but now, like a miracle, I am pain-free and mobile.’
Background
‘The truth is that I have always been overweight, usually weighing around 100 kilos; and when I was pregnant with my second child, I got up to 130 kilos. I was in my mid 30’s and obese.
‘My career for over ten years has been in the local media,’ continues Michelle. ‘I’ve presented on the local Gibraltar network, and it was at this time I decided to produce and take part in a TV programme called, ‘From Fat to Fit.’
I felt that by doing something so public it would force me to commit and there would be no going back!
My knees have already hurt a little with my weight but with the programme I really persevered with the training. It paid off; I lost more than 20 kilos, going down to just below 90 kilos.
To lose all that weight I had to do a lot of training, including squats and lunges which I just was not used to. My knees suffered, and they were really painful – but I took pain killers and got on with it.
Even after the TV programme finished, I stuck with my fitness regime; I suppose I got a bit addicted. Using a running app, I got to be able to run 5 km around Gib.
The Consultations
Yet the pain in my knees got to the point when I just couldn’t cope with it anymore. I went to the GP.
Over the years I had steroid injections and had met Dr. Boerger in the past too, but surgery was put off, as I was considered too young.
Once I met Dr Boerger again I was in my early 50s and with the intense pain I had due to bone on bone grinding, it was the right time to go ahead. I lost an extra 8 kilos for the op. I was enjoying open water swimming, going to the gym three times a week and walking – I was fit and ready. This I really felt would help my recovery.
Also, the pain was directly affecting my life so much. I had to walk down hills and downstairs sideways and use ice packs on my knees after walking.
Luckily, circumstances at home meant that I had the support structure in place to allow me to have both partial knee replacements done at the same time.
The Results
Dr. Boerger has given me my life back!! I can’t sing his praises enough!
The pain in my knees made me walk in a strange way, and that over time has affected my back. So now that I walk straight, and my back is ‘pushed’ into the right position I have some lower back pain. I have arthritis which could be genetic or could be affected by a hysterectomy that I had in my early 40’s. Either way, I am dealing with this now.
My knees are perfect! I can walk straight; I can go downstairs normally. I am without the pain.
During recovery, I followed Dr. Boerger’s instructions ‘to the letter.’ I kept moving; I rested when I was tired; I kept my legs up; and I had ice packs on my knees to keep the swelling down. I did it all. And now the results are perfect.
But I have to say that personally I had a very painful recovery for the first week. To be honest I was in agony for the first 5 nights. I just couldn’t find a position to be comfortable in. I am not a person that dwells on that, but really the pain took over, but I read that this can sometimes be the case with bone surgery. Dr. Boerger also said he had to do a lot of work repairing ligaments etc.
Then suddenly the pain went; it was like a miracle. It happened overnight – on day six I think, I woke up in a lot less discomfort. I couldn’t believe it!
From that day onwards I kept moving, although I used cutches for two weeks. I needed them, as I wasn’t yet confident to put all my weight on my knees.
Then one day the crutches felt like they were in the way and decided to just use one. Soon enough I wasn’t using them at all.
As soon as the incisions healed I was back swimming. I had 23 staples in each knee, and they itched and bothered me, but my advice is to use ice packs which really helped! The stitches were removed after 2 weeks.
I am now back in the gym, boxing and cycling. I am an open water swimmer and have been swimming regularly and I have got most of my flexibility and range of movement back, and I am now focusing on building up strength.
With the humidity in Gibraltar, I still get twitches in my knees, especially when walking down a lot of steps, but things continue to improve.
Dr. Thomas Boerger is very professional, kind and reassuring. He is a serious professional and I appreciate honesty about all the issues and how he explains everything.
I really recommend him, and I would be happy to speak with anyone considering an Oxford Partial Knee Replacement and discuss my experience.’