Question for the medical guys!

[Dedicated_Dad]

Folks,

As you oughta know by now, my life since my knee-replacement has SUCKED. My knee clunks painfully - twice with every step. The first clunk happens as I'm removing my weight from the leg and again when I swing the foot forward.

As I posted a few days ago, I've been working on a "harness". My harness uses thin bungee and nylon strapping to essentially carry the weight of my calf and foot, thus keeping my knee from clunking. I have a strap running down the front and back of my thigh, so that no matter where I am in my walking stride either the front or rear strap will have some tension.

While experimenting tonight - trying to find ways to make the rig more comfortable to wear, I realized something I think is important...

I disconnected the rear strap, so all the load was on the front one, and got up to go get something -- NO CLUNK!

Now...

I have a "PCL-Sparing" "high-flex" implant - which is one my surgeon doesn't usually use, but because I am so young he went with the "high-flex."

It's crossed my mind before that it is possible he screwed up and removed my PCL as he usually does for all other implants.

My understanding is that the PCL prevents the tibia (shin bone) from sliding too far backwards.

Since the implant doesn't have whatever mechanism replaces the function of the PCL, if my hypothesis is correct, then my clunk could be caused by my tibia sliding toward the rear as my thigh is lifted, and then popping back into place when I pull my leg straight in prep to put my heel down for my next step.

Having all the tension on the front of this "harness" would keep my tibia pulled forward, thus eliminating the clunk.

It all fits my "missing PCL" hypothesis!!

Which brings me (finally!) to my questions...

(1) Does this make sense from an orthopedic perspective?
(2) Is there some way to figure out if my PCL is missing without surgery? My understanding is that the implant makes MRI impossible, except for some bleeding-edge machines that don't exist around here...
(3) Any other thoughts??!!

Thanks in advance...

DD

[Dedicated_Dad]

At this point the only "brace" I have (that I can stand to wear) is this thing I made myself...

I plan to go to an ortho-joint on Monday and try out a PCL brace, though!

DD

[Dedicated_Dad]

First gave me nothing. Second gave me an immobilizer.

Things are a lot different now - they have you up and walking the morning after. Even at the big-city joint repl. center I went to for the revision noone there - a floor full - had a brace when they left...

DD