Caving with a joint replacement

[benshannon]

As a physio who caves, I have always thought that caving is the perfect kind of rehab. It's a whole body workout as well as being great for mental health.

I'm just curious here, but with the demographic of cavers, I was wondering how many of you are caving with a joint replacement. I recently treated a caver with a fresh hip replacement. He was worried about being able to go caving again, but I have reassured him and got him back underground.

So, I guess I'm keen to know if many continue to cave with joint replacements and if you have any worries about doing so

 

[langcliffe]

I'm going to have a new ankle next month, if that counts. My main concern is whether it'll be a good colour match.

 

[Alex]

Maybe you should just quit cold turkey, oh wait not that kind of joint lol.

I know one caver who has had a hip replacement, I used to cave with him a lot. He's definitely capable of caving and well I need to arrange a trip with him at some point.

 

[Maisie Syntax]

Caving with just the one joint replacement? Eminent gentleman and legend of caving & climbing in these parts does it with the full set - possibly more.

 

[legendrider]

Its a game of give-&-take really.

Great exercise for those of us who shun sport, off-the-scale for mental wellbeing, murder on the knees and elbows.

Still on all-original manufacturers bodywork after 60 years, so will keep you posted!

 

[Pitlamp]

Slightly off topic but I met a bloke last year who had just walked up Penyghent, 20 days after his hip replacement.
OK, he was quite a determined bloke and was very fit before his operation - but even so I was extremely impressed by what the NHS is capable of these days.

 

[Ian Ball]

I know far more squash players with hip and knee replacements than cavers.

 

[LJR]

Not exactly a replacement but a bad repair.
I had a mining accident when I was 30. I broke my femur just at the point where the shaft joins the ball at the top.
It was operated on and a blade and plate screwed to it . I was off work for 13 months whilst I learned to walk again.
My main problem with caving was slithering on that side and not getting pebbles digging into the very tender scar area.
It has toughened up over the years but even now I don't lie on it on hard surfaces by choice and I have slightly reduced movement range on that side.
I have managed to keep exploring and completed 50 years in the mining industry.

 

[mrodoc]

I know of several cavers with joint replacements both hips and knees who get on fine.

 

[traff]

My better half has given up, as after a shoulder replacement following a cycling accident, she can't raise her arm above horizontal effectivly ruling out SRT.

 

[Slug]

I know of several cavers with joint replacements both hips and knees who get on fine.

That's good to know Pete, one day, if I ever get my new knee, and the hip doesn't give out in the meantime, I might get to venture underground again.

 

[Maisie Syntax]

Slightly off topic but I met a bloke last year who had just walked up Penyghent, 20 days after his hip replacement.
OK, he was quite a determined bloke and was very fit before his operation - but even so I was extremely impressed by what the NHS is capable of these days.

Why does this remind me of the phrase "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should".

 

[Spaniel on crack]

My mum is not on here but caves regularly and has had a hip replacment and limited hip mobility. She caves incredibly well but finds bridging over gaps impossible or tricky depending on the situation. Shes very good at finding a way round this and it hasnt effected her learning to rig ect

 

[tony from suffolk]

I've had a right total knee replacement which has just celebrated its 10th anniversary, and a prosthetic left hip, a baby at only eight. Apart from discomfort when kneeling, neither restrict me from doing stuff. I've not been caving for many years, and despite being old I'm pretty fit and have often contemplated a final caving trip before I fall off my perch. However, there's this nagging worry that I might get stuck at one of those awkward positions you get into when underground.

A slight digression; many years ago I took a chap caving who was a transtibial amputee & wore an old style prosthesis. We did the Upper Series in Swildons OK, but he couldn't manoeuvre round one of the bends inside the entrance of Rod's Pot.

 

[Lancsman in Lincs]

Slightly off topic but I met a bloke last year who had just walked up Penyghent, 20 days after his hip replacement.
OK, he was quite a determined bloke and was very fit before his operation - but even so I was extremely impressed by what the NHS is capable of these days.

90 days after a right knee replacement I was back doing scrambling up one of the Welsh three thousanders! I regularily cave again but my right knee although technically has "full" movement and crawls happily after me it doesn't like ladder work, can't quite get the technique

 

[Pitlamp]

Why does this remind me of the phrase "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should".

I think it's more a case of a (creditable) "can do" attitude blended with some determination.
The bloke in question is no fool and is very fit. It would probably not have been possible for your average Joe Public and I'm sure he was realistic.

 

[Badlad]

Caving with just the one joint replacement? Eminent gentleman and legend of caving & climbing in these parts does it with the full set - possibly more.

This must refer to one of the chums. The person in question has a replacement shoulder joint, new hip, knee joint and ankle all done at different times over the last decade or two. Never stopped him caving for long. He also has metal plates in both forearms and a lense replacement in his eye (hilti capping accident). I think there was also some work done on his other ankle. There has been so many its hard to keep up. We all refer to him as a bit of a machine. Like the terminator he never stops. For example, three weeks and three days after his knee op he did Top Sinks to County. Digging on Leck Fell shortly after the ankle op he hopped across on crutches and when it got too boggy for the crutches he crawled the rest of the way. Legend, gives us all hope

 

[paul]

I suppose you could also include Chester Shaw although his joint replacement was a bit more radical!

 

[Pitlamp]

Careful; I could spend a whole day telling Chester stories!
I did consider posting his obituary here, as it gives insight into what a (supposedly) disabled person is capable of. But it might be considered straying a bit off topic.

 

[rm128]

Careful; I could spend a whole day telling Chester stories!
I did consider posting his obituary here, as it gives insight into what a (supposedly) disabled person is capable of. But it might be considered straying a bit off topic.

I, for one, would love to read that. Perhaps start a new thread?