Stories - I decided to have my knee replaced when:

I have been very active and began tennis at 35, it became an addiction that the entire family embraced. At 20 I tried running but my knees "bothered" me so I stopped running. I continued step aerobics and stair master, which were considered "good" for your knees at that time. Soon after starting tennis I was playing at least 4 hours a day 6 days a week. My knees began hurting upon consulting an orthopedic surgeon I was given exercises to do, knee braces, and a cryo cuff (icing). I got to the point where quick movement on the court was impossible as well as climbing stairs. In the 90's I had arthroscopic surgery on my left knee and had no improvement I had not turned 40. I was told I could not have knee replacement surgery until I was 60! I was prescribed a NSAID, which I faithfully took for 18 years, never knowing the side effects, actually not caring because it allowed me to get through my day. Two years ago I noticed I was getting bow legged. People would ask why I was limping which I didn't realize I was. I slowly was restricting more and more of my life. Last summer when visiting my daughter in DC I was severely limited in my walking. I was not overweight, swam laps 3 times a week, did yoga, spin, and Pilates, but could not walk any distance due to the pain. I had had ENOUGH all my senior friends raved about how much better their lives were post surgery and everyone of them said they had waited too long and wished they had done it sooner. I wasn't 60, but I scheduled a consult with 2 surgeons as I could not take the limitations any longer!