When it comes to putting on the miles, fewer do more than avid cyclist, Tom Hannah, 64, Davenport. His goal this summer, a good 75 miles a week or about 300 miles a month, biking along the scenic trails and byways of eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Thanks to two total knee replacements, heβs back in the saddle with no more pain, swelling, or limping.
Davenport Cyclist Stronger after Total Knee Replacements

Not only was Tom back on his bike after his surgery, he was also back on the course!
When it comes to putting on the miles, fewer do more than avid cyclist, Tom Hannah, 64, Davenport. His goal this summer, a good 75 miles a week or about 300 miles a month, biking along the scenic trails and byways of eastern Iowa and western Illinois. Thanks to two total knee replacements, heβs back in the saddle with no more pain, swelling, or limping.
βIβm not one to lay around and take any time off,β declares Tom. But after a lifetime of athletics, including high school football, college wrestling, and rugby, Tomβs knees were beginning to wear out.
Pain and swelling started to limit his activity β not good news for a man on the move. βWhen I played golf, the pain got so bad I was limping, then my knee would swell up and throb. In the evenings, my knees hurt so bad theyβd wake me up in the middle of the night. I just waited longer to get the surgeries than I should have.β

Dr. Peter Rink, ORA Orthopedics
Putting off surgery is not unusual says Tomβs physician,Β Dr. Peter Rink, an Quad City ORA Orthopedicsβ joint replacement surgeon, who has been in practice for 24 years. βI usually donβt see patients until the pain begins to limit their life,β he says. βWe explore every option before surgery and try to help patients with their symptoms.
Treatments can include anti-inflammatory medications, various injections, or physical therapy, but knees do wear out, and in Tomβs case, arthritis and his previous injuries made him a good candidate for total knee replacement.
βWe both like to bike together and I knew Tomβs goal was to return to his normal level of activity, which is pretty significant when he cycles on average about 3 thousand miles a year,β says Dr. Rink.
Knee Replacement is a Viable Option for Active People
βKnees take a lot of stress,β he explains further. βAs we age, we all experience wear and tear on our knees. Our joint surface is a very specialized material and when itβs injured, it doesnβt heal itself. At some point, it starts to become painful.β Dr. Rink compares the knee to a tire tread. βWhen the tread wears out, we get new tires. When the joint wears out, we start talking knee replacement. Some peopleβs joints are more prone to wear than others, including those with past injuries or who are overweight.β
Dr. Rink replaced both of Tomβs knees, the first in 2010 and the second in 2013.
He describes total knee replacement as a procedure that basically resurfaces the knee. βWe remove the arthritic surface in surgery and then insert metal and medical-grade plastic components that replace the kneeβs worn surface.β
The surgeries take about an hour and the patient is up walking right away. The hospital stay lasts only a day or two. After about six weeks of physical therapy, patients fully recover in about three months. In total, ORA physicians perform over 1200 total knee replacements each year.
Adds Tom, βI had no problems with either knee surgery. I was in the hospital a couple days. Rehab is tough, but not bad if you work at it. My goal was to get back to where I was before. Thereβs no getting around pain, but I got my life back within a couple of months, and it was worth it.
βDr. Rink is great! We talked about options and he understood my desire to be active.β Now, Tom is looking forward to reaching his 300 mile monthly goal this summer. βI feel fine. Iβm as good as ever.β
Davenport Cyclist Stronger after Total Knee Replacements

Not only was Tom back on his bike after his surgery, he was also back on the course!

Dr. Peter Rink, ORA Orthopedics
Recent Comments