Happy Valentine’s Day from Bud and Nadine to all with knee ills
Masters track lovebirds Nadine O’Connor and Bud Held — both vault world-record holders — have launched a website devoted to knee replacements. Bud has a keen interest in this since he’s battled knee problems for years. Nadine writes: “We have launched a site www.SuperKnee.com to help us gather information about athletes who have had or are considering knee replacement. Initially, we want to gather information for a data base of personal experiences, good or bad, which will reflect the current status of knee replacements in athletes. To see the specific information we are looking for, click on the More Info page on our site. We will also be investigating whether or not there is a demand for lighter weight implants.â€
Nadine gives Bud a peck after he set an M80 vault world record at Spokane.
Nadine continues:
One of our dreams is to get a clinical trial for a BIOLOX Delta
ceramic femoral component with a titanium rotating tibia platform,
specifically involving athletes. At this point it appears that such a
study would have to be made in Europe as BIOLOX Delta for knees is not
approved in the U.S. This would be a follow up to the current BIOLOX
Delta clinical trials in Europe. (See our website.)
This could prove to be big progress in the knee wars, if tests bear out efficacy. Say a prayer for the pair.
3 Responses
WOW! This will be a huge resource for us. I have often known that a joint replacement will not keep me from vaulting no matter what the MD says, so maybe here I can get some ammunition for him.
Thanks for posting this, Ken. We have already received some good contacts and information.
I should have stressed that we need the following information:
Make and model of TKR
Fixed or rotating tibia plate
Year implanted
Details about the amount of activity
Age of “implantee”
Currently it appears that the only data available on TKR’s in younger, more active patients is anecdotal. The implants were originally designed as a “last resort” to alleviate knee pain in an older, more sedentary population. As younger and younger and more vigorous patients are getting TKR’s, we need to know the designs and materials that are working the best.
I had a boy of eightteen who started to train in my high jump group, talented but up to that moment a bit lazy. After a few weeks he complained about his knee, well that is possible, but it turned out he had bone cancer. He got an artificial knee. Although not doing sports he now has his third knee already, two broken. It seems the technique is not yet easy.
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