September 14, 2025
As I approach the one-year mark after my total knee replacement, I am full of gratitude. I thank the people in my life who encouraged me to do it. My good friend Charlie, a doctor, athlete, and blog reader, strongly encouraged me to not wait, so I could get back to living life fully. So many others did the same. I’m grateful to the team of medical professionals who made it happen and did their jobs so expertly – my doctor and all of his nurses and prep team, and my physical therapist and his team – you all crushed it. And I’ve said it before, thanks to my wife Jill for all of the support, especially in those first few weeks. It was a lot.
So where am I now?
- I am far more mobile than I was before the surgery. No pain. No limp. Full range of motion. I’m enjoying walking, hiking, pickleball, and golf way more, and I feel like a new person.
- The scar is visible, but way better than you would think.
- I faithfully worked with a physical therapy office for seven months after the surgery, and it was an incredibly rewarding investment of time and money.
And life after physical therapy is my topic for this post.
I was at a birthday party for a friend last weekend. It was a great mix of people in the sixties and in their thirties – I love it when our kids enjoy the parties that the old people throw. And in a conversation with my friends John and Carolyn, talking about pickleball, knee surgeries, and rehab/physical therapy – such stereotypical topics for our age group – John said, “Life after 60 is all about rehab.” While it may sound a little depressing, John’s insight is actually full of wisdom and hope.
I remember being in the pre-op room before my knee replacement surgery. There were curtains separating me from other patients getting ready to go into surgery. Jill was still with me, and they were marking me up, sticking needles in me, and hooking up monitors to me. Then we heard the doctors talking rather loudly to the patient next to me. “OK. So we are doing this second surgery because you DID NOT DO YOUR REHAB, and the knee is not working. We will fix it again, but you have to do your rehab this time.”
Jill and I both wonder if that was a real patient, or if maybe doctors arrange that “conversation” with nobody, for the sole purpose of making sure the people on the other sides of the curtains, who they know are eavesdropping, are more committed than ever to their rehab programs. I picture them barely able to contain their laughter as the lecture the empty bed. Whether or not it was a real conversation, it had an impact.
Life after 60 is all about rehab.
My first four months of rehab were all about flexibility – getting my knee to flex as much as possible. That involved stretching at home, and it involved some horrible stretches from my physical therapist. I thought I was pushing myself at home, but my PT reminded me that I’m actually quite kind to myself, and sometimes, kindness is not what the body needs. And the last three months were all about getting stronger. Weight bearing and resistance activities to rebuild the muscles in my leg to improve my quality of life and to prevent future injuries.
I kept up the weekly appointments even after my insurance benefits ended. But $400 a month is real money, and I have been on my own since June. My word of the year for the last two years has been self-discipline.That’s what is needed to do the flexibility exercises and strength building exercises needed to keep me pain free and at my best.
My friend Merlin and I were commiserating recently on how much a difference 15 to 30 minutes of stretching makes in how we feel each day, and how, even though we know that, we skip it too often. I saw a t-shirt last week that simply said, “Everything Hurts.” When I faithfully stretch, some parts of me don’t hurt. Why the heck can’t I regularly do something that I know is so good for me?
I wish I had the self-discipline to make my self-discipline goal a daily reality.
When I was rehabbing my knee, I set aside two to three hours a day for stretching, walking up and down the halls and outside, and eventually, strength building. I had a motivational play list that began with the Gonna Fly Now, the theme from Rocky. I was all in. But now that I’m back to normal, finding that time is a little more difficult. Before, it was clearly mandatory. Now . . . it feels optional. But in reality, it is not at all optional.
Life after 60 is all about Rehab.
It’s almost like I have to convince my brain that if I don’t do the work every day, I’ll end up like that real or make-believe person next door to me in the pre-op room. I don’t want to have unnecessary pain in my life, and I certainly want to be the strongest and healthiest I can be for the next twenty years, if not longer.
Wish me luck.
(Your comments are always welcome! Scroll down to find the comment section.)
Post #138 on www.drmdmatthews.com
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Notes
You can read my Word for 2025 Blog Post here
The only part of that I disagree with about this post is that the number 60 could be a little lower. I think it could go as low as 35. It was when I turned 35 that injuries took a little longer to heal, exercising without stretching often had bad outcomes, and weight was a little more difficult to lose. But at 60, it is a much starker truth.
If I had the dollars, here are the coaches I am would pay to have in my life:
- Masters Swim Coach (and pool access) – I do this
- Vocal Lessons – I am currently doing this, but there will be an end.
- Golf Coach – On hold
- Physical Trainer – It was great, but probably never again
- Guitar Lessons – Learning by doing at this point
And I’ve written this before, but a big reason why I write these posts is to kick myself in the *** and remind myself to do what is best for me. I hope this helps a little.
Cover picture taken while hiking in Zion National Park this summer.
Medical team fake conversation picture created by ChatGPT.
Mike Matthews 
Lynn Johnson 
Mitch Ozawa 
Gail Pinsker 
Bill Sampson 
Harriett Janetos 
Merlin 
mark massey 
Shari Lee 
Larry Peacock 
Betty Glass
I love your comment, “Life after 60 is all about rehab”. Then, also the commitment needed to make it happen. I am not in rehab, but I continue my CrossFit workout three times a week, which also requires that same daily self-discipline. It also helps to have our large support team as cheerleaders as we go through these difficult stages in life.
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