6 minute read

Knee-replacement surgeries help reclaim mobility, active lifestyle

By Louie St. George III

Rarely is there an opportune time for knee-replacement surgery. Carol Johnston, of Duluth, had two of them, five months apart. She was determined to regain the mobility that allowed her to bike, practice yoga and cross-country ski.

The mother of four had her left knee replaced in November 2019 and the right one done in March 2020. Both times, Johnston was in and out of the hospital the same day. And both times she listened to her physician, Essentia Health orthopedic surgeon Brad Edgerton, as well as her body. She took it easy for two weeks before gradually increasing activity.

“The first two weeks you have a really good excuse to just lay on the couch and watch TV,” Johnston said. “It was surprising what a good couch potato I could be.”

Swelling — not pain — was the primary complication following the first surgery, though it was fleeting. That wasn’t the case the second time around, when Johnston experienced mild discomfort but little else. She couldn’t believe that a major procedure could seem so ordinary.

Much of the credit for that goes to the Mako robotic armassisted surgery available at Essentia. This advanced technology makes it possible for surgeons like Edgerton to perform less-invasive and more predictable surgeries. That predictability stems from precise cuts that are mapped out beforehand with a 3D model of the patient’s bones generated from a CT scan. Pain is minimal.

“What the robotic technology does is it allows us to take digital information, enter it into a computer program and then plan out everybody’s individual knee for their particular anatomy the day before surgery,” Edgerton explained.

The robot lines the saw up for the surgeon based on the preprogrammed model. And it knows exactly where the edge of the bone is, so once the cut is finished the saw shuts off, ensuring that the surgeon can’t plunge into any soft tissue and damage muscle, ligaments or tendons.

Edgerton occasionally encounters patients who are uneasy about relying so heavily on technology. Some might ask if they should at least consider conventional knee-replacement surgery, which features manual cuts guided by intuition. Edgerton responds with a scenario about needing to get somewhere at a specific time in, say, the middle of downtown Minneapolis.

“Are you going to pull out a paper map and plot out the course?” he asks. “Well, no. I’m gonna enter it into the GPS on my phone.”

“It’s an amazing thing,” the 62-year-old Johnston said. “I feel very fortunate to have had it done with the Mako and with Dr. Edgerton.”

Periodic knee pain over the previous 10 years and a pair of torn menisci necessitated the surgeries. Johnston had been getting by on pain-relieving orthopedic injections. Her arthritis stemmed from a loss of cartilage in her knees, and thus an influx of bone-on-bone friction. She couldn’t carry on that way indefinitely. Eventually, she reached out to Essentia.

Following both surgeries, Johnston got around with the help of a walker when she wasn’t resting with her leg elevated beneath an ice pack. Rehab slowly morphed into moderate exercise. She had to forego the desire to do too much too soon.

Mako patients tend to fare better than patients of more conventional joint-replacement surgeries. That includes a quick recovery.

“That’s why we do it. We want people to be active. Our goal is for people to get back to doing what they like to do, as long as they’re appropriate activities,” Edgerton said. “We are really committed to try to bring the best possible joint-replacement care to our patients, and that’s one of the reasons we embarked upon the robotic program in the first place.

“We want our patients to have access to the best technology.”

Johnston always expected to return to her favorite activities. She just didn’t know how long it would take. Fortunately, during a summer upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, she was back on her feet — and bike — sooner than even she could have anticipated.

And the best news?

“I don’t really think about my knees anymore,” Johnston said. D

Samantha Roffers, a Moose Lake writer, believes it’s important to shop for things you love and feel comfortable in. Everyone’s style is unique and that’s what makes it so special.

By Samantha Roffers

Hellodear readers!

Wow, I can’t believe the way we are clipping along through the seasons. We had our first hard frost recently and fall is definitely in the air. By the time you all are reading this we may even have snow on the ground, yikes! This issue of Fashions By Sam was so much fun to do, I definitely got a bit out of my comfort zone visiting two stores I’ve never been to before — The LoFT and Benders Shoes, both in Duluth. They both turned out to be absolutely wonderful and I found so many great things. It feels so good to be able to visit stores again and get some safe (and much needed) social interaction. There’s something about shopping and lunching with good company that is so good for the soul... (Also, the wild rice burger at Grandma’s, to die for, is a musttry item).

We visited Benders to check out all the warm and cozy fall/winter footwear and we also headed over to The LoFT to find some warm outfits. So, let’s get right to the good stuff! D

by Sam

I have to admit, when I started flipping through the racks at The LoFT I was initially a little overwhelmed. Sometimes when you go to a store that’s full of goodies and you have to really “dig” for things it can be intimidating. However, I quickly realized Laurie had her store efficiently and beautifully sorted by size, season and color. Once I got the lay of the land, finding outfits was so easy. She has a wide variety of sizes and styles and brands like The North Face, Dooney and Bourke, Duluth Pack, Miss Me, Maurices and much more. She has a huge assortment of accessories, outerwear and footwear as well. It was really fun to try different scarves, bags and jewelry — they really change the entire look within seconds. I tried some things that I wouldn’t normally go for and was pleasantly surprised with most of it. Of course, you won’t love everything you try when you go shopping and that’s okay, but it’s such a great idea to go out of your comfort zone every once in a while and try something you wouldn’t usually wear. Even as far as sizing goes, if you like something that’s not in your size, give it a try. Companies run so different from each other you may find what doesn’t work for you in one brand works in another. The affordability of the LoFT was outstanding. Prices are anywhere from 50% to 75% off normal retail and many things come in new with tags.

At Benders, I tried on three different pieces of foot wear. A “casual” shoe, a “dressy” boot and a more “middle of the road” boot. This first was my pick for the “middle of the road” boot. These are totally adorable with the teal geo pattern paired with a beautiful smoky grey. They are also lined with soft and cozy fur. It felt like I wrapped my feet in a new fuzzy blanket when I put these on, I truly didn’t want to take them off. The warmth and comfort level of these is incredible and I could definitely see myself grabbing these on a daily basis in the winter. The robust traction they offer is a huge plus as well. They can easily be worn as a casual daily boot or dressed up and worn on a date or outing.

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The second pair of boots I tried on were my “casual” pick. Again, the comfort level of these boots are incredible. I would love to have a pair of these for my outdoor chores in the muddy seasons. They have great traction and I could easily pull them on and off. The loop holes are strong and I didn’t feel like the shaft of the boot sagged. I have wider calves as well and I was very comfortable with the fit as they offer a lot of stretch. They are adorned with a very subtle and adorable pattern that goes with everything and puts them a step above your typical rain or muck boot.

The last footwear I tried on was this adorable little leather bootie, my “dressy” pick. I was instantly drawn to the rich brown shade, the ombre on the toe and the adorable pattern. These give me the western vibe that I absolutely adore. Again, the comfort level of these is very high. For reference, I have a very wide foot so sometimes shoe shopping can be a challenge. I would definitely wear these shoes to work or any outing. You could pair them with a skinny jean, leggings, flares or boot cut jeans and they’re going to look adorable. The color of this shoe makes them so versatile, you can really wear them with anything.

Not only did I find tons of awesome shoes, Benders had an amazing selection of socks, bags and shoe accessories… They also have a great clearance room full of summer, fall and winter footwear.

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