HI Mark and thanks for your input.

Thanks for the positive comments re the knee. I am two years post TKR and the actual prosthetic and knee strength is really good.

Just after the surgery I got a slight infection in the incision and was unable to get past 90deg so ended up having a manipulation under anaethesia. I was able to build up the strength in the knee and am really happy with it. Pain remained and it would swell after use. Two different needle aspirations showed blood in the joint. Three months ago they did a minor arthroscopy with another surgeon to take biopsies and while in there they derided some skin from the joint that may have been catching.

The end result was no infection which was awesome, however a lot of scar tissue on both sides of the inside of the knee. Both surgeons are of the opinion that the issue is neurogenic and that the parasympathetic nervous system is hyper aroused and the nerves think the knee is still injured so responds to use with pain and swelling.

My pain is, medically speaking, stupid. If I sit in a chair it gets painful posterially, but if I stand or walk around it gets painful on the outside. 30 min in the car is about it, though I can push on with medication.

Having said that, hearing positive stories is a great tonic. I have 120deg of flex which is, I think, about the maximum. What bike are you riding. My knee is just under max flex on my GSA.

Re the social aspect with the girls, your points are valid, particularly with the older daughter. Our younger daughter has ADD (not hyper) and mild dyslexia which makes maintaining friends very difficult. She is ‘quirky’ so to speak, though academically fine. During the Covid lockdown her education was improved greatly as she received one on one education from her mum, and was the happiest she had ever been.

Advice appreciated.