How I finally cured my nagging knee pain
The Olympic swimmer tells BUSOLA EVANS how after nine operations she found an alternative to surgery for her osteoarthritis
AT 54, former Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies looks as fit and agile as she did in her competitive heyday. So it comes as a surprise when she reveals she is in need of a right knee replacement after being diagnosed with unicompartmental osteoarthritis in 2012.
The condition occurs when the cartilage of the knee is worn down and does not protect the bones.
As a result, most osteoarthritis sufferers experience severe pain because of increased pressure on the underlying bone and are recommended to have a knee replacement.
Incredibly, Sharron has been able to avoid surgery for five years so far, thanks to an unloading brace – a lightweight, non-surgical treatment option for the symptoms associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Recommended by the National Institute For Health And Care Excellence (NICE), it is professionally fitted and applies a gentle force designed to reduce the pressure on the affected part of the knee.
“I have less pain and am more active now since I started wearing the brace for activities that cause it to swell,” says Sharron, who represented Britain in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and European Championships during her 20-year career.
“I couldn’t believe how much it helped,” she adds. “It means I can carry on my busy lifestyle. I can now walk the dog miles – just as I used to.”
Osteoarthritis is affecting more people every year due to increasing age and rising obesity rates. According to the medical charity Arthritis Research UK, eight million people in the UK suffer with the condition, with knee osteoarthritis in younger people on the rise due to increased activity or previous injury.
As a result, the number of knee surgeries is multiplying year on year. Around 150,000 knee operations are conducted in the UK every 12 months, with approximately 80,000 total knee replacements. This is believed to cost the NHS more than £400million a year.
HOWEVER the results of an eight-year study published recently in the British Medical Journal indicate that an unloading knee brace is a cost-effective way to delay and reduce surgical intervention for patients with unicompartmental knee osteoarthritis. After wearing a brace for up to two years, 40 per cent of patients in the study didn’t require surgery at all.
Sharron was told she needed a knee replacement after undergoing a staggering nine operations over several years for an injury triggered by a fall when she was a child.
“I must have been about 11 and caught my foot in a pothole while running a 100m race and my knee twisted,” she remembers.
“There were no MRI scans back then so my dad simply tied my leg together for three months. It healed enough for me to become a swimmer but if I had been doing something more weight-bearing, it would have been more of a troublesome injury.”
The problem reared its head in 1995, a year after she hung up her swimsuit for good and was starring in the hit TV show Gladiators, which saw her compete in a series of physical events. “One of the contenders fell really awkwardly on my leg and whatever was left of my ligament then snapped,” says Sharron.
“I’ve since had nine operations on my knee because the cartilage was so badly damaged and has had so much trauma.”
When Sharron was told she needed a new knee after her last operation in 2012, it was then she decided to explore other options.
“I was 50 at the time and thought I was too young for a knee replacement. They tend to last only 10 years and you are limited to three. Also, about 25 per cent of knee replacements are not terribly successful and they can create issues like back problems. I really didn’t want that.”
It took 18 months for mum-of-three Sharron to discover the brace made by an Icelandic firm called Össur. “I wear it whenever I have to do anything that will be a lot of stress on my knee. I don’t use it all day, every day, it depends on what I’m doing.
“It is tempting to rest your knee but if you don’t continuously work your muscles and try to look after them you are likely to suffer more. So I try to maintain the muscle strength around the injured joint.”
Sharron appeared on the new Bear Grylls TV show, Celebrity Island, and admits she would have struggled without the brace.
“Some of the tasks I had to do with Bear Grylls involved long challenging walks. I wore my unloading brace to help prevent the painful swelling around my knee that can come from that.”
Knee issues aside, Sharron is still in terrific shape and has now qualified as a personal trainer. “I’m the same weight I always was. I work out every other day.
“I avoid anything that puts impact on my knee such as running and I usually do cycling.”
Surprisingly, Sharron does little swimming these days. “I’ve got knackered shoulders,” she laughs.
“My shoulders are not good because of the years I spent training in a pool. Also, swimming now is like a busman’s holiday. It’s nice to do something else.” Sharron has also remained an advocate for healthy eating. “I’m a big believer in not being excessive. I don’t believe in ridiculous diets, just a sensible, balanced diet and exercise.
“There isn’t any quick fix. I don’t really drink although I have the odd glass of wine or gin and tonic as a treat.”
Sharron believes the brace has transformed her life and is keen for people to be more aware of their options if they are told they need a knee replacement.
“At the moment it’s delaying having a knee replacement and stopping me from having any pain,” she says. “I’ve seen people who can hardly walk have a brace fitted and are pain-free. The effect it can have is miraculous.”