When Doug Doble thinks about the way he used to live, it's not the combination of sharp and nagging knee pain that bothered him the most—it's what that pain stopped him from doing.

During that time, Doug recalls heading into the backyard of his Maplewood, NJ, home with his kids—then 7 and 10—to kick a soccer ball around or play basketball with them. He would only last a few minutes before he would have to call it quits, when his knee began to feel painful and unstable. He couldn't even lie on his back without a pillow under the knee for support, leading him to feel like he rarely got a full night of uninterrupted sleep. Yet, he hesitated to seek a total knee replacement, thinking that at 48 at the time, he was too young.

“I’d had a bone issue growing up, so I had knee surgery in college, followed by another one for torn cartilage in the same knee,” Doug explained. “From there, I had constant pain for 15 years, and that often got worse with movement. But I was nervous to get another surgery because I thought it would just have to get revised at some point.”

A comment from his sister-in-law, who is a nurse practitioner, made him rethink his position: She noted his quality of life was declining as a result. He thought of all the experiences he’d miss as his kids grew up and became more athletic, and how his own mobility would likely decline.

His mind now beginning to change, he made an appointment with Giles R. Scuderi, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee replacement surgery at Northwell’s Long Island Jewish Valley Stream.

“I already knew he was going to recommend a knee replacement, but I was so hesitant about ‘ripping off the Band-Aid’ and moving forward,” Doug said, figuring he might need some convincing. That first appointment did the trick. “Dr. Scuderi explained everything to me so well, I felt confident, and was actually even excited for the opportunity.”

Doug had total knee replacement surgery at Long Island Jewish Valley Stream. Beforehand, he followed Dr. Scuderi’s recommendation and got a stationary bike for his home to use during recovery. The orthopedic team also advised him to drink protein-rich nutritional shakes for a couple of weeks to help with healing. This and a lot more was covered in a comprehensive information packet about what to expect immediately after surgery as well as in the weeks and months afterward, including physical therapy exercises that could be helpful.

The surgery went well, and although he did experience some pain afterward, Doug believes the focus on getting moving and keeping his nutritional needs met sped his progress. “I expected all of it to be worse, honestly, but I didn’t have any setbacks,” he said. “The Northwell team was just outstanding the whole way through, from prepping for surgery to the day of the procedure and beyond. Even months later, they were still checking in on me. I could call anytime and I knew someone would get back to me. That made me feel so supported.”

Doug expected to get back to his normal life, only this time without pain. What he found, though, was a whole new adventure. Once he’d rehabbed his knee enough that inflammation and post-surgical pain was no longer a concern, a friend suggested going for a run. He declined.

“I’m not a runner,” he said. “But he kept bringing it up and it stuck in my head.” Before long, he started jogging around a local track. When that didn’t hurt, he decided to undertake more training. Already a swimmer and now comfortable on the home stationary bike, he aimed for a sprint triathlon—a swimming/cycling/running event similar to an Olympic-style triathlon but with shorter distances.

A year and a half after surgery, Doug was at the starting line for a race and was so happy to do the event, he increased his training and did another one. He also signed up for and ran two 5Ks. “The most amazing thing was that I rarely ever experienced any pain in my repaired knee during training or after the events.”

Another victory? He was finally able to sleep with no pillow under the knee, and felt flooded with relief and gratitude.

“This surgery was truly life changing,” Doug said, who’s now 50. “I’m definitely going to keep going with the 5Ks and sprint triathlons, and I’m not worried about my knee anymore. Considering how much I’d adjusted my life around my pain, that’s huge.”