True story: forty years ago when I was 17 years old I was in a really bad downhill skiing accident. I tore my right MCL completely and had major reparative surgery two days later. I’ve battled osteoarthritis in that knee most of my adult life — my surgeon at the time told me this would be likely and that someday I might have to have more surgeries. Fast forward to today, and I’m at the eve of having BOTH of my knees replaced. That injury, genetics, two meniscus tears and a lifetime of running, hiking, and what my doctor calls “aggressive” cycling has lead to acute arthritis in both knees, bone on bone, knee caps living completely off to the side, and adding up to painful daily living. For a few years now, I’ve been actively avoiding this day — just getting more cortisone and working on my mindset to most effectively tolerate the pain. I was told I was young for knee replacements and if I had them now I’d likely have to have them again in 20 years, but the surgeons I talked to also agre...