I have a leaky pipe under my kitchen sink but with my knee replacement, I'm afraid to kneel down to repair it. Is it safe to put that kind of weight on it?

The answer to your question isn't a straight "yes" or "no." Scientists are studying this question and so far very little information is available. There are some factors to consider. First, can you get up and down easily? If you lose your balance, can you catch yourself before falling on the knee?

How tall are you and how much do you weigh? In other words, how much weight and force will you be putting through that new joint? And how new is it? Certainly, you must wait until the scar tissue is all healed and you have motion and strength back.

A recent study from the McClure Musculoskeletal Research Center at the University of Vermont reports limited kneeling is probably okay from time to time. They X-rayed knee joint implants in two different kneeling positions. The contact points and position of the bones was about the same in both kneeling positions as when squatting and climbing
stairs.