TKR ligament pain 4 months out on stairs

[ykcor]

i have been experiencing what my pt calls ligament pain surrounding my "new" knee for the last 3 months or so when walking up or down flight of steps. Sometimes better, sometimes worse. Stretching several times daily seems to help but temporarily. i am exactly 4 months post op. Anyone else experience this? My pt and surgeon keep encouraging me saying healing time can be 6 months to one year. Walking is not an issue. I have excellent flexion of 110 to 120 degrees. Extension is pretty good too. Help.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

Don't panic. PT and surgeon are IMO correct, just keep on keeping on and things will slowly and surely get better. I am over four years out and have noticed subtle improvements even in the last year.

Keep on stretching. Yes the body tries to revert, but persistence pays off. Gentle stretching, multiple repeats, as you are doing is correct.

 

[Celle]

Roy is right. But don't try to force anything and don't expect instant results. Your ligaments would probably appreciate a rest for a while, as they're a bit irritated and upset.

Did you realise that complete recovery from a TKR takes a very long time? It takes a full year before all your soft tissues are entirely healed and adjusted to your new gait.

There's no need to rush things or to worry, no time frame within which you have to achieve landmarks or deadlines, and it's not at all unusual to still have some difficulty with stairs at 4 months. Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

So that we can see it at the bottom of every post you make, please will you create a signature, in which you put your knee surgery and its date. That will make it much easier for us to advise you appropriately. Here's how to do it:
How to create a signature
Thank you.

 

[Celle]

Although it's four months since your TKR, I thought that some of the articles in the BoneSmart recovery reading list might help you:
First are the BoneSmart mantras ....
-rest, elevate, ice and take your pain meds by the clock
- if it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist (PT) - to do it to you. Exercise only gently
- if your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again
- if you won't die if it's not done, don't do it
- never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down, never stay awake when you can go to sleep!
- be active as much as you need to be but not more than is necessary, meaning so much that you end up being in pain, exhausted or desperate to sit down or lie down!

Next is a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) thread.

And here are some very crucial articles
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs

Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Activity progression for TKRs
Heel slides and how to do them

Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling

Healing: how long does it take?
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds
Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

 

[ykcor]

Thank you for the encouragement. Sometimes i find i am getting down because i traded one kind of pain for another which was unexpected on my part. I will keep up the stretches as well as a stiff upper lip so to speak. Any other stories out there?

 

[bottomshollow]

@ykcor, I have moved the above post from the Social Room into your thread here in the Knee Replacement Recovery area. We like to keep our members' recovery posts all in a single thread. That way it's easy for us to go back and read your history before responding to a question or concern. In addition, the thread becomes a journal of your recovery for those who come along later and want to read about you. So, please post in this thread from now on when you want to give an update or ask a question. If you have questions or concerns that need an immediate answer, please tag an admin, a mod, or other members or all three.

If you are having a problem locating your thread, here is a link with how to do it: How can I find my threads and posts?