TKR Increased pain 4+ Weeks post op

Noanie

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I am so pleased I found this site , I thought I was prepared for the pain !
My consultant told me he had to do a lot of work before putting the knee in so that was why I was in so much pain . My mobility is good , I can climb 4 flights of stairs unaided I am walking unaided but also with my walker or a stick when I need to .
I saw a physio 10 days after the op and she gave me exercises , I can fully straighten my leg which was the main concern as it was badly bent , however trying to get a 75-90 bend on it impossible . The pain and swelling tell me it’s too soon , I’ve had big problems with pain relief it has upset my system so much I’ve had to cut right back . Does anyone else find ice makes their knee stiffer ?
Anyway I feel a bit more hopeful since joining this group , I’ve always been very active still working babysitting etc so onward and upwards
 
@Noanie Welcome to BoneSmart! Can you tell me the date of your surgery and which knee? I'll put the information in your signature for you.

What is making that knee stiff is swelling. Icing and elevating for at least 45-60 minutes per session will help reduce this swelling. And icing is even more important if you can't take proper pain medication.

At only 3 weeks out you are just beginning what can be a year long process. Easy does it on the exercising. Your focus now needs to be getting control of the pain.

Here are your recovery guidelines:
Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
We are all different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for YOU.“ Your doctor(s), physiotherapist(s) and BoneSmart are here to help. But you have the final decision as to what approach you use.

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:
rest
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

3. Do what you want to do BUT
a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​
b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this Activity progression for TKRs

6. Access these pages on the website

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in a majority of BoneSmart's forums, we ask that each member have only one recovery thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review history before providing advice.
 
Hi my knee surgery was on the 13th May . I do use the ice but it feels so cold and stuff afterwards . I totally understand I am needing to rethink my expectations.
 
Sorry right knee
 
Welcome! I find that a gentle massaging after icing helps with that stiffness. Try not to have expectations but instead take it one step at a time. I think climbing four flights of stairs unaided is really great since it’s not even been a month since your surgery.
 
Welcome, Noanie and congratulations on your new knee. This is a long, roller coaster journey, but you have lots of company here and besides support, there is a ton of good advice on BoneSmart. Come back often and let us know how you are doing. Be patient and follow the guidelines here - you won’t be sorry.
 
Unfortunately, that stiffness normally lasts for months. Mine did. Even when you don't see swelling outside, you can still have it inside your knee. Even a little bit of fluid will cause your knee to feel stiff and make it harder to bend.
 
Hi all , happy Sunday , I was wondering if anyone else is having quite severe hip pain .
My knee was very bent before surgery so my hip will have been under a lot of pressure .
I am thinking now that leg is straight that my hip is re aligning?
 
I will knit up some knee warmers while sitting around. Maybe someone is selling them on etsy as well.
 
Noanie, it is certainly a good possibility that your hip is doing things it hasn’t done in a while. Everything’s connected, so if the new knee is acting differently, so will the other joints and muscles respond differently.
 
Hi all , happy Sunday , I was wondering if anyone else is having quite severe hip pain .
My knee was very bent before surgery so my hip will have been under a lot of pressure .
I am thinking now that leg is straight that my hip is re aligning?
All sorts of aches and pains can happen post-surgery, and what you suggest is perfectly possible. Physiotherapists are good for advice on posture and gait
 
Hi Noanie and welcome! I just had my 2nd TKR ~ 5 1/2 weeks ago and my hips are still readjusting, as it sounds yours are as well. My right leg was severely knock-kneed and didn’t ever straighten at all within the past 2 years, so my hip was being compromised daily! Some days now my right hip aches and I sometimes grab a soft Melt roller and lie in the bed with it under my hip area to get some relief… But the hip aches are getting better as my walking begins to normalize as time goes on…
 
I am now 4 weeks post op , I have managed to sleep on my back with my leg straight until now . I am really struggling to continue at the minute due to a chest condition, how do I position my leg so I can lie more to one side ?
I am having to sleep sitting up which isn’t very easy .
 
Hi Noanie, some of our members try sleeping on their sides with a pillow between their knees. Keeping your leg totally straight is not necessary, a little bend is fine. Any position you find comfortable is ok.

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

Best wishes on your continuing recovery! :flwrysmile:
 
You can lie on you unoperated side with a pillow between your knees, supporting your operated knee.
Your right knee doesn't have to be kept straight and it won't matter if you don't keep it elevated.

It will help you to stay on your side if someone can put a pillow behind your back.

At first, you may find you can only stay on your side for a short time, before turning onto your back again.
 
I am so pleased I found this site , I thought I was prepared for the pain !
My consultant told me he had to do a lot of work before putting the knee in so that was why I was in so much pain . My mobility is good , I can climb 4 flights of stairs unaided I am walking unaided but also with my walker or a stick when I need to .
I saw a physio 10 days after the op and she gave me exercises , I can fully straighten my leg which was the main concern as it was badly bent , however trying to get a 75-90 bend on it impossible . The pain and swelling tell me it’s too soon , I’ve had big problems with pain relief it has upset my system so much I’ve had to cut right back . Does anyone else find ice makes their knee stiffer ?
Anyway I feel a bit more hopeful since joining this group , I’ve always been very active still working babysitting etc so onward and upwards
Wow sounds like you are doing amazing !
 
Hi I am 4-5 weeks post op . My mobility is amazing , I am only doing the gentlest of exercises , just really allowing complete healing , rest and natural activity.
However my calf muscle in my affected leg is floppy .
Also just wondering at what point can you lie on your side ? Sleeping on my back is causing me so many problems .
 
I have slept on my side since my surgery. My legs are in a scissor-like position with my non surgical leg over and in front of my surgical leg.
 
Ok I was told on no account to do that but I will give it a go .
 

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