Bilateral TKR 9 months post op and new pain<^

@Josephine, DLC1128 has identified the location of her knee pain.

How are your knees feeling at this point? Has anything changed in the last couple of weeks? I’m thinking maybe the steroid pack your surgeon put you on has worked by now.
 
I would concur with Susie's question

So you pain spot is here?

DLC.jpg


That seems to be Shin splints, shin pain, compartment syndrome
 
Yes that is my pain spot. No the steroid pack did not work. Now he wants to do a steroid injection. He also wants to do a MUA. I say no to that!
 
My ROM in my right knee has taken a set back. I don’t know the degree of flexion but if I was guessing I would say around 120 degrees. I can fully extend.
 
No I don’t to know the full measurement. I know I don’t have full ROM yet. Not sure I ever will! I am more worried about the fact that I’m still having pain!
 
The two are very likely connected, you know!
 
Well they may be. Go with 120 degrees in right knee and 130 in left knee.
 
No, my pain is actually worse! Now I have it in both knees and the stiffness from months ago has returned! I also still have swelling in my left knee that has not gone down since surgery.

I have been walking 3-4 miles a day thinking that would help with the ROM but somehow it does not seem to be at all. I’ve also been doing exercises in the pool thinking I could help the stiffness. I am going to see my doc on Friday. Right now, my knee pain is worst then before the surgery. I will be a year post-op on 9/19.

I am thinking I may need a MUA however I have resisted it. And if I do, I think I am going to seek out a different surgeon for a second opinion.

Any thoughts on a MUA one year post op?
 
Why would you want a MUA with 120/130 bends? I am going to tag @Josephine
our forum director and nurse to address your concerns.
 
I have been walking 3-4 miles a day thinking that would help with the ROM but somehow it does not seem to be at all. I’ve also been doing exercises in the pool thinking I could help the stiffness
Walking is very good, but not to excess, and this seems to me to be excessive in light of the pain you have. Exercises in a pool can easily be over done on a knee that isn't ready yet.

I think you are working too hard at your recovery and your knee is telling you to slow down.

It’s not exercising that gets our range of motion back, it’s Time:

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle,
and Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

No one likes to hear this, but some recoveries take longer than others. Mine had been on the slower side. And yet, my ROM at 17 months is better than it was at 12 months! It really can take its time and continue to improve.
 
I agree with the others, if you have pain cut down on the exercising. Your knee is letting you know you’re over doing it. Take a little break, give your knee time to settle down and the pain will lessen.
 
Alright, one more question. I have been told FOREVER that at one year my knees would essentially be “back to normal”. They are NOT! So for the last couple of months I’ve been treating them like they are normal...Could it be that I have just been pushing it too hard for the last three months? I should maybe give them a really good rest for six weeks and see what happens...thoughts?
 
I do think you’re doing too much at this point. I was also hopeful of that magic one year mark. It didn’t happen for me. That was last March. But, I can feel that my leg has relaxed more in the last couple of months.

I’m still having issues at 17 months. My ROM is better than ever, though, so that’s still improving.

Slow things down a bit and see how it feels. Take shorter walks. You can always increase things later.

If you’re still not happy after the one year mark, you can consider another opinion. Often another surgeon won’t see you before the full year as many issues do resolve themselves over time, for some of us even longer than a year.

Second opinions are another whole different ball game. I got a second opinion at 15 months and the very highly recommended surgeon couldn’t be bothered with me. After a 2.5 hour drive to his office he spent about 15 minutes with me, took my notes away from me and said, just tell me. I couldn’t remember, nor did he give me time to think of, most of my list of concerns. It was very disappointing.

Some of our members have been told by their surgeons that recovery can even take as long as 18 months to 2 years. Of course they weren’t told that up front. :doh: We would have so much less stress and worry about our recovery if they would just be honest with us about recovery. We go into this surgery with unrealistic expectations because no one tells us what to expect, other than Bonesmart.
I should maybe give them a really good rest for six weeks and see what happens...
Try to relax, I know it’s hard, I’m in the same situation, and give things more time to settle down. :console2:
 
I think maybe you're pushing too hard also. My surgeon said up to 2 years to recover.
 
Also remember, we are all different---we are different ages, level of conditioning, weight, and drive. There is no magic here---Poof, one year is over and you are now normal!! What you are is better than before surgery and you will still have to curtail your activities. Still take walks but make them shorter.

It is easy to overdo exercises in the pool!! (how do I know that?) so, take a week off and then begin less aggressively. You do not need to do 15 reps of things. Do five---then feel your knee is is hot, swollen? take more time off. if no swelling, then you can move up to 8 and follow the same pattern. Find your limits for now, and that will make you feel better. A one or two mile hike might help with the knee but not make it angry!!
 
I agree with the posts above. Take some time off then go slowly, listening to your knees. When I began walking I started with just a 15 minute walk by setting my phone for half the time and turning around when the alarm went off, then added 5 minutes a week. It was slow, but not painful. Let us know how taking a rest amd going slow works.
 
Okay, I am back again! My knee surgery was in 9/17. Knee pain continues. Was told by one doc that it was related to IT band tightness so have been doing stretching and PT with no relief. I am starting to think it is something to do with the knee joint itself. How do you know if you have a spacer problem or if an adjustment needs to be made?
 

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