runlikethewind
new member
I have pinching type pain behind my knee mostly on the left side. You can actually see the bump of the prothesis there and that is the area it is most painful. The thought is the popliteal tendon rubs across that part of the prosthesis and it causes pain and when more swelling in general, the more pinch I feel. I do have lots of clicking and clanking in the knee as well and my knee cap sticks at times.
I do still get swelling. When it swells and is really tight I have about 90 degrees flexion opposed to 105-110 passive. I still am seeing my PT who really helps with loosening it up when things are tight-IT band, Hamstrings, quad. She feels that there is too much movement - the tibia slides back. The joint is not tight/stable enough. I have started wearing a brace that adds PCL and ACL support. With the brace on I have more stability, less pinch, and actually walk better. I have a bit of extensor lag but my gait is so much better with the brace on. The though process here is that the tibia does not slide back and forth as much so it is more stable with the brace. My quads are still lacking strength and muscle tone but I have a history of RSD in that extremity prior to the TKA.
The DR has done x-rays and say they look good. It is the only time that the knee was x rayed after the TKA surgery. He has done ultrasound to see what he can see and made a strange comment that the tibial plate looked tilted but maybe the way the US made it appear. At my appointment this week he noticed the swelling and my PT had mentioned ruling out allergy so he sent me for ESR and CPR
which would indicate inflammation and those came back low and in normal range indicating no inflammation. Another PT thinks that the prothesis may be too large as she was concerned that you can actually touch that part on the back of my knee and feels that the popliteal tendon will always be irritated because it is always rubbing on that.
My PT would like me to see another Ortho, one who does revisions and complicated cases just to see what idea someone else has.
I am about 5'5'' and 100 pounds so I do not put much stress on that joint. Stairs are still nearly impossible. I still am no where close to as active as I was prior. An injury led to the decision to do the TKA so I was not planning on having a TKA ever until the injury caused issues I did not have before.
AM so sorry for the length of this post. Am just not sure what to do, where I am headed or?
I do still get swelling. When it swells and is really tight I have about 90 degrees flexion opposed to 105-110 passive. I still am seeing my PT who really helps with loosening it up when things are tight-IT band, Hamstrings, quad. She feels that there is too much movement - the tibia slides back. The joint is not tight/stable enough. I have started wearing a brace that adds PCL and ACL support. With the brace on I have more stability, less pinch, and actually walk better. I have a bit of extensor lag but my gait is so much better with the brace on. The though process here is that the tibia does not slide back and forth as much so it is more stable with the brace. My quads are still lacking strength and muscle tone but I have a history of RSD in that extremity prior to the TKA.
The DR has done x-rays and say they look good. It is the only time that the knee was x rayed after the TKA surgery. He has done ultrasound to see what he can see and made a strange comment that the tibial plate looked tilted but maybe the way the US made it appear. At my appointment this week he noticed the swelling and my PT had mentioned ruling out allergy so he sent me for ESR and CPR
which would indicate inflammation and those came back low and in normal range indicating no inflammation. Another PT thinks that the prothesis may be too large as she was concerned that you can actually touch that part on the back of my knee and feels that the popliteal tendon will always be irritated because it is always rubbing on that.
My PT would like me to see another Ortho, one who does revisions and complicated cases just to see what idea someone else has.
I am about 5'5'' and 100 pounds so I do not put much stress on that joint. Stairs are still nearly impossible. I still am no where close to as active as I was prior. An injury led to the decision to do the TKA so I was not planning on having a TKA ever until the injury caused issues I did not have before.
AM so sorry for the length of this post. Am just not sure what to do, where I am headed or?