TKR 2nd TKR Left on 10/16 (RTKR 10/13/21)

[mendogal]

4.5 MONTHS POST-OP

I know each knee is different but I'm disappointed! I will carry on and try to be more patient, such an important component of this healing.

Hope everyone is having a good healing day! I'm trying to decide whether to take it easy on my knee and return to my organizing work tomorrow. (the nice thing about running your own business!)

thanks for listening!

I hope you granted your knee permission to rest!!! It's still early days for it...

And it's a funny thing about second knees. I was much more relaxed about the surgery, I had an easy time prepping the house, etc. yet my second knee, while nicely functional, is STILL giving me soft tissue problems!

So give that baby the TLC it tells you it needs.

 

[Layla]

Today my knee is pretty sore and tight

I'm trying to decide whether to take it easy on my knee and return to my organizing work tomorrow.

Pain Is Your Body Asking For Change.
Hopefully today is better than yesterday!

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

Do you get that tight band feeling? I am trying to be patient, and I am much better then I was early on in my recovery.

@Nay Nay Hello!
I do have that tight band feeling. I think it lasts a while. I used ice last night since I spent a lot of time on my feet this past week. I just want to be normal, but the knee wants what the knee wants! (TO HEAL) It was a radical surgery and I understand why it's slow. but, come on already!

So yeah, still some pain. I have to be aware to sit and rest when I am doing a project, which is hard to do for me. The gym is next on my list. I am behind compared to my right knee, I was well on my exercise path with my right at this time (I think I mentioned). PATIENCE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!

HEAL WELL!

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

5 MONTHS POST OP

Hello Bonesmart People!
It has been a little over 5 months since my surgery. I have been moving along pretty well. But over the last few weeks I have had pain on the left side of my knee. I can do the elliptical but now it is painful to ride the stationary bike (even reclining type) I saw my doc last week and he said it was because I am quite muscular in that spot and it is taking time to heal. But it's weird because I was able to bike like a month ago! I'm icing again, but it isn't very encouraging. That motion of going downstairs and pedaling a bike is painful. I remember having a much better experience with my right knee, and I know every knee is different!

Anyone with this experience? I'm OVER THIS! thank you for letting me vent!

Hang in there, everyone!

 

[EalingGran]

I wonder if that is pain from your collateral ligament? Sometimes these can be overstretched prior to surgery by the asymmetrical collapse of the joint with arthritis. I had a painful medial collateral ligament (MCL) for several months post-op. My surgeon diagnosed it from the position of the pain and the triggers ( which were going up and downstairs).
It gradually healed with not over pushing it but doing gentle strengthening exercises for my medial quads.

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

@EalingGran, thank you for your response! I don't know the technical term, but it sounds right. I have been doing quad and hamstring strength as per my PT. I will try patience, not pushing too hard, and adding stretching! Thank you.

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

5 MONTHS POST OP

I am still struggling with replacing the left side of my TKR. Walking is ok, but moving to the side is excruciating... similar to after the surgery. I don't know how common this is, I will see PT tomorrow and I might ask for an x-ray?

I don't know, but I'm bummed! Any feedback or action items would be greatly appreciated!
@EalingGran how long did your pain continue? I'm icing and not overdoing it! It almost seems like it's getting worse. Walking is ok, but going down stairs is when I really feel it and whenever I move that area-- OUCH!!

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

5 MONTHS POST-OP - IT BAND SYNDROME

Now I know what the terrible pain is: IT Band Syndrome. My PT person diagnosed it today. Apparently it is common with bowl-legged people (which was not my case) so I guess I overdid activity and it just gets worse and worse. I was given hip and butt exercises and I will go back in 3 weeks and see how it goes. He said it would go away, but does not know when it will heal. 3-6 weeks maybe?

Anyone with this experience? It did NOT happen with my right, so definitely not happy right now. The pain is pretty bad and reminds of the pain after surgery. So I have to drum up some more patience...

take care, everyone!

 

[mendogal]

Here's our article about IT band issues.

It's not that unusual for the structural reset after TKA to mightily annoy the ITB as it's possibly been either constricted or pulled on as our knee(s) slowly got wonky.

 

[EalingGran]

don't know, but I'm bummed! Any feedback or action items would be greatly appreciated!
@EalingGran how long did your pain continue

My pain gradually eased over a few months- but stairs were difficult for quite some time. I used to worry that other people on BoneSmart were doing stairs normally much easier and earlier than me.
It did settle though with gentle strengthening and not overdoing it.
Your pain is a bit different as it is due to the IT band- not an overstretched ligament like mine. I haven't had that problem but I know it can be troublesome for some. I hope you find relief and reassurance from reading about others here with the same issue.

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

5.5 MONTHS POST-OP - IT BAND SYNDROME

This will be a RANT: This IT Band Syndrome is SO painful! It feels like after surgery, and it woke me up twice last night. My PT person says it will go away eventually (4-6 weeks), but I feel like it's getting worse. I am icing and doing my exercises, but you are supposed to be "active," walk, etc., but NOT overdo it. I guess I overdid it, and that caused the problem. I was moving along so well, so this is really discouraging!

I am Looking for anyone who has been affected by this syndrome and their experience with it.
Or just some encouraging words...
I hope everyone's recovery is going smoothly!

 

[mendogal]

It's a really difficult conundrum with the ITB: it can really hurt yet there is a limit to stretching it because, honestly, it's role as a tough fibrous band is to NOT stretch but to provide support and structure under tension.

Something our staffer @CricketHip suggested to me some months ago is trying cross-fiber massage (working horizontally across the ITB versus along its length). That really resonated with me, as I have had good success doing or receiving cross-fiber massage on other body parts. This is especially true when other deep tissue work just seemed to aggravate the tissues.

 

[benne68]

Looking for anyone who has been affected by this syndrome

This is me raising my hand high in the air! I struggled greatly with this during my first TKR recovery.

What ended up helping me the most was seeing a professional massage therapist. It took multiple sessions, but she was able to loosen the muscles and fascia enough to give me some relief. (Or perhaps it just worked itself out -- I'll never know for sure?)

It did eventually recede. So far, it hasn't been an issue this time around (knocking on wood as I write this!)

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

Looking for anyone who has been affected by this syndrome

This is me raising my hand high in the air! I struggled greatly with this during my first TKR recovery.

What ended up helping me the most was seeing a professional massage therapist. It took multiple sessions, but she was able to loosen the muscles and fascia enough to give me some relief. (Or perhaps it just worked itself out -- I'll never know for sure?)

It did eventually recede. So far, it hasn't been an issue this time around (knocking on wood as I write this!)

Thank YOU Deb... I have a massage appointment tomorrow and I will have him work on it. Curious, do you remember the time frame? they tell me 4-6 weeks...

@mendogal thank you for your response, it sounds like massage is the "go to" to get this loosened up!

 

[AnnYo]

Hello @ALOKneedsadvice-- I don't have IT band syndrome YET lol but like you, even though I've made a lot of progress, I still struggle with persistent aches and pains that don't seem to progress at the rate I'd like them too! I'm a few weeks behind you and still have pain getting up from a lower chair and am fairly far from feeling "normal" in my knee. I appreciate reading your regular updates and hope your IT band syndrome will vanish as mysteriously as it arrived!

I'm curious about how your massage went? I like the idea of doing that but have had so few massages that I'm a little intimidated by the process and what kind to get!

 

[benne68]

I have a massage appointment tomorrow and I will have him work on it. Curious, do you remember the time frame? they tell me 4-6 weeks...

It was more than two years ago, so don't really remember -- but 4 or 5 weeks sounds about right. I know it wasn't immediate and I had multiple sessions.

Let us know whether your appointment yesterday gave you any relief!

 

[ALOKneedsadvice]

Hello @ALOKneedsadvice-- I don't have IT band syndrome YET lol but like you, even though I've made a lot of progress, I still struggle with persistent aches and pains that don't seem to progress at the rate I'd like them too! I'm a few weeks behind you and still have pain getting up from a lower chair and am fairly far from feeling "normal" in my knee. I appreciate reading your regular updates and hope your IT band syndrome will vanish as mysteriously as it arrived!

I'm curious about how your massage went? I like the idea of doing that but have had so few massages that I'm a little intimidated by the process and what kind to get!

Hello!
The massage went very well. It's good to let the masseuse know about your knee, and they can work with the scar tissue and they will work on that. It loosens everything up and it does feel a little better. I am still struggling with the pain but slowly getting better. All the best to YOU!

 

[benne68]

Glad to read that you found the massage helpful, @ALOKneedsadvice. Have you scheduled more sessions?

For me, it took several times before I really saw improvement because I tended to tense up and "protect" my leg at the beginning. I needed to trust the massage therapist enough to relax into what she was doing.