OP
OP
JamesAB
member
United KingdomHello @Jamie and @Jaycey,
When, five months after my TKR, it was realised that I had problems with my recovery, the surgeon who performed the TKR, suggested that the pain around the knee, that was preventing me walking, could be due to hip problems (I have dysplastic hips) and I was referred to a hip surgeon.
This surgeon, with the aid of X-ray and MRI analyses ruled out hip pathology as a cause of pain.
Subsequently, in January last year, I saw another knee surgeon, who advised that my pain is likely due to more than one reason: muscle spasm due to spastic cerebral palsy, a fixed flexion deformity in the knee and an unsurfaced patella. (I would comment that until the onset of knee pain a year or two before my TKR, throughout my life, I had no trouble with knee pain whatsoever and I was quite active.)
This surgeon suggested that "further interventions are unlikely to be helpful and there is a potential to complicate things further." He advised stretching exercises and suggested that my GP referred me to a neurologist to see if botulinum injections might help. Due to Covid and to some extent disbelief that botulin injections would help, I have not proceeded further.
The pain is always around and seemingly under the kneecap it varies in its position around the cap sometimes top, bottom either side or central. The pain is always at it's worst after sitting but reduces to whatever daily level it is at, within a moment or two of "walking". I try very hard to "work" the knee but I do find that if I overdo it then I have to take it easy for a few days. I reckon that I can support about 2/3 to 3/4 of my body weight on my right leg alone before the pain is to intense to go further.
On occasion, I have managed to take several, faltering steps without support, but there is no consistency in how often I can do this or how many steps I can take.
I am therefore used to intense optimism being followed by equally intense disappointment!
I must admit, after this time, to be somewhat worn down and also to be really worried about all the extra work that it is causing my wife and the effect that it is having on her. She too is also starting to suffer from painful knees. The thought of further surgery does not appeal to me unless I could get a reasonable guarantee of success. Certainly the waiting times on our NHS are likely to be long but given a good chance of success and if it was not to expensive then I would pay for a private operation.
Quite honestly I do not know what to do for the best.
Kindest Regards,
Jim
When, five months after my TKR, it was realised that I had problems with my recovery, the surgeon who performed the TKR, suggested that the pain around the knee, that was preventing me walking, could be due to hip problems (I have dysplastic hips) and I was referred to a hip surgeon.
This surgeon, with the aid of X-ray and MRI analyses ruled out hip pathology as a cause of pain.
Subsequently, in January last year, I saw another knee surgeon, who advised that my pain is likely due to more than one reason: muscle spasm due to spastic cerebral palsy, a fixed flexion deformity in the knee and an unsurfaced patella. (I would comment that until the onset of knee pain a year or two before my TKR, throughout my life, I had no trouble with knee pain whatsoever and I was quite active.)
This surgeon suggested that "further interventions are unlikely to be helpful and there is a potential to complicate things further." He advised stretching exercises and suggested that my GP referred me to a neurologist to see if botulinum injections might help. Due to Covid and to some extent disbelief that botulin injections would help, I have not proceeded further.
The pain is always around and seemingly under the kneecap it varies in its position around the cap sometimes top, bottom either side or central. The pain is always at it's worst after sitting but reduces to whatever daily level it is at, within a moment or two of "walking". I try very hard to "work" the knee but I do find that if I overdo it then I have to take it easy for a few days. I reckon that I can support about 2/3 to 3/4 of my body weight on my right leg alone before the pain is to intense to go further.
On occasion, I have managed to take several, faltering steps without support, but there is no consistency in how often I can do this or how many steps I can take.
I am therefore used to intense optimism being followed by equally intense disappointment!
I must admit, after this time, to be somewhat worn down and also to be really worried about all the extra work that it is causing my wife and the effect that it is having on her. She too is also starting to suffer from painful knees. The thought of further surgery does not appeal to me unless I could get a reasonable guarantee of success. Certainly the waiting times on our NHS are likely to be long but given a good chance of success and if it was not to expensive then I would pay for a private operation.
Quite honestly I do not know what to do for the best.
Kindest Regards,
Jim
