TKR Can't straighten leg or walk eleven weeks post op

[Celle]

I tried to walk using the "walker" that I got to aid my perambulations some months before I had the TKR. I was astonished to find that walking with it was much easier than the Zimmer.

I'm so glad the walker works well for you. That's a huge jump in progress. Well done.

 

[JamesAB]

Hello again, Over six months after my RTKR, I have been using a Walker for two weeks, or so. It is slowly getting easier but I need to be careful not to overdo it. I can get up four flights of stairs, each containing six or seven steps, by mostly hauling myself up using the dual bannisters. This is painful but increasingly less so. Getting downstairs is still difficult even though most of my weight is on the bannisters: I generally put the "bad" leg down first and then the "good" leg. As the good leg touches down the bad leg tends to retract from load to no load and in the second it does this the pain is excruciating. Sitting or in bed, no pain unless I twist awkwardly at the knee. At the suggestion of the knee surgeon (who thought my dysplastic hips might be causing knee pain) I saw a hip surgeon about a possible hip replacement. He said no sign of arthritis and replacement not warranted. This is a relief! So only God knows when I will be walking "properly " if at all. Still it is an advance being able to use the Walker and, most of the time to be able to lift my good leg clear of the floor when doing so. I see the knee surgeon in five or six months, it will be interesting to hear what he has to say!

 

[Benay]

So glad to hear of the improvement, yay!

 

[Celle]

You're still making steady progress, which is good.

 

[JamesAB]

Amazing how different we all are: I have no pain at all when sitting or lying down. When sitting I can press down hard on the knee also without pain. BUT, nearly 7 months after a TKR I can only just walk with a Walker because of the pain when putting weight on the leg. Stepping over a threshold is very, very difficult! Strangely most pain comes when weight is suddenly taken off the leg. I suppose I am improving. I did walk outside, right around our house, the other day and, apparently I dont have arthritis in my hips so they dont need replacing, so that is good. I only wish things would speed up a bit. I can't see how the pain will go away now without some more surgical intervention.

 

[JamesAB]

Walking with the Walker getting easier. Still awkward getting over thresholds but managing. Pain when putting weight on leg lessening but nowhere near putting full weight yet. I'm getting more confident and doing as much "walking" as I can which is helping straighten leg. Still 15° or so off straight. Might try crutches again soon.

 

[Benay]

Hope it gets easier for you.

 

[JamesAB]

Seven months after TKR I feel no pain at rest and just a little stiffness in the knee. However normal walking is impossible due to severe pain as soon as any significant weight is put on the leg. In addition I cannot fully straighten the leg.
I am forced to the opinion that, after this length of time and in consideration of the fact that I am unaware of anyone who has had a TKR taking this long to walk, I need further, corrective surgery.
I will be seeing another surgeon, who has been investigating if I need a hip replacement, to confirm after a MRI, that I do not. As he also does knees, I shall ask his opinion. Failing Divine Intervention, I expect to be back in hospital, hopefully before too long.

 

[Jockette]

I hope you find a answer and solution to your pain.

 

[TimeBuster]

I hope you find a solution to your problem. Good luck with your next doctor's appointment.

 

[sistersinhim]

You've had this pain long enough. I pray your OS can find the cause and correct it.

 

[Spex10]

Gosh this really does sound like you need a second opinion ASAP. You shouldn't be in pain, far less such pain and mobility restriction. Sorry. I don't mean to be negative but your situation sounds awful. Good luck at your next appointment. Don't let them fob you off.

 

[JamesAB]

This is a rollercoaster ride: my pain is definitely diminishing. I can now stand for a short time unaided and get about around the home fairly well with the Walker. Leg is stronger and more flexible. I am getting more confident in using it. I ca put about a third of my bodyweight on it before pain. The question is "Will it continue to improve so that I can walk unaided or will I need a Revision? "

 

[Izabel]

Hello @JamesAB B. It has been a while since I visited with you.

Just to let you know that I too am still struggling walking.. I can get around the house on the walker cautiously stepping up and down the couple of single steps. I can walk around the garden patios with the walker. I can go up the foyer and back on elbow crutches but am not confident. However, I still use the wheelchair when I go out.

My new hip does not bother me just my TKR and the other knee! I am assuming my lack of progress is due to being bed/wheelchair bound for 20 months now. My muscles had atrophied and I have had to work hard on strengthening them daily. I do have good ROM and straightness but it is my balance.

Just keep up the faith, chill out and persevere and you will get there.

Izabel xx

 

[JamesAB]

Thanks for your reply Izabel. I lost a lot of bodily strength in the first few weeks after my TKR due to not exercising. I then restarted Pilates which I had used to good effect, to help with back pain prior to my knee op. Pilates has done me a tremendous amount of good and the exercises that I do are not strenuous and have helped greatly in strengthening my affected leg. I am very much at your stage with walking except I haven't given elbow crutches a real go because, like you, I don't feel confident on them. I expect that we are both a little way of from running a marathon!
Best of luck to you.
Kind Regards, Jim.

 

[bland9]

been interesting reading your post has Im in a similar condition , cannot bend knee very far and straightening in very poor and cannot walk without crutches, has I find it painful and limp badly, unfortunately I got to try sort this out. has got to return to work soon , boy it makes you wonder why we have this done

 

[JamesAB]

Just back from seeing Hip surgeon. MRI confirmed no problem with hips, or anything else in that area! . So I said I thought I would need another operation on my knee. Surgeon says they will only do that (Revision surgery) if they know the cause of the pain. Neither MRI or x-ray can identify cause of pain. Hip surgeon will write to knee surgeon and hopefully I will be called in for examination. At the moment I feel I'm up a gum tree without a ladder and not a little disheartened. I obviously got too overconfident recently and over did work on the knee because it is really sore if I put weight on it while standing. Problem is, I just dont know what to do for the best!

 

[rustic]

Hey James. I'm getting pretty interested in your hip pain. My hip really hurts and it looks fine on x-ray. Weirdly, my hip only hurts if my knee is in certain positions. I thought about the IT band, because it crosses both joints, but my IT band is OK. I can't touch my hip anywhere that elicits the pain, so I think it might be "refered" pain from somewhere else (nerve around the knee?). Any of that ring a bell with you? Maybe one of the mods know about a nerve that runs between knee and hip (greater trochanter, not the actual joint).

 

[possum65]

Diagnostic tests like Xrays and MRI don't always show the full picture either. I had bilateral knee replacement surgery 4 months ago. I couldn't walk without crutches, but the Xrays showed only "mild arthritis", the MRI 's showed bone on bone in both knees, but not everywhere. After surgery, my OS explained both knees were totally bone on bone, and said it is usually worse than what the MRI will show! Not in every case, but apparently it is really common. I guess what I am saying is that you are obviously in trouble, despite the fact your tests didn't shed any light on the situation. Keep persisting.

 

[JamesAB]

Thanks, Rustic and possum65, Hip surgeon was very positive that after looking at X-Ray and MRI there was no sign of arthritis in my hips. Knee surgeon thought hip was the cause of the pain (which I told him was under my kneecap) Apart from a very, very infrequent ache if I have been overdoing things, I get no hip pain. Can't help thinking it was wishfull thinking by knee surgeon. Waiting to see if I hear anything from my GP or knee surgeon following the hip surgeons report. Feel pretty much in limbo at the moment. I can put any amount of pressure on the knee when sitting. I can walk up to, say 30 metres with the walker. If I tense up pain can kick in. If I put too much load on knee while standing the pain kicks in and as I take the load of the leg, for a second, pain goes through the roof as knee bends. It recovers very quickly though!

Kind Regards, Jim

PS the annoying thing is that, today, I met up with a lady in her late 80's who had TKR a month ago and can walk at home with a stick!