TKR firm pockets of swelling

[sazzie]

Hello people in the know,
I hope your recoveries are doing well,
I am nearly 3 months post right TKR.
I have had massive inflammatory response from the beginning which has mostly gone down but I have 2 residual
firm small areas of swelling around the remaining sore areas of my knee.
They feel firm on walking but when I touch them they're not as hard as they feel but they still make me limp a little.
I know they are protecting the sore areas as I have a bruised feeling when they reduce after ice, elevation so I am not overly concerned.
I cant attach a photo but you can't tell much from the outside anyway and it's not hot, only warm.
I can reduce them with elevation but they return very soon after so I just wondered how long it usually takes for these to go as I have a long haul flight in 10 weeks which I can't cancel.
Any ideas from any one.
thanks , you're all so helpful

 

[Jaycey]

@sazzie It's impossible to predict how long you will see this swelling. Many of our members report swelling years post op depending on their activity levels.

You shouldn't have a problem flying in 10 weeks. But you will notice swelling. Take ice packets and ice on the plane if you can. Staff are usually very good about helping you rotate ice packs. Wear flight socks and get up and walk around as much as you can during the flight.

You will notice that I merged your newest post with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:

• That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
• If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
• Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.

Please post any updates, questions or concerns about your recovery here. If you prefer a different thread title, just post what you want and we will get it changed for you.

If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.

Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.

 

[Jamie]

When taking ice on a plane, it would be wise to use the type of ice pack where you add ice to it. Although convenient, the gel packs may not be allowed aboard the plane as (at least in the US), they violate our Transportation Department’s policy about no more than 3 ounces of any liquid, paste, or gel product. The flight attendants are usually very helpful in providing the ice for you once you’re aboard the plane.

 

[Layla]

I agree with, Jaycey and Jamie, that compression stockings as well as ice should benefit you during your flight. Hopefully with lots of TLC leading up to the flight the swelling will ease more. Ten hours! Whew, that is a long one! As for the warmth you mentioned - The area may feel warm for many months post op as your knee is healing. The extra blood supply to the area, necessary for healing, is what causes the increase in warmth. Swelling can also last up until 12 months, per my OS, normally easing along the way. A great week to you, sazzie!
@sazzie

 

[sazzie]

When taking ice on a plane, it would be wise to use the type of ice pack where you add ice to it. Although convenient, the gel packs may not be allowed aboard the plane as (at least in the US), they violate our Transportation Department’s policy about no more than 3 ounces of any liquid, paste, or gel product. The flight attendants are usually very helpful in providing the ice for you once you’re aboard the plane.

Thank you, our uk policy is the same.
Thanks for the tip.
I will source a helpful looking flight attendant,

 

[sazzie]

Ten hours! Whew, that is a long one!

Hi,
It's even more, 12.5 hours but its in 10 weeks.
It was booked way before the surgery offer.
I had 5 months between surgery and flight.
I have no scope for cancellation or re-scheduling.
I am getting quite anxious.
hopefully I will improve in the 10 weeks until i fly
The said swelling has begun to disperse slowly with elevation
Again , thank you all kindly

 

[Fluttershy]

Glad to hear the swelling reduces with elevation. Sometimes kinesio-tape can be applied to reduce swelling - your PT should know about it. I find my thigh high compression hose help overall knee swelling but might need other things for the little areas,

We just booked long haul flights too! Will be 7 months post op. I debated getting a preferred seat with more leg room…but then decided I didn’t want to be near the toilets and all those people waiting for it!

 

[Mutti3]

You trip will be when you are about 5 months post op. Might think about getting wheelchair assistance on arrival. Dependent on how much standing around, waiting especially if you have to go thru passport control and the size of the airport.

 

[Layla]

Aww, try not to be anxious, sazzie. Easier said than done, I do understand! Try to focus on the healing that will happen over the next ten weeks. I am sure you're going to be feeling much stronger and steadier on your feet by then.

Awhile back, Jamie, from Admin left some helpful advice for those flying. Although some pointers may not pertain to you at five months post op, I am going to post the helpful hints in it's entirety as it may benefit someone else flying shortly after surgery.

Jamie said -
Given the challenges you still have, it will make the trip more difficult. You'll need to do a lot of pre-planning and take advantage of every break you can.

* Pack light. One medium size bag you can check and a carry-on. Make sure the bag has good, sturdy wheels. Be sure and pack pain medications in your carry on luggage.

* Have someone take you to the airport and pick you up after you're back home. They can drop you at your terminal gate. Find out which airlines have curbside check in. You might want to book with that airline.

* When you book your tickets, ask for handicapped assistance. This should be a wheelchair and a porter to wheel you and your bag. You just sit. The porter will check your bag in for you and take you to the gate. You'll board first and can take the wheelchair all the way down the ramp if needed.

* Try to book an aisle seat so you can stretch out into the aisle if needed.

* Try to book a direct flight so you don't have to change planes. Otherwise you'll need wheelchair assistance at every airport where you must change to another airplane.

* Aboard the plane, ask your flight attendant to make sure you have a wheelchair waiting at the gate when you arrive. Take some zip lock bags and ask the flight attendant for ice to use in flight if that would make you more comfortable.

* Once you arrive and get your wheelchair at the start of the ramp, the porter will take you to pick up your luggage and to whatever point where you'll be picked up (do have someone pick you up at the airport).

Don't go if you think it's going to be too much. Really take stock of how you feel before you decide. I know it's tough and you'd love to go for a visit. Only you know if you're up to it or not. It will be a push for you.

Have a great week, sazzie!

 

[sazzie]

Thank you,
some good tips there,

 

[sistersinhim]

Sometimes kinesio-tape can be applied to reduce swelling - your PT should know about it.

This is a good suggestion. It helped me during my recovery after my ankle break. I still have some that I bought.

 

[sazzie]

Hello again ,
The firm swelling is less troublesome now and I think its lessening slowly.
However, I still cannot, at 3 months out, walk up/down stairs the usual way whereas I could before the TKR.
I know the recovery is long but I thought I would be able to do 13 stairs at 3 months post op.
Its my hip pain stopping me. It doesn't seem to swing forward into stair climbing mode like the unoperated one.
When I try I end up painfully bent forward pulling hard on the stair rail so I go back to "one step two feet at a time" method.
My hip pain is still niggling on walking too.
Perhaps its all in the long recovery but i am beginning to wonder if my pelvis could be out of alignment.
Or perhaps its a guarding defence pain as I still have pain around patella on stepping up.
Does anyone have experience? ideas about this.
Cheers

 

[dotski]

Or perhaps its a guarding defence pain as I still have pain around patella on stepping up.
Does anyone have experience? ideas about this.
Cheers

My PT told me that my back and hip pain is likely due to compensations from knee and muscles not working how they usually do. Working on trigger points and hip flexibility seems to help the hip pain.
I too have a lot of patella pain and am going to back off the stairs and other things that load a bent knee… and instead only do strength work in a smaller range (eg mini min squats, no pain). I’ll still try to do things to move knee through full ROM but avoid things that pressure the kneecap… I still have a lot of soft tissues that get inflamed around the knee and I’m hoping I can settle this down before I end up with more scar. I had plica syndrome pre-op that wore out my knee from a constantly impinging piece of form scar tissue…but unfortunately too much arthritis elsewhere to be helped by arthroscopic removal.
In my case, I’m hoping that getting the quads relaxed and more functional will take the pressure off the kneecap and help my hips not have to work so hard to keep me upright. Don’t know if that helps. But do know you aren’t alone

 

[Jockette]

It takes most of us quite a while to do stairs, as the healing process is slow. 3 months seems like a long time but it’s actually not, in this recovery that takes an average of a year.

 

[sazzie]

In my case, I’m hoping that getting the quads relaxed and more functional will take the pressure off the kneecap and help my hips not have to work so hard to keep me upright. Don’t know if that helps. But do know you aren’t alone

yes thanks,
sound advice, My quad on TKR leg always seems fired when it should be relaxed so I'm trying to work on relaxing that.
It's difficult when pain and discomfort come from multiple places rather than one.
I have to accept the stair climbing issue for now. Must be a slow recoverer
Never mind.........soon be Christmas

 

[sazzie]

It takes most of us quite a while to do stairs, as the healing process is slow. 3 months seems like a long time but it’s actually not, in this recovery that takes an average of a year.

Thanks Jockette.
I forget sometimes how big this surgery is !!!!!

 

[Jockette]

Must be a slow recoverer

You are not a slow recoverer, you are having a normal recovery.

 

[benne68]

Wishing you a happy 3-month an-Knee-versary, @sazzie. Hope you are having a good day!

 

[sazzie]

Thank you,
I have,
I held my neices 2 week old baby boy.
he's gorgeous
I am still trying to get to 0 extension, currently cant get past 5.
Im doing the usual exercises to get there but it just springs back up.
Hope I make it because my walk isnt fully perfect and I have a burning upper front thigh pain.
Thats maybe because I walked 1 mile yesterday, my furthest post TKR

 

[sistersinhim]

doing the usual exercises to get there but it just springs back up.

My extension lagged behind my bend. You are still very early in your recovery, so you have plenty of time for it to straighten out. I helped my along by walking with long strides with a heel-to-toe gait. It didn't happen overnight, but it did help it along. Also, some have had success by lying on their tummies across the bed, letting their knees dangle over the edge. I found this painful, but it might not be for you.