TKR Help! I've developed right hip pain 3 months after LTKR.

[referee54]

I'm not sure about dumping the shoes. When I look at the wear pattern on the shoes I wear most often, it appears to be even.

The wear pattern may be even, but it is old wear pattern from your body when your gait was pre-TKR.

I used this reason to purchase six or seven pairs of shoes after my BTKR.

If it is your IT Band, I would use ice on anything that is inflamed. "Flame"= heat---ice will calm it down.

 

[sunny-island]

@Josephine The pain location, treated by cortisone injection, on the line between R5B & R6B in sector B.

Thanks @referee54. Good point!
It doesn't appear to be the IT band.

Just when it seemed everything was getting back to normal, POW, another issue pops up. The hip pain and then yesterday sudden sharp, take-my-breath-away kind of pains above my knee, slightly above where the tight band had been (and is mostly gone). Those sharp pains came intermittenly for only a short time, maybe 20 mins, then totally stopped. What next?

 

[jeano]

One pair of new shoes, wear only them as much as feasible for a few days and see if legs and feet don't say aaahhhh.

Last weekend I tried tromping all over historic Charleston wearing newish sneakers with old orthotics, alternating with favorite orthopedic crocs. Legs and feet very unhappy. Bought a pair of $5 flip flops, was able to walk all over beach town that evening wearing those with no discomfort. Hmm. Able to walk barefoot on beach with no discomfort. Hmm again. Now have brand new pair of extra cushy crocs. Walking all over property and standing for a couple hours at a time with no discomfort. Going to contact podiatrist for script for new orthotics to see if I can hang on to newish sneakers.

FWIW, I can walk all over in my riding boots, too, as long as I don't put old orthotics in. Those boots ARENT made for walkin', but they are easier on my new knees than my old walking shoes.

 

[Josephine]

So about here?

That's definitely ITB territory

 

[sunny-island]

Yes, that's the area.
Are there specific exercises I can do for pain there?
The cortisone shot really is helping now.

@jeano I have a new pair of athletic shoes that I haven't worn yet (I was waiting until my old ones needed to be replaced but maybe NOW is when they need to be replaced). Not wear my orthotics! You're probably right... Habits die hard. It's been years since I've worn shoes without my custom orthotics. They've made walking easier but my tkr changes everything. Thanks so much for your insight.

 

[Josephine]

Not exercises but stretches. Read the article!

 

[sunny-island]

I'm now just past the 4 month post-op.
- very little pain now
- stairs are still a challenge but I can do them
- TKR knee is still somewhat swollen as compared to the other one
- ROM keeps improving (over 137 now) with no special effort on my part

My OS is going to have a TKR himself! This is good. He's been super and never withheld pain meds when I needed them or forced a one-size-fits-all kind of mentality where he expected me to meet specific goals at specific dates. But some of his staff, the ones I spoke with the most, DO have that way of thinking. Once Dr Mine has had his own surgery I expect he will influence his staff into a more flexible, kind and understanding approach toward patients. He himself is THE go-to knee guy in my region. But he's leaving Florida and going to Texas to have his own knee done. Interesting! When I see him I think I'll ask about that.

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Makes you wonder! Maybe he knows someone there that he trusts.
Your ROM is great!

 

[referee54]

'm now just past the 4 month post-op.
- very little pain now
- stairs are still a challenge but I can do them
- TKR knee is still somewhat swollen as compared to the other one
- ROM keeps improving (over 137 now) with no special effort on my part

That is a great report!! There may still be a ways to go yet, but you are definitely doing quite well and going in the right direction!

My OS is going to have a TKR himself! This is good.

Once Dr Mine has had his own surgery I expect he will influence his staff into a more flexible, kind and understanding approach toward patients

The shoe will be on the proverbial "other foot" now! I am betting that you are right---he will probably see what it is like and change his tune somewhat.

 

[sunny-island]

Yes, @tiredwife, I'm very sure he knows someone there he trusts (I'll ask). He was the head OS at Walter Reed Army Hospital before opening his Florida practice so he knows a lot of people all over the place!

At @referee54, I didn't mean to imply any major criticism of my OS. The (minor) problems I've had have been with his staff, one PA in partcular. I just think my doc will soften her approach once he's had his own TKR!

My ROM still isn't where I want it to be.

 

[tiredwife]

@sunny-island Don't think a ROM goes much beyond 140. I would think you have enough flex to do anything you would want to do.

 

[kneeper]

Great report!