How long does swelling last?

[Luke 46]

I am 8 wks out and doing great. ROM 130+ no pain and only use advil to manage the darn swelling. My knee looks good in the morning but after only a half hour it starts to swell. The OS says it is my body trying to adjust to the metal. The PT says I need to increase muscle to cirulate the fluid. I continue to keep the leg elevated and ice but this is a pain? How long can I expect to be fighting the swelling? I know everyone is different, but just trying to manage my expectations? Thanks in advance

 

[calling_all_angels]

Dave,
I still have swelling, more so if I am up and on my legs like a normal person. And I had these knee's done 7 and 5 months ago. I do not know if that helps you. But it does show that at 8 weeks out there is still alot of healing going on in there.

 

[Doug]

I would have varying degrees of swelling at the 3-6 month mark. It has gradually gone away.
Believe it or not, you will get to a point where you don't even think about it, and when you do, you'll smile.
Just hang in there, and keep working on the strength. Stationary bike, elliptical trainer, and treadmill.
A pool is great for stretching out.

 

[Linda2]

I don't even remember any more with knee 1--knee 2 hasn't swollen much at all.

 

[loggon]

I am 5 months out and from what I have been told by OS, PT and several that have had the surgery it could last up to a year. Also,
even after the year if you do to much, it may swell.

 

[Josephine]

I'm also a 5 monther and still have some swelling now and again. It's just a fact of life - don't fret over it.

 

[mwolf]

Hi Dave,
I am 9 months out and still swell with activity. Which is daily. My OS said it could be up to 18 months, should lessen by 12. But I try to ice the end of the day and that helps some. No real pain, just a big knee.

GOOD LUCK!
Mary

 

[Texas]

Hey and Welcome I am 4 mths and still have swelling not as much but some.....My 3 mths was my good mark where everything seemed to settled down and i saw a difference........Good Luck to you............)PS your ROM sounds great congrats!!!!!!!

 

[cindy88fan]

I can't help you much since I'm 6 weeks out but my OS and PT said that the swelling that I have in my feet and ankles is from being up...gravity pulls the swelling down.
And I was told not to stress about it...it's more or less a thing that will be there for several...several months.

 

[ship4]

Luke,
My swelling left equally around the 3.5 to 4 month mark. I felt like a new person at that time and knew I had gone over the hump!
Give it some time, exercise as you should, pace yourself, and it will get better daily.

 

[Nana55]

I am 8 months out and still have some swelling on a particular spot that continues to get numb at times...I can tell that there is some fluid in the area and it has never completely left but is much better than a couple of months ago and I too have days that I don't pay any attention to the fact that I had surgery.