TKR knee feeling inside the trap

[margor]

hello...I am over 5 week after TKR...my flexion is good in sitting position and a bit worse in supine...my extension by 4 degree off...but I could not bend knee while walking...knee feels like in some kind stiff trap...also very severe visible wide band above knee...plus severe pain and tightness under knee and shooting pain in the lateral corner under knee when I walk...doctor keep telling how great my recovery.. but this band and complete feeling of knee in a trap getting not better.. but worse. I had full range of motion prior to surgery...just pain preventing me walking and using stairs. I use cane noe only to help relieve tightness while walking. does anybody have that??? I am very discouraged...not sure how to alleviate this. my second knee also bone on bone but no way I will do the surgery...this surgery seems made me totally disabled.

 

[Jockette]

Hi and Welcome!

Please tell us the date of your surgery and which knee it is and we’ll make a signature for you.

All you describe is very common at 5 weeks post op. The pain is worse now than before because the surgery caused a lot of trauma inside your knee and it can take quite a while to heal from that.

Your doctor is right, your recovery is good, your ROM numbers are good. That tight band will ease over time, but it could be several months.

Tight Band feeling across the front of my knee

That tight band is caused by scar tissue but not the adhesions type of scar tissue. When the surgeon opens up the knee, he has to undercut the skin and superficial structures from that centre line to each side of the knee in order to get good access all round the bones. Part of the healing...

bonesmart.org

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines

1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary

2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

​

If you want to use something to help heal the incision, ​

BoneSmart recommends hypochlorous solution. Members in the US can purchase ACTIVE Antimicrobial Hydrogel through BoneSmart at a discount. Similar products should be available in the UK and other countries.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

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4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity Progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

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Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[mendogal]

Hi!
I want to reassure you that the "tight band" feeling - exactly those words! - is probably the most common complaint I encounter in reading knee replacement posts, and I certainly had it too.
A little bit of very gentle massage just lightly on the surface - and not over the incision this early post op! - will help the area relax and soften.

At five weeks, even with good range of motion, it's also normal to have pain on stairs. Most people can't yet do stairs in the usual sequential manner (which requires a combo of flexion, strength, and nerve-muscle coordination we just haven't regained yet).

In addition to the scarring Jockette talks about, it's normal to have swelling within the healing joint for months. It interferes with range of motion and it hurts. Overdoing activities makes it worse.
I hope you're elevating "toes above nose" and icing 45 - 60 minutes at a time. Both will help reduce swelling and pain.