TKR Knee Wobble Question

[beesknee]

I have the same bulge by the meniscus on my operated knee when bent, it also always has slight bruising on the bulge. Seeing the doctor next week and will ask about it.

Not sure if this is normal and will disappear when fully healed or will be like that for life. I really don't care if functionality comes back 100%

 

[HokieGCC]

@beesknee I would be interested in what your Doc says. Mine insists it is fluid from the healing process compressed by the knee. I agree with you that as long as function is good it can bulge all it wants.

 

[HokieGCC]

Well the 2nd opinion Doc pretty much said the same thing as my surgeon. The bulge is not the implant but rather swollen tissue inside. They took X-rays and said they looked fine. So I guess patience is the operative word for me. Both Docs say it is a 6 month healing process. He said nothing big is wrong. He also wobbled my leg and said it felt a little loose and asked if I ever felt it give way and I haven't.

 

[patriciad]

So great news and hopefully you can now relax and work towards a full recovery. It really does take time and it’s easier to manage your expectations the 2nd go around I’ve found. Not that it stops me examining every new ache or pain and swelling.
Enjoy the weekend!

 

[HokieGCC]

Thank you @patriciad.

I know I am a worrier but the Doc's comment about me being a little loose has me spooked a little.

Do you or anyone else know if some wobble is normal? By wobble I mean if I relax my leg muscles and swing my leg at the hip side to side gently my knee clunks back and forth. When I tighten my muscles it stops wobbling. Is that normal?

 

[HokieGCC]

Hi Folks,

I hope I am doing this correctly. If not I am sorry! This board has been so helpful.

I am 12 weeks out from TKR and really noticing my knee wobbling side to side. If I relax my muscles and gently swing my leg side to side it really clunks back and forth. If I tighten my muscles it stops. I haven't had the sensation of giving way (yet) but my knee sure feels loose side to side. I imagine some wobble is unavoidable and this is a matter of degree thing.

Everything else for the most part is good (flex, walking, ...).

Any and all experience, advice, and counsel is welcome!

HokieGCC

 

[Jockette]

Some looseness could be possible early on until you have more healing. You are still very early in this healing process that takes an average of a year.

Give your knee time to sort itself out, it really does know what it’s doing in the healing department. I know it’s hard not to focus on your knee so much of the time when it seems to demand so much attention, but try to find a distraction.

Vent any time you want, we’re here for you!

By the way, I merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread, as we prefer that members in recovery have only one thread.

This benefits you because all your information is in one place, easy to find, and maintains a nice journal for you.

This also benefits our staff, as your information is all in one place, and we often go back through your thread for previous details, so we know what you‘ve been through which helps us advise you better.

So, please keep all your posts in this thread. If you’d like a new title, let us know what you want, and we’ll change it for you. You can always bookmark this thread so you can find it easily.

Best wishes on your continuing recovery!

 

[HokieGCC]

@Jockette thank you for all you did.

I want to move on and start living I can hardly stand it but it is one worry after the other. Thats me though.

 

[Jockette]

I know, I worried about things, too, we all do. But I’ve since learned that there are all kinds of ups and downs in this recovery and it is what it is. It’s very easy for me to tell you to relax, now that I’m 4+ years post op, so much further down the road and experienced with things improving. Hind sight is always so much easier than foresight.

One piece of advice I read from another member, when I was in recovery was, “relax, get on with your life, and stop worrying!” I wrote it out on a card and propped it up where I could see it. I hope if I ever do this again I will be able to heed that advice!

 

[sistersinhim]

If I relax my muscles and gently swing my leg side to side it really clunks back and forth. If I tighten my muscles it stops.

Mine did the same thing. It stopping when you tighten your muscles is showing that more than likely there is nothing at all to worry about. As you heal your knee will automatically strengthen up and that clunking will lessen. Mine still clunks, but I've had tons of previous surgeries and no kneecaps to muffle that clunking sound.

 

[HokieGCC]

Thank you @sistersinhim.

You folks are awesome with your collective experience. I hope I can be giving hope rather than seeking hope one day soon.

 

[patriciad]

My first RIGHT TKR - definitely clunked moving side to side until all the muscles and internal tissues were healed - around 5 - 6 months.
My recent Left PKR clicks and clunks when using a cycling motion but have to say I’ve not been doing a side to side motion as too painful yet.
I know you are anxious but you’ve just had two OS examine your knee and go over the X-rays and independently give you good news.
You have to try to trust them not Google and get on with your healing process with a big dose of patience. It is a roller coaster and it’s so tiring when all you can do is focus on what that knee is doing, looking or sounding. But there’s many of us in the same boat so you have a good place to share. I hope you can Relax and enjoy the weekend.

 

[HokieGCC]

@patriciad thank you for your kindness.

You have quite a good point. Two surgeons gave me good news this week.

I admit to being a "Google Doctor", + Engineer + worrier ... horrible combination for this sort of thing. It makes for a good engineer but a horrible patient.

I will sure try to enjoy the weekend. I hope you do too.

 

[Reader525]

@HokieGCC I understand where you are coming from. I am an analyzer and overthinker myself. Through my 11 weeks of recovery so far, nearly every twinge or twitch has sent me to Dr. Google. I'm sure I have poured my heart out on BoneSmart more than most. One night last week I went back and read so many stories on here and one thing it showed me is EVERYONE has been through one version of hell or another, and we all get through it. It's requiring a load of patience, because it's a long recovery. Try as hard as you can to let go, just float through this and let your body heal, it WILL happen!

 

[BBCG]

Hi @HokieGCC,

I think lots of us are analyzers and super conscious of our new knees! I guess it just comes with the TKR territory…for some of us at least. For me as well, the very most difficult part of the healing was trusting in time and practicing patience! Especially the patience! I’m at about 5 months out on TKR #2, and still get some twinges, find certain muscles being lazy and thumbing their proverbial noses at me, so I gotta remember that practicing patience might be 25% of the recovery process?!

 

[dogwalker2]

I am so with you on this! It is why i find this forum a complete sanity saver!!! I also find it SO helpful to go back through my history pages and see how I was doing at the equivalent point with my first tkr. I should have had this 2nd replacement done in April 2020 but Covid put a stop to that and whilst the delay has had some plus points it has made it harder to remember how I felt first time round.

 

[Sisterpat]

I advise to stop visiting Dr. Google! There are so many counterproductive articles by people who have little to no experience shooting off their mouths and worrying people! Stick to BoneSmart where there is solid advice. The anxiety will not help your healing, but could actually set you back. Relax and take ONE DAY AT A TIME. This is a year long recovery. Try for patience, hard as it seems.

 

[HokieGCC]

Thank you for the encouragement @Reader525, @BBCG, @dogwalker2, and @Sisterpat!

 

[HokieGCC]

I know I was supposed to enjoy the weekend (I tried... honest!) but I do have an update. My 2nd opinion Doc took an x-ray of my knee and I got the DVD. It took a while to figure everything out but I can prove that the bulge in my knee during flex IS FOR SURE my knee (femur). It looks like there is 22mm of soft tissue/fluid between the skin and bone of the femur. My left knee actually has a bulge too it turns out but it is barely visible and right up against the skin. My Doc has got to know this and his insistence the bulge is blood/soft tissue is troublesome. The 2nd opinion Doc said about the same thing which is also troublesome.

I think I figured out how it is happening. The femur component has a rounded (not circular) shape that rides along the tibia part when you flex/extend. Ideally, this curve shape would be the same as your real knee but it isn't and it looks like this mismatch is showing up after 100 degrees approximately pushing the femur up towards the surface more rapidly than my other knee.

Now the question is ... what does that mean for the future? As an isolated issue probably soft tissue irritation with repetitive high flex activities (my bike). In conjunction with my knee wobbling and the feel of increasing instability it sounds like an alignment issue of the surgical install or sometime later. I don't think it is an infection because the bulge has been there since surgery and I don't have a temp nor is there red skin. Praying no infection. Praying all my analysis is wrong and everything is fine.

 

[patriciad]

@HokieGCC - You need to try to relax all this anxiety and stress will start to impede your recovery. I know you are an engineer and very analytical but I’m interested to know why you think that your interpretation of the x-rays are more accurate than the two skilled knee surgeons?
As to the shape of the component; unless you had a Conformis custom implant (I was planning on one of those) no prosthetic will be like your natural joint - we expect it to be but it’s not. It took me many months for the mechanical joint to feel like it was part of me.
Try to look at your situation logically without the worry clouding your thoughts.
Did the surgeon who performed your surgery have a good reputation?
Is the 2nd opinion surgeon experienced and reputable?
Would two surgeons independently reach the same diagnostic conclusion if it were not so? Or are both in the same practice and you think the 2nd is just backing up the first?
What will it take to put your mind at ease - a third or fourth consult?

It is very early days - you are doing really well but don’t seem to give yourself credit for what you are achieving with that very new knee joint. It must feel awful to have this worry that has grown to now encompass instability and infection. I wish there was something or someone to ease your mind so you could relax and get on with healing. Hopefully one of the more informed moderators can help. Feel better - there’s still time to enjoy the weekend.winks.