TKR Pain after 5 weeks?

Lpengl

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I had TKR January 4. I finished physical therapy quickly and began to rebuild strength. After 5 weeks I still have pain when I put weight on the knee. Is this normal? I can cycle 30 miles but the knee swells after the ride. Is this normal?
 
Hi, @Lpengl and :welome:to BoneSmart.

Cycling for 30 miles is quite a lot for a new knee at three and a half months. That your knee is swelling after the ride and you are having pain whenever putting weight on the knee is your knee's way of telling you the activity is too much. All that much activity is doing is making it angry. Cut back on the biking. In fact, for now it would be best to stop it altogether for a few weeks and give your knee a chance to settle down. Elevate your legs, ice your knee, and rest. I think you'll see improvement and can get back to a less aggressive activity schedule.

Here's some reading we give to new members in recovery. The links lead to short articles you will find interesting and applicable to your situation, as well as general information for TKR recovery.

This is your recovery thread, so feel free to share your journey, concerns, and even vent if you want to. We're good listeners!

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.
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.​
4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these
5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

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 a 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 history before providing advice.
 
I agree with SusieShoes. @Lpengl you only recently had major surgery, from which complete recovery takes at least a year. I think you are trying to rush things and doing too much before your knee is ready for it.

By the way, your thread title says you are 5 weeks from surgery, but you said your surgery date was January 4, which makes it more than 3 months since your TKR.
Please can you confirm your surgery date for us?
 

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