First time posting. Hoping someone can advise me. As of today my ROM 125, I'm able to ride a stationary bike with full rotations with no issues, but like everyone else sleeping better not great. My concerns stem from my inability to walk without a walker, it seems when I go to plant my left foot on my surgically repair knee it seems un-natural/unsteady. Not sure if its do to having walked using crutches/walking cane for the past 9 months or having had bad knee for the last 30 years. Any advise would be much appreciated. Maybe I have just set the bar to high.... my wife had a TKR and was walking within a month of having it...... Thanks
TKR Pain behind knee and upper calf 18 weeks post op
- Thread starter Cajun1965
- Start date
@Cajun1965 Welcome to BoneSmart! Before we can advise you we do need to know the date of your surgery and which knee?
Each and every TKR is different. Don't compare your's and any other recovery.
Welcome to Bonesmart! Please tell us the date of your surgery and which knee it was.
The following are our basic guidelines and should help get you started. As you read more on other members' recovery threads, you’ll get a better perspective of what to expect and what not to do, especially regarding PT.
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:
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. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs
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.
The following are our basic guidelines and should help get you started. As you read more on other members' recovery threads, you’ll get a better perspective of what to expect and what not to do, especially regarding PT.
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
ice
take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)
3. Do what you want to do BUTa. 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. Here is a week-by-week guide for Activity progression for TKRs
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.
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Every recovery is different,whether it's different people or different knees on the same person. It has to do with many factors, including the condition of your knee pre-op, how much the surgeon had to do while in there, and so on. Instead of comparing your knee to your wife's, concentrate on your recovery and take it as it comes.
If you were on crutches for a lengthy time before the surgery, it's possible you need time to build up muscles and strength in your knee before you feel secure enough to move to a cane, or to walking without any aids. Plus, 30 years with issues is a very long time, and your knee needs time to adjust to the new parts. Instead of worrying about the amount of time needing a walker, try to look back to the past and see how far you've already come. This recovery is a roller coaster, and we need to learn to be patient with our knees and give them the time and patience they need to recover. You will one day find yourself not needing the walker; until then be just grateful you have it to help you now as you recover.
If you were on crutches for a lengthy time before the surgery, it's possible you need time to build up muscles and strength in your knee before you feel secure enough to move to a cane, or to walking without any aids. Plus, 30 years with issues is a very long time, and your knee needs time to adjust to the new parts. Instead of worrying about the amount of time needing a walker, try to look back to the past and see how far you've already come. This recovery is a roller coaster, and we need to learn to be patient with our knees and give them the time and patience they need to recover. You will one day find yourself not needing the walker; until then be just grateful you have it to help you now as you recover.
Thank you for your date. Was it your left knee and a total? That's what I'll put on your signature. If it's wrong, please let me know.
Good, I got it right! I assume it was a total replacement, too.
Cajun1965
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Help!
it’s been 18 weeks since my TKR and I still have a limp caused by some discomfort behind the knee and calf pain.The discomfort is making it difficult to walk. I keep thinking it’s do too weak hamstrings or something along those lines, but I don’t know. Everything from range of motion and extension or normal, I’m frustrated and at a loss. Hope someone has advice and/or a similar story. Thanks in advance.......
it’s been 18 weeks since my TKR and I still have a limp caused by some discomfort behind the knee and calf pain.The discomfort is making it difficult to walk. I keep thinking it’s do too weak hamstrings or something along those lines, but I don’t know. Everything from range of motion and extension or normal, I’m frustrated and at a loss. Hope someone has advice and/or a similar story. Thanks in advance.......
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@Cajun1965
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
You'll notice that I have merged your newest thread with your original recovery thread. For several reasons, we prefer that you only have one recovery thread:
- That way, we have all your information in one place. This makes it easier to go back and review your history before providing advice.
- If you keep starting new threads, you miss the posts and advice others have left for you in the old threads, and some information may be unnecessarily repeated
- Having only one thread will act as a diary of your progress that you can look back on.
If you need an urgent response to a question, just tag a member of staff.
Many members bookmark their thread in their computer browser, so they can find it when they log on.
- Joined
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- 29,197
- Location
- United States, West
- Country
- United States
- Gender
- Female
You may have an inflamed Bakers Cyst.
Baker's cysts and other knee bursae
Suggest you ice the back of your knee and do very gentle hamstring and calf stretching.
Bob Andersons stretching book has examples of these stretches, available on Amazon.
I ruptured my bakers cyst 2 years ago, little to no warning. Very painful, I do gentle hamstring and calf stretching daily to keep that area loose.
