TKR Post Op 5 months, Gait, Buttock/hamstring spasms

[cjbtkr]

My post op PT went very well. I was walking pretty normal 2 months post op and golfing 3 months post op. I have bilateral OA, extremely bowlegged, looking toward TKR right decison in year or so. In last 2 weeks, severe lower back, hips, buttock and hamstring muscle spasms started "bilaterally". Near crippling at times where I need to grab nearest support.

I suspect that the gait realignment I was warned about has started with a vengeance. I am doing gait training exercises and I take long walks several time a day. I would appreciate similar experiences and remedy recommendations. Thx In Advance For Your Info.

 

[little red canoe]

How much water do you drink during your several long walks? Dehydration can do a number on your muscles.

I get back spasms from walking simply because for three years I didn't. It takes time to build that core up. My hamstrings do cramp when I am dehydrated and also from that three years of lack of use. My abs need building up more than my knee.

 

[KarriB]

@cjbtkr welcome to BoneSmart! Can you give the date of your TKR so we can create a signature for you and perhaps help with the pain you're experiencing?

I'm going to leave you with our guidelines. Take a look at the activity chart to see what you should be doing at this point in your recovery.

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

the BoneSmart view on exercise
BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

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.

 

[Celle]

Hello @cjbtkr

Please can you tell us the exact date that you had your right TKR, so that we know how far along you are in recovery?

I think you might be trying to do too much, too soon, and your soft tissues are protesting, because they haven't yet had time to adjust to your altered gait. Can you ease off all this activity for a while and give your legs a chance to settle down? It does take a full year for complete recovery after a knee replacement, even if your knee looks fully healed from the outside.

I'm going to ask @Josephine, our Nurse Director, to advise you. She will probably ask you a lot of questions. Do try to answer them as fully as possible, so that you has all the information she needs to advise you appropriately.

 

[Josephine]

@cjbtkr I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[sistersinhim]

That's one of the things that's so aggravating about this surgery. You can have aches and pains in places you haven't had before. Your different way of walking affects your whole body. These different pains will calm down when your body gets used to your new knee. Each week you'll see improvement, not just in your knee, but also your other aching areas!

 

[Angiebabe]

This is very interesting I think we focus on the immediate recovery pain etc so the ongoing adjustments to muscles etc a little down the line can be confusing.i too am having pain in my hamstrings but the physio says it's all about them adjusting to the new knee after years of a different type of use. It hurts like heck at times!

 

[FlaGranny]

Your gait probably will not normalize until you have your second knee done. Your bowed leg is probably shorter than your other leg. Perhaps a lift in your shoe of your shorter leg would help until you have surgery.

 

[Grayson04]

3 weeks after my BTKR surgery, I woke up with a HUGE knot in my buttock and was more miserable than my knee surgery! My toes and feet were numb and aching pain that kept me from getting comfortable in any position. It took a few weeks to work knot out but I was able to get a cortisone shot in my back to calm things down more quickly. Knowing more now, I realize it must have come from my gait changing and my knees no longer hyper extending. My back was having to get used to a new position. If it continues, may want to see a back doctor for some advise.

 

[sistersinhim]

It's funny how these surgeries will cause a domino effect to other parts of our bodies. Just about everyone develops other pain besides their knee. It certainly comes from walking so differently after a new knee and you've had two new knees! Hopefully, your back and hips will adjust quickly to the new and improved walk!

 

[Josephine]

I woke up with a HUGE knot in my buttock and was more miserable than my knee surgery! My toes and feet were numb and aching pain that kept me from getting comfortable in any position. Knowing more now, I realize it must have come from my gait changing and my knees no longer hyper extending. My back was having to get used to a new position. If it continues, may want to see a back doctor for some advise.

Nothing so complicated, my dear. What you have is a frequent side effect of joint replacement surgery Piriformis syndrome - a pain in the butt!

 

[cjbtkr]

Sorry for delay- been away from computer.

I stay hydrated (concentrate on it!!). I have shortened my walking now. The GPAS (I call it that - Gait Pain and Spasms) rises and falls. Most pronounced when starting to walk (with cane now) or trying to stand or sit. Spasms "clamp" down in the buttocks and hamstrings. The GPAS moves from side to side, sometimes bilateral.

I have read of shoe "lifts" working for some folks. Really do not want to go through a Right TKR..at least until I can regain some mobility.

Cutting southern trip short to revisit Ortho Doc. She wants a full "gait" assessment.

 

[sistersinhim]

@cjbtkr, please let us know your surgery date so we can create a signature for you. It helps us to know exactly when and what your surgery was.

I hope you can get those spasms to stop. How aggravating that must be. You are walking differently now than you were and your muscles are fussing about it.

 

[cjbtkr]

My RTKR was October 25, 2017. All went well through to Feb 5 when Buttock spasms/hamstring, quad and some lower leg pain began. Lasted only a few days. "Moved" to Florida for the spring (Snowbird"}. All well until
March 9 until now (April 28). Spasms and pain very severe at times (scale 7-8) where I stayed off my feet for a few days at a time. The post by Josophine (piriformis Syndrome) explains what I am going through exactly. Exercises/stretches do help some. Headed north for an Ortho Visit May 5, 2017. Will keep you posted. cjbtkr

 

[sistersinhim]

Do you mean your surgery was 2016? That's awful having those spasms. Good luck with your OS visit.

 

[cjbtkr]

@cjbtkr I'd really like to offer you some structured advice but in order to do that, I also need to ask you some questions. Are you willing for me to do that?

 

[cjbtkr]

Sure. Anytime. Just getting use to Bonesmart. Seems light on information that explains admin structure of Bonesmart, i.e. your role?? If there is a place I can go to to learn the oversight structure and the do'd and donts, please advise. I tried to change my profile signature and I could not gain the permissions to access the signature field in my profile? Traveling May 1 through May 3 - not online. Thx in advance for your assistance. cjbtkr.

 

[cjbtkr]

Do you mean your surgery was 2016? That's awful having those spasms. Good luck with your OS visit.

I apoligize..surgery was 25 Oct 2016.

 

[cjbtkr]

@cjbtkr welcome to BoneSmart! Can you give the date of your TKR so we can create a signature for you and perhaps help with the pain you're experiencing?

Hi KarriB: New to Bonesmart. I need to understand the signature control. I try to change my signature to cjbtkr25oct2016. I can not change it. How do YOU change MY signature? thanks..

 

[cjbtkr]

Hello @cjbtkr

Please can you tell us the exact date that you had your right TKR, so that we know how far along you are in recovery?

I think you might be trying to do too much, too soon, and your soft tissues are protesting, because they haven't yet had time to adjust to your altered gait. Can you ease off all this activity for a while and give your legs a chance to settle down? It does take a full year for complete recovery after a knee replacement, even if your knee looks fully healed from the outside.

I'm going to ask @Josephine, our Nurse Director, to advise you. She will probably ask you a lot of questions. Do try to answer them as fully as possible, so that you has all the information she needs to advise you appropriately.