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Size of new knee

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moe

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I was just curious if those of you with one new knee replacement notice a big difference in size with your other knee. I had a RTKR in January and it is feeling strong but it is hard to bend much beyond 90 degrees. My PT could push it to 105 with much pain but it always felt like knee was going to pop out of skin. It is much larger in size than my left knee which doesn't need to be replaced (hopefully never!) and I am wondering if this is normal? Could the size of it be prohibiting the bending??
 
Sorry, Moe. Good question????? Cannot say mine feels that way. Wonder if you have some scar tissue build up???:sct: Surely Jo or Jamie will be by soon and give you a better answer.​
 
Hello, moe, and welcome to BoneSmart! I think what you're talking about is just swelling. That can continue for sometime, months even and yes, it will interfere with flexion, of course. Is your knee still restricted to that amount of flexion? If so, have you been back to your surgeon? It might very well be that you could do with a manipulation (click on the link). There have been a few people here that have had MUAs so I suggest you do a rummage around in this forum and look for them to see how they all faired!
 
Hi Moe welcome. Mine gets a lil swollen at 3 1/2 mths. but I would do what Jo avised....After my MAU things were so different I was able to bend sooo much better without all that effort and gettig no where...Good luck to you....Post anytime...
 
Thanks everyone for your comments. My knee doesn't swell any more. You can physically feel the size difference even though I know the replacement is not supposed to look the same as a regular knee. I have been thinking of calling the Dr. back now for a couple of weeks, When I went in May for my 3 month visit, my PT had my rom at 105 but that was with a lot of pushing and pain. The Dr. said if I had 10 degrees less rom I would have been eligible for a MUA. He thinks I should be able to get to 115 degrees within the year recovery period. Everything else seems fine with the knee. I can straighten it and I walk without a limp and it feels strong. Is almost six months out too late for a MUA if I can get one? My rom before TKR wasn't an issue, it was the bone on bone, locking, and instability that landed me with a new knee at 43.( I tore my ACL at 14) Thank you. I am so glad I found this website!
 
Well, 110 isn't all that bad, have to say. And you can keep increasing for many months. One member on here recently reported he had gained an extra 5 degrees and he was one year out! Don't give up, keep doing the exercises, specially those that press the flexion, and you will get there.

Have you tried doing lunges? That's putting your foot on a smallish stool and dropping forward. As you can manage it, use higher stools or chairs or even use the stairs. It's a good move to use.
 
I will work on lunges more. Any more advice on other exercises I may not not be doing that help with flexion? Thanks so much. :)
 
I will work on lunges more. Any more advice on other exercises I may not not be doing that help with flexion? Thanks so much. :)

Moe ,,one that seems to help everyone,is roll back and forth in a office chair. Go slow,,and hold the flex,,then roll back . Even a swing in the park ,,,just move your leg with the weight off of it.

Flex on!!
 
Thanks Mark. I see you knee replacement was the same day I had mine done. How are you feeling? Are you happy with your results?
 
Thanks Mark. I see you knee replacement was the same day I had mine done. How are you feeling? Are you happy with your results?

Your very welcome.

I am finally starting to think maybe having this done was a good thing,lol. I did have a torn calf muscle to begin with ,which was very painful. I made all the mistakes people talk about on here. I got behind on pain meds,,I pushed it way to hard at the begininng.I went back to work in 3 weeks,all be it alot of desk time,but 2 hour commute.
The only complaint I have right now is I still have knee clunk,,no pain,but the dang thing clunks. I can bike 8 miles,,walk 2 ,no problems. I still have some swelling,but seems if I don't exercise quite so hard I make better gains.

Please share how yours is doing,
Thanks,
 
I have had many of those "what did I do to myself " moments but overall, I am happy with the results. Just have to keep bending it! That is when I experience the pain! I also can bike 8+ miles on my stationary bike and I am walking 2.5 miles around the pond near my house. I also pay if I push it too hard so I am still learning my limits.It doesn't seem to swell much anymore. A torn calf muscle sounds pretty painful.
Thanks
MOE
 
Moe, it still could be swelling. The knee compartment is very tight in there and even the slightest inflammation and swelling can give you that "tight" feeling when you bend. While you continue to work on your flex, you might want to consider taking some anti-inflammants on a schedule (like Aleve or Advil) and see if that helps you. Even icing would be good.

My knee is over a year old and I still get some of that swelling deep inside now and then. But I had it regularly well into the second six months. I never noticed it from the outside, but sometimes I'd get that really "gonna burst" feeling you describe.
 
Moe, as you can see from my signature line below, my knees have been around long enough to know that the size difference is not swelling. If you think about it, there is really no way that the outward appearance of a joint prothesis can be exactly the same size and shape of the joint it's replacing. I think the important part is that it fits in the bone and all the connecting parts. I swear that I now have man knees. Oh well.....
 
Thank you all for your comments, advice, and encouragement! I really appreciate it! I am going to do some lunges now and keep working on the bend. I never really thought about the swelling inside. I don't really ice anymore but maybe I will start trying it again.
 
Moe
Karen has an interesting point...She made me think....From personal experience, it has been so long since I have seen what a normal knee looks like...I am not sure I could tell the difference. ThinkI am going to watch "normal" knees...I wonder how uniform they are??:sct:
 
You make some excellent points, Karen. The new knee's job is to work, not to try and match the old one. It's just a marvel to me that a surgeon can put something like that inside you and it bends and moves pretty much like a real knee would. I guess not only do we have to be proud of our scars, but also of whatever our new knees look like if they enable us to enjoy a life without pain.
 
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