Urgent Advice Please!

[3dogmom]

Okay - 6 months post op. Last night my knees and legs were a bit sore, probalby too much dancing around at school. This morning, after being up for about an hour, ALL OF A SUDDEN my TKR knee got so sore I can hardly put weight on it. It won't stop!

I have an ortho appt on Monday, but it's only Thursday. How urgent is this likely to be? This has never happened to this degree. Onlyl hurts when weight is put on it, but boy, I can hardly walk.

3dogmom
RTKR 6/1/10

 

[susanw]

3dog, if it were me I would not walk on it and I'd call the doc. You sure don't want to aggravate it further.

 

[maryo52]

I'm guessing you called the OS office, stated your problem, and they gave you the Tuesday appt? If so, you could request a call from your surgeon or the on-call covering. Or if the office doesn't know of this issue, time to tell them. But I'm guessing this answer is too obvious and you've already done all this.

 

[brs0660]

My GUESS is that your probably aggrevated the muscles in the area. Do you have swelling? Have you begun icing and elevating today? Is it the supporting muscles that are hurting or is the bone above or below that hurt? Does the leg feel unsteady or is it just steady but hurts? @Josephine: @Jamie:

Lots of questions


It would not hurt to give your OS's office a call.

 

[Jamie]

I agree with Barbara. My guess is that you have overdone things a bit as we all do and now you're going to pay the price for a while. Call your doctor's office and describe the problem. And in the meantime go back to our mantra...rest, ice, elevate and take something for the pain on a schedule for a few days.

 

[3dogmom]

Sorry to be unclear, the appointment I have for Monday was a routine followup. The pain is only when weight-bearing and feels really acute, and I am limping. It's all around the knee but worst on the outside and strangely up the back of the thigh.

No I am neither icing or elevating, I am at work (a teacher). Will do those when I get home.

Can't even think straight, I am really freaking out.

3dogmom
RTKR 6/1/10

 

[Jamie]

3dog....is it possible for you to call in a sub so you can stay home? If your knee is that painful, you're not doing yourself any favors by trying to work with it that way.

 

[3dogmom]

Just went to check with admin, no one is available for me to ask. Have two more classes, and then will leave. I got an ice pack from the nurse and plan to sit here with my leg up to the degree that I can!

Will keep you posted. Thank you!
3dogmom
RTKR 6/1/10

 

[Josephine]

Don't freak out, sweetie! It's either your hamstrings or your IT band or both. I know when my hamstrings went, I could barely stand. It was awful.

So rest, elevate ice (or heat - whatever works), pain meds and anti-inflammatories. And calm down! You'll not have done anything dreadful to your new knee.

 

[Daffodill1]

What is an IT Band?

 

[conniew]

The only problems I've had since my surgery has been with my IT band. It stretches from your hip down outer side of leg to kneecap. The pain from it is focused on the outside of my kneecap, even though the inflammation is further up on the IT band. My PT said the easiest exercise at home is to take a rolling pin and roll it back and forth over the band. It sounds crazy but it works. There's also something called pressure points. Move your fingertips down the band, and when you hit a painful spot apply pressure there. I have 3 sensitive spots along my band, and the pain always is improved after I apply the pressure or roll it with the rolling pin.

 

[Josephine]

ITB = ilio-tibial band. A large muscle that extends from the top of your hip (pelvic) bone to the top of your tibia. You can read more about it here Ilio-tibial band (ITB) issues and pain: exercises