15 Months Post TKR

I'm 8 months po from new plastic knee cap and metal trochlea. The crook of my operated knee is very tight as is my calf muscle, but on my unoperated leg I have same pain as you, running from my back, down my thigh to my ankle and my unoperated knee is feeling a bit "twangy". It's a damn nuisance. Some days are better than others so I'm just putting it down to walking a bit different at the moment and overcompensating with my unoperated leg. I just wish I could walk naturally without "thinking about it", because I'm sure I hold myself very stiffly and this in turn alters my natural walk.

I also forgot to say I wore shoe inserts before my op (not special ones, I purchased them from Boots chemist) and I think these did help me at the time. I might ask my consultant if it would be a good idea to try them again. My operated knee is often stiff and the lack of sensation in it makes it feel weaker than it actually is. 

tracey im really wondering is it that the younger you are getting a TKR has an effect in the outcome of some of these ops .??? as im not sure of the ages of everyone on this forum ,i will talk of the fact that here in ireland i have met alot of people in the last 3 yrs since ive had my bi lateral tkr .most of the people that have been say over 70 have had the most sucess of a good outcome ,maybe its because of the age of the bones or maybe its because the older the patient the less likely that they will want to be as active as the younger patients .maybe im way off here but i have two friends here where i live both my own age (58)one female one male both have had revisions and both like me are still in pain one is very overweight the other one like me is not over weight ,i know many people who are older and have had a great outcome and im so glad for them ,but im like you tracey fed up !! its frustrating trying sooo hard to get back to normal ,when i leave the gym im on a high and the leg feels solid after but the next day it feels back to the same .the nurse at my last check up a few months ago said ill always have to excersise that leg . when i bend this knee it still has that tight feeling and the feel of the rods and metal knee .maybe at this stage there should be a survey on how many failures in the last 5yrs and the ages of the failures !! my guess is it will never happen  why ??? surgeons are gods and dont have to answer to anyone after all we all signed the paper work saying the RISKS!!!!!! sorry but like tracey its ruined my life !!!!

I will soon be 12 months post op on tkr, left knee. I am not the best like I think I should be. Still stiff, unless I exercise to get rid of it. I've been lazy a bit about that. But the knee is tender to the touch and numb. So you're not alne for sure. My back and hip on the right side is terrible if I walk very much. I'm waiting for that tkr. However if I am resting I don't get pain. But I work in a walking supervisory position so I really don't stop much. I'm hoping after the 2nd one it might help. My bend is about 100, sometimes a wee bit more. But I'm not limping so I guess I can say it's a great improvement over pre op. I'm 64 and always been an active person. 

Good or luck to you all. Take care. Some day we'll all be kicking butts. It would be nice if I was our own! 

 

Hi Tracey. I had my left knee replacement August 2014. I was 54 at that time - 55 now. Mine also feels like a lump of concrete and although not very painful, still causes discomfort at times. It is still swollen - told it will always be swollen now!! I am so very fed up with all of this but the only saving grace is that it is nowhere near as painful as it was before the op.  I agree with Linda, the surgeons do think they're God and do not answer to anyone. Since I had mine done, although having several check ups, have not seen my surgeon since the op. I get to see his minions who just say the be is good, the straight is good all look good!!!! They know nothing!! I have a friend who had hers done four years ago and she told me it takes nearly 2 years before it feels like part of your body so let's hope she's right.  Good luck Tracey and I hope things get better for you xx

Hi Tracey

I had my left TKR in Sept 2014 and it was a real struggle...constantly painful and started to stiffen badly.  I had an MUA on it March 2015, but it was still not straight and got worse and worse.  I finally had it opened up and excess scar tissue removed Sept 2015.  I am doing a walk every day and using a CPM, but it seems to be stiffening up again and is painful.  I'm now in my 8th week since that operation and worried that there may not be any improvement in the end.  I'm 55.

It's so wearing!

Patsy

I am 15 months post op from a TKR.   Mine did not go very well.   I have a contracture and have alot of difficulty walking, pain, and the knee is very stiff.   My muscles too are very tight.  Not sure what the answers are, if thery are any.   

Hi Tracy

I'm just over one year post TKR and up until recently, doing brilliantly. In summer I walked round London, went to a concert at Wembly the same night and survived it with only aching legs.

Now have a pain in the left side of the knee which twinges with certain movements.Just had annual check up and the x ray came back as perfect but consultant wasn't there, so maybe somewhere inside there is a problem with tissue or muscle. Back at the hospital in January so hope to find out what's wrong. It's still swollen too but the nurse said it takes a long time and will never be like it was.

It seems nothing is ever simple and I don't think it ever feels normal, there is always creaking when moving. I am only 52 and have a busy job quite often on my feet which doesn't help. My problem is that before the op I had no pain just my knee was rolling in and I was walking odd, then after the new knee I now suddenly months later get pain and aching in it.

Btw, those that elected to have both knees replaced at the same time, my goodness how brave you are!   I just cant imaine.   However, I do see the merit in it.   Done and  over with in one OR time, one hosptial visit, etc.  

I had my left TKR end of July 2014. It's not perfect, pain at night sometimes and numbness to the touch, from outside of knee to thigh, but it gets so itchy I scratch the skin away.....work that out, I can't. Maybe the nerves repairing, but they'te taking a long time.

So......the outcome, not perfect but 100% better than pre op.

I'm waiting for my other knee replacement, hospital said Cat 3 (12 months to see Orthopedic surgeon) but it's so much worse than the other one was, which was Cat2......

I am almost 14 months post TKR. 11 months since MUA. I am 51. Knee hurts all the time and feels so foreign. I can not stand for more than a few minutes without considerable pain. There is nothing natural about the way the knee moves. I feels so heavy. I ride my exercise bike, do daily exercises and am not overweight. So frustrated. More pain now than before the surgery.