3 months after tkr pain when walking
Posted , 8 users are following.
I am 77 yrs old had total knee replacement on my left knee due to arthritis, I had initial swelling due to bleed into the knee, which has lessened but I now have severe pain when straightening and bending or walking. The pain is on the lateral side of the knee and is accompanied by clunking. It feel like there is some kind of a joint there this is rubbing (probably mechanics) My GP says it could be some tissue lodged and may take sometime to clear give it another nine months. I really feel there is something wrong and I'm considering asking for an MRI. Please has anyone else had this kind of problem. I really don't know what to do.
0 likes, 24 replies
jenny80029 margaret02114
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margaret02114 jenny80029
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Thank you Jenny I may have to get back on the pain meds, and try to be more patient. Looking on this forum I'm beginning to realise that I'm not on my own.
cheryl86544 margaret02114
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Congratulations Margaret and well done for having a TKR. I don't know if I'd be able to do it at your age! Most of us have pain on the lateral side of the knee, so it is awful, but part of the process for many of us. I was doing very well in rehab (inpatient) with my 2nd TKR 2 months ago, then suddenly woke one morning and couldn't weight bare again, emanating from that lateral side of the knee. They weren't totally sure what caused it but one of the explanations is that we have a very large nerve there which was upset. It settled again about a week later.
The clunking is also normal. It's just part of the mechanics of the new knee. My first TKR was 18 months ago and I still get it in that knee and now with the new one. So don't worry. It will all reduce. I quite like the clunking, it reminds me that my pain is reducting and it makes me think - wasn't I lucky to get a new knee. Not meaning to be patronising at all, just the way it feels to me.
When did you have the TKR?
cheryl86544
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cheryl86544
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Yes, just saw in your title that your TKR was only 3 months ago. Early days Margaret. 12 months is still early days. It takes a while, but you're doing well. It's a long recovery time for some - like you and me and plenty of others. Don't worry and take care.
margaret02114 cheryl86544
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Thank you Cheryl, it's really difficult when friends have got over their TKR rather quickly, and I really expected to be the same, but after seeing the comments in this forum I'm beginning to realise that everyone is different. In hindsight I should have researched more about the surgery.
cheryl86544 margaret02114
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It's so hard to research this. My right TKR was 18 months ago it still gives me plenty of pain. I did get infections in both legs, so it was a hard recovery. I got totally fed up hearing friends have it and how good they were. So frustrating. This forum has helped me more than anything else.
My left TKR was exactly 2 months ago and the surgeon said that the op was brilliant. Shame I arrested and did actually die. Not only is he a great surgeon but he did immediate CPR, jumped on the table to do it. I spent the next few days in intensive care. I finally came around a few days after the surgery. My poor kids were phoned and they told them to come because I was on life support. It kills me to think how scared they were. They thought they were just keeping me alive for them to see me.
I have no memory of the first 10 days except for 2 things - I felt the tube down my throat and I pointed at it hoping they would take it out. The other thing was that they had to transfer me from the hospital I had the surgery in, to another campus they have (as there's no ICU there) and I remember them telling me at 10 days that I would be going back to the other campus.
My kids tell me that the CEO of the hospital came to see me with their Head of Legal. I have no memory of that. at all.
However, my recovery since then has been great. That leg is way, way ahead of where the other knee was.
The major thing I want to say is that I know and totally absolutely believe that it's going to be good, they're both going to be good, and so will yours, It really will.
jenny80029 cheryl86544
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Wow! You died! Well, it is great you are alive now! Gosh, that is a new angle on the TKR experience! 😕
cheryl86544 jenny80029
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Thanks Jenny. The CEO of the hospital came and visited me. I saw my surgeon a couple of days ago and I asked him why the CEO came to see me and his response was "because it's never happened before".
With all of my medical stuff if it's going to affect most people - I don't get it. When it's a chance of one in a million - it happens to me.
CHICO_MARX margaret02114
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Most people are feeling somewhat better by three months (past the worst of the pain) but everyone is truly different in their recovery. Have you finished your PT to break down all the scar tissue? Is your ROM 0 straight and 120 bent? You can expect continued but lessening pain over the course of a full year. Many people see leaps in functionality and decreased pain at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. A simple x-ray would probably show if there is something unexpected lodged in the knee joint.
The "clunking" is not unusual. I'm 16 months and still have some. My doc said: "You have a giant chunk of metal in your body...what did you expect?" Get used to it...
margaret02114 CHICO_MARX
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Thanks Chico I'm still doing I now see my physio monthly, she is happy with my range. I exercise daily at home also tried hydrotherapy. My doctor wants me to take 5 short walks daily, but doesn't seem to know what to do about the problems I'm having, I might take your advice and ask for another X-ray. I may be expecting too much too soon.
CHICO_MARX margaret02114
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That expectation is very typical. Then people start comparing themselves to others or create unrealistic timelines in their heads. This leads to frustration, depression and more.
"Don't do dat." - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Click on my picture and then "See All Discussions". Lots of posts that can be of help.
donna31498 margaret02114
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I had tkr on my left knee in February. All was going well until around April 12. Started having pain when I straightened my leg, and could feel and hear a rubbing sound when I got from around a 30 degree bend to 0. I told my surgeon about it. She took X-rays and said the component looked fine. She said it might be scar tissue and to keep doing my exercises, and gave me a cortisone shot in the knee. That did nothing to help. I was scheduled to have tkr on my right knee on April 24, so she said she would do a manipulation of left knee while I was out. That also did nothing to help. The pain on straightening has gotten progressively worse. I'm having arthroscopic surgery on Monday, July 10. She seems to think there may be scar tissue, a piece of cement or a bone fragment lodged somewhere that isn't showing up on the X-rays. I'm just praying that she's right and that it can be taken care of on Monday.
margaret02114 donna31498
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Hi Donna, I'm interested to know how you your arthroscopic surgery went, I'm hoping they found the reason for your pain, and were able to fix it.
donna31498 margaret02114
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jenny80029 donna31498
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donna31498 jenny80029
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It was a lot of scar tissue. She showed me the before and after pictures. Really amazed me that it was scar tissue because the pain came on so suddenly. One day I was doing great, and the next day I couldn't straighten my leg without stabbing pain. But, thank God, I'm back to being able to straighten it with no pain at all.