4 weeks postop - knee is fine - painful down outside of lower leg when walking ANY ONE ELSE
Posted , 5 users are following.
First, this is my third joint replacement surgery so I fully understand we all heal differently.
I am hoping to hear from anyone else who may have pain (like a fractured leg) down the outside of their operated leg and who may have discussed this with their surgeon or PT and what they may have said. I ask because it seems to be stronger now than a week ago. Of course I am now cane and walker free (90% of time). They are having a hard time scheduling my PT and when they do I will also ask them - it could be 7 to 12 days before that happens.
It is somewhat better when I remember to place my heel down first - still I would like to hear from others who have experienced this same issue.
THANKS and good luck with recovery
0 likes, 6 replies
lynda49844 Kebra
Posted
About 4 weeks post-op I had an intermittent pain on the outside of my knee that travelled halfway down my lower leg. I''ve heard of others experiencing a similar problem and the rationale is that it's tibial pain caused by the prosthesis bedding in. I haven't had the pain for over a week now and I'm 7 weeks post-op. I wouldn't say my pain was akin to a fracture, but then I've never had a fracture. If you're worried, have it checked out, especially if it's severe.
Kebra lynda49844
Posted
Funny because I've never had a fracture either LOL Was not sure how to describe it as it was nothing like the pain originally experienced after surgery and it is certainly not at the actual knee or scar site.
Thanks for answering
lynda49844 Kebra
Posted
I should have said that it was when walking that I felt it. I found there were so many different aches and pains in so many different places I started to play a 'guess where the pain might be today' game before I got out of bed!
JRS11 Kebra
Posted
I had pain going down the outside of my calf for quite awhile. It has calmed down of late although I still have a lot of stiffness and other pain. I am almost 6 months out but know it will get better.
CHICO_MARX Kebra
Posted
"Heel down first..." Took me a month to get that right. It was like my kids learned in high school marching band so it was kind of a shock to realize that you literally had to learn to walk correctly again in order to recover properly.
A thought for you... You didn't mention if this was your first knee or not so I'll run through this anyway. At this point, all the musculature that supports the knee is atrophied...dead. So when you put pressure on that leg to walk, you are using OTHER muscles that were not intended to do that job...hence the "unexplained" pain. Could happen anywhere...other leg, hips, lower back etc. Your mind is compensating for the knee so it shifts your weight to another muscle group.
The fix is to rebuild quads, glutes, core, abductors, etc...all the muscles that handle your weight which is now on the new knee. I have a discussion on here regarding Post-TKR Exercising that focuses on doing just that. Takes months because it's very gradual...endurance before strength. Need to rebuild all that musculature to take the pressure of the new knee so you can walk correctly, regain your balance and then be able to so stairs up and down alternately again like normal. Time, work and patience...
fedupgirl CHICO_MARX
Posted
Great advise Chico, i must remember the heel down first, as i am finding it difficult to walk correctly, my PT is great but your phrase "endurance before strength" is spot on. My consultant told me on Friday at my post op. that i would forget i'd had it done six months from now and to expect pain and twinges for a few months yet. I am working on my strength and muscels right now. I must say you are an absolute hero on here Chico, thanks for all your advise, Chat helps when you cant explain the pain.