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I am 5 wks after partial knee replacement knee feels really tight and swollen

Posted , 70 users are following.

robert39119
robert39119

I thought I was doing OK after 5 wks following partial knee replacement, I have been back at work driving 50 miles each way after 4 days knee has got quite painful again so back on the codeine. Is it common to have set backs when it gets more painful again before getting better again.

Any comments appreciated,

Thanks

3 likes, 158 replies

158 Replies

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  • liz53494
    liz53494 robert39119

    Posted

    HI my name is Liz and I am 4wks post surgery....I had a partial knee replacement and I am still very swollen and sore....I am doing physio at home but it feels like I am so behind where I should be...everything I read says the pain and swelling shouldn't be bad and I should be back to driving etc but I'm not and I'm doing what I'm told but I feel very defeated.

    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 liz53494

      Posted

      Hi Liz

      I am 8 weeks PO PKR. I will say that it wasn't until about 6 -7 weeks that I really felt I was turning a corner . And at 8 weeks I'm doing pretty good . No pain meds at all , driving with ease and have no pain . I'm still not overdoing it though as far as walking long distances etc .

      Everyone heals differently . I started driving at 3 weeks and back to work full time at 4 weeks but I really struggled a lot with swelling and pain . I think you are doing good just don't push yourself . If you have pain and swelling you must ice more and elevate . It's your body saying to slow down . I really didn't do much exercise until about 4 weeks as per my Doc . He said I need to just heel first so I did just two exercises three times a day for just 10 reps each .

      Hope this helps , hang in there it gets better with time . It's a difficult long recovery but so worth it .

      Debbie

  • kevin63475
    kevin63475 robert39119

    Posted

    Robert, I started excersizeing within days of post operation, I was told no pain no gain by my surgeon every step using crutches was painful but after a few weeks like you I felt I was progressing😊.

    I stared walking further using a walking stick for support ( 1 mile in the morning, 1 mile in the evening) my knee is progressing so upped distance to double the above, making sure that I ice knee after every walk.

    Going to physio I was give some good advice that has helped a lot I.e. Lay on my stomach and bend my operated leg as near ones backside as one can, flexabilty has improved greatly.

    My biggest problem is protecting my knee at night rubbing against the sheets ( it burns on touch) and keeps me awake, I am now using sport plasters better than it has been but not ideal.

    Last problem my arms are aching does anyone else suffer the same?

    From reading others comments we all expected replacement knees to be a quick fix to pain when it is obviously not.

    Keep smiling.

    • cyn_42249
      cyn_42249 kevin63475

      Posted

      Kevin, I have the same issue at night with sheets or clothing rubbing on the skin of my knee, 5 weeks after my surgery still. Burning/hurting and keeping me up at night as well. My PT told me about something called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or RSD which is rare but can occur after surgery and is pretty scary. One of the symptoms is that sensation of pain from just sheets or clothing. Did your pain subside or go away? I haven't read anywhere at what point that is normal to feel or at what point you might have developed one of these syndromes. Hoping I start to feel that sensation how away soon! sad

    • Guest
      Guest cyn_42249

      Posted

      The nerve gets cut in surgery. As it wakes up, sometimes doesnt, skin gets super sensitive. The more you expose it to touch, the less sensitive it is to clothes/sheets etc. Although you can get crazy days intermittently. I wrapped my in saran wrap at night. I only did this maybe 4x and im at week 8 now.
    • cyn_42249
      cyn_42249 Guest

      Posted

      I am at 10 weeks post op now, and STILL have this skin pain when things touch it.  NOW I start to worry that it will never go away and that I may have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or RSD forever. sad  Has anyone out there suffered from this, this far out post op, and have it go away?  Hopeful that it is just too early in the game post op, and that it may still go away.

  • sally70945
    sally70945 robert39119

    Posted

    Hi I've just had my 6wks check after having partial right knee op , never got to ask all the questions I wanted. He does the outer side of knee feel numb when it was the inner knee replaced? & is it normal to still have stinging & burning pain ? Thank you 

     

  • jamie01674
    jamie01674 robert39119

    Posted

    Hi Robert, I'm 5 months post partial knee replacement and having as much pain now as i was before surgery, been back to see the surgeon and seeing him again this week 18/11/16 and if the tests he done are clear he is going back in to see whats happening, My symptoms, pain all round the knee, swelling, while walking seems if there is something jamming in the joint, grinding, and id driving about 1hr i can't walk when i get out of the car until i manipulate my knee to get going, all in all i'm regretting surgery at the present time.

  • robynwow
    robynwow robert39119

    Posted

    I was in a similar situation and found out that the Oxy I was taking for pain was the issue.  I did not know that I should not have been on it for that long.  Went through withdrawal for about a week and then switched to meloxicam for pain.  Found out the pain was so much less off Oxy.  
  • Hermia2016
    Hermia2016 robert39119

    Posted

    I had a PKR 5 weeks ago and initially with felt I was progressing well.  However, I have not managed to bend my knee more than the 105 degrees I achieved at 3 weeks, and still can't straighten it completely.  When I try to bend my knee further it feels very tight as though it won't go any further.  My knee goes from being pain free one minute to throbbing badly the next.   There is crimping around half of my scar which makes it protrude;  I am massaging oil into it regularly (as instructed) but it doesn't seem to be making any difference.  I am doing my physiotherapy exercises but I find they seriously aggravate my knee which throbs for hours afterwards.   I am pleased I found this site and am heartened by the fact that I am clearly not alone with recovery issues.  

  • susan95498
    susan95498 robert39119

    Posted

    Hi

    I just had my partial knee replacement surgery a week ago. I can walk using a walker, Im not sure if i need to practice walking without my walker and try to brnd my knee?

    • Hermia2016
      Hermia2016 susan95498

      Posted

      The got me out of bed and walking with a walker the day after my op. Two days after that they had me walking with 2 sticks. I was walking with 2 sticks for about 10 days and then went down to one stick.  From the day after my op the physios had me doing knee exercises to try to get my knee to bend.  I had a series of exercises I had to do several times as day, each day.  I was told to push myself with the exercises as much as I could tolerate, and then rest my knee afterwards.
    • debbie72922
      debbie72922 Hermia2016

      Posted

      Hi Hermia

      I am 7 months PO partial outside right knee . Had all sorts of pain , swelling , for a good 3-4 months . Was walking without cane completely at about 8 weeks . I too had terrible pain on opposite side of knee for about two months. Then one day it was just gone 😂.

      At 7 months I have occasional pain still if I do a lot of walking / up and down stairs a lot.

      All in all I am thrilled with results and have a different life with new knee . I pray it stays that way .

      I iced all the time , took pain Med's until I didn't need them switched to ibuprofen only occasionally.

      It takes long time . Everyone is different. Your still early on with recovery. I went back to work at 4 weeks which was difficult .

      Take care , hang in there it gets better !

      Debbie

    • susan95498
      susan95498 Hermia2016

      Posted

      Thank you Herminia for your response. I only have a walker, i dont have stick. Should i buy one or request one from my doctor?

      Im trying to walk as much as I can the pain is unbearable and my right side back is hurting will this go away?

      I know each individual are different, any in put and comments is highly appreciated.

    • Hermia2016
      Hermia2016 susan95498

      Posted

      I think you should try walking with sticks as they put you in a better posture than a walker.  Also, it is easier to progress then to just one stick.  Where did you haver your surgery done?  I would suggest you ask your doctor about getting sticks.   If your back pain has started post op it could be caused by your posture using the walker.  I am suffering from bad back/sciatic pain, but I had it before the my op because my legs were wonky and I couldn't walk properly.   

    • susan95498
      susan95498 Hermia2016

      Posted

      Im the same way, I have sciatica too. Is the stick is the one is the same stick you use for hiking?
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