I am 9 weeks post op after TKR and the pain is getting me down

I have good days and bad days the pain seemed to be in my thigh and calf, i had been out for a walk the day before

How are you doing? I have been told it's early days and to expect pain but it;s really upsetting me now

Have you been overdoing the exercises? Maybe you need to do some stretching? I'm only 11 days post op, but I can feel my muscles tightening as I'm exercising and wondered whether I should be stretching them too. In the exercise classes I did prior to surgery we always warmed up and finished with stretches. Otherwise, maybe some deep tissue massage would help? I hope things improve fir you soon.

Yes i think i have been over doing it a bit, it is defo my muscles, but the pain this morning reduced me to tears. I have rested today and is feeling a lot better. Maybe some massage might help, thanks Lynda

Your body is obviously telling you that you need to rest. I've read that it can be 3-6 months for pain to subside and that we have to listen to our bodies, slow down if we need to, not compare ourselves with anyone else, as we will all have different recovery rates. You could try icing after exercise and ensure you keep the leg elevated for a while. Maybe swimming would be a gentler exercise? Having said all this, if it continues I would see a doctor for advice, as I'm no medic. Take care and be kind to yourself.

Thanks Lynda, rested today and much easier, saw doc a couple of days ago and she more or less said the same, just feeling sorry for myself and thought i would try this forum. Hope you are doing okay too.

I'm doing OK thanks, but I can understand how it gets you down when recovery is slow and pain persists. It's frustrating. I've been looking at recommended week by week protocols for rehab and have been amazed how slowly they advise you to resume normal activities. It was brought home to me how different recovery can be when I heard of one person back dancing in 6 weeks and another who was only just managing to walk indoors without a stick after 9 months.

i know someone who was out mowing his lawn only weeks after a double TKR. I was so depressed seeing what he was able to do. I was only walking around our block with a cane. His wife later told me he had been taking painkillers 3 or 4 times a day for several months. Things are not always as they seem. Just follow the signals your body gives you. After 18 months i still have to elevate and ice if i've done too much. Go easy on yourself. Take care.

SORRY, my answer was meant for fedupgirl

yes....we are all different...

I used two supports for any walking over ten minutes even at 12 weeks! I had these two lightweight walking pole type sticks and they were great...I could walk quite fast with them but they took a bit of weight off the knee and also helped balance.

I could only walk a tiny weeny bit in the house, literally a few minutes, with no stick or crutch at 8 weeks. I used one around the house for what seemed like ages.

My physiotherapist urged me to stick with using support for as long as I felt I needed it, and I didn't see the point in causing myself needless pain. Instead I focused on improving range of motion and decreasing swelling more than dispensing with support. I would say, only based on my own experience of course, that there is nothing to be gained but needless pain by trying to push oneself too hard.

I wanted to reduce pain medications more than walk independently in the early months, so I worked on the principle that if i had pain on walking my knee needed support. It's only partial support anyway, as some weight bearing goes on, just less than your full body weight.

Thanks Susan, i have been resting last few day's and the leg is feeling so much better, your right we are all different and i know it's still early days.

Aww thanks climber, reassurance is a great thing and you are right about "talk with forked tongue". I think maybe i have been over doing it, it's great to talk to people who are going through it. It has been getting me down just lately.

feeling down at this stage is so so common... rest more...do nice things as much as possible...listen to music, watch comedy...whatever you enjoy...

use supports ...ie crutch, stick...if it reduces the pain sometimes and you are on your feet a lot... sometimes people shun this but in the end pain reduction is important and it affects mood a lot. or maybe reduce how much you are doing.... pain is there for a reason....it's telling you something maybe!

sending good wishes to you for

Hi Jenny thanks for your comments, i was beginning to think something was wrong with me feeling so down, i have been resting and using a stick the last few days and it feels so much better. You are right about pain affecting our moods, thats why i joined this forum, it has been so helpful being in touch with people who are or have gone through the same. I had a total hip replacement in June, my consultant thought it would elevate the pain in my knee. I got over that operation okay but it did take time and i know in the long term my knee will be a lot better. The last few days i dident know what to do with myself, i am controlling it with medication too and have a few sitting down hobbies so i will try and concentrate on the nice things and slow down till my body tells me other wise. Thank you so much for your support .

glad to be of help!