I had Total Knee Surgery almost 3 weeks ago and my knee is still very stiff and doesn't not bend muc

After sleeping all night, mine was stiff until I got moving around. You must keep moving and doing ankle pumps of any exercises when laying down. Motion is lotion and do as much as you can during the day. I am at 8weeks and have to work on staying flexible. Straightening has been my issue and I recommend working on that ASAP.

Good Luck

Hi Janet - I am 5 months out of TKR and still have stiffness and minor pain. 80 degrees after 3 weeks is great !

 

Hi Janet, I'm going into 10 weeks tomorrow and I still have stiffness; especially in my left rebellious leg. After my PT on Thursday my leg went stiff for two days.It was terrible! Hard to do anything. It doesn't usually react that way but I think I may have done too much at PT. Normally, my legs will go stiff if I'm on them too long. Hang in there. You're NORMAL! 

Three weeks, "Kneebie"?  "You've only just begun." - Karen Carpenter...well, almost.

First and foremost, there are no expectations, and here in TKRville, the word "should" has been stricken from the lexicon. What you "feel like" is irrelevant...for the next year, your knee will control your life and it cannot be pushed.  Do so and pay a heavy price in pain and swelling.  "Don't do dat." - Arnold Schwarzenegger, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.  However...in general...

- Most of us experienced hell on earth for the first 30+ days.  After a month, I was still drooling on my pajamas.  Important to ice, elevate and take your meds ON TIME.  Rest...sleep...

- The pain will decrease over time, especially by the 3 month mark...but not during or after PT sessions which are usually held in some unnamed dungeon right out of The Inquisition.  PT normally takes 8-12 weeks @ 2X/week.  Gets your ROM as close to 0 / +120 as possible.  I started at -14 / +84 and was done in 10 weeks at -1 / +123.  Everyone is different...have to really work at it...no slacking off!!!

- By six months, all the really bad crap is behind you and you've been doing all the exercise work to rebuild your dead quads, glutes and core for a while.  Gotta be done to finish and maintain the ROM work and to be strong enough to climb stairs normally again.  You've also gone back to work.

- Most people report feeling "more like their old selves" at nine months.  All the remaining stuff (pain, stiffness, clunking sounds, swelling, etc.) keeps decreasing.

- At one year, you dance at your anniversary party.

- After that, the decrease continues.  All that "stuff" can last from 12-18 months...or longer.  I'm at 2 years and still feel a twinge from time to time.  You MUST keep exercising or you lose ROM and strength.  This is a lifelong recovery.

There are only three things necessary for a full recovery: time, work and patience.  If you don't have the latter, your knee will teach you...and it is a harsh taskmaster indeed.

Hi Janet I am three weeks on Tuesday from a partial (my second so an old hand you would think) the pain and recovery are the same as a total. My first measurement at ten days was 68 and my last one was 85. So not much difference to yours. The stiffness on a morning is horrendous I have to sit on the edge of the bed and let gravity very slowly bend my leg until it hurts then I hobble to the bathroom. It remains stiff gradually becoming freer as I move. But the whole day is still exercise, elevate, ice and rest.   

You are doing great and no different from where your knee wants to be. Just keep up the heel slides- ultra important and it will get better with time. My other knee is now eight months old and has full bend but even that is stiff on a morning and after sitting fir a while. 

Good luck for a great recovery.

Hi Janet,

After 3 weeks that sounds good and stiffness normal as is swelling etc. This is a recovery marathon rather than a sprint.

Keep doing the exercises, and keep elevating and using ice. But the exercises are key to bending.

Best of luck,

Alan

I'll be at 3 weeks tomorrow, and my knee is still very stiff when I wake up. While I'm waiting for the coffee maker to do its thing, I do some stretches. And then when I'm putting the cup into the dishwasher, I do more stretches. And then I do my PT with MORE stretches... Stretch stretch stretch! That's been the secret for me. I never stretch to the point of pain - just to the point of feeling a little more resistance. Every little bit helps! And, truly, by midday it feels pretty good. 

Good luck!