Is this normal?

Hi Arlene, I am having pain in my knee after 15 months! I am really not happy with this surgery at all. Felt better months ago and seem to be going backwards not forwards. My surgeon left his practice and went to North Carolina leaving me & all of his other patients without much notice. I saw another orthopedist who worked with him & said my replacement is a little off in alignment. Don’t know if this could be my problem. Getting very disgusted with the whole thing. Will never do this again! Hope you start feeling better!

First, IMHO delaying #2, if you can stand it, until #1 is completely healed is a very good idea.  Otherwise, you "won't have a good leg to stand on".  yuk...yuk...  I've put mine off until I REALLY need it.  Synvisc has always worked well for me so if I need some to continue the delay, I won't hesitate.

It is sooooo important to do the work to rebuild your quads, glutes and core after you have your ROM back.  These are the muscles (plus abductors and adductors) that take the brunt of the work and remove all that extra pressure from the knee.  Without the rebuild, you're asking the knee to do all the work.  So the question is: Have you done the muscle work?  If yes, then see your doc.  If no, then you leave yourself open to all sorts of pain because of the stress on the knee...even at 9 months.  Veterans who are many years post-op report stiffness and pain when they slack off their exercises and activity levels.  This is a lifelong recovery...period...we all have to accept that.

It's no surprise to see people have calf pain, sciatica, hip and back pain or anything else.  We unconsciously change the way we walk (our "gait" to avoid pain.  What you're feeling in your kneecap could actually be coming from your kneecap or "referred" from somewhere else.  That's why it's so important to do the muscle rebuild.  

Personally, I'd see the doc just to make sure it's not "something else".  My wife has had similar pain from falling many times after brain aneurysm surgery and two TIAs.  She was convinced that something was really wrong in both knees.  Doc did the x-rays plus a complete exam ruling out internal problems and then pressed down hard on a very specific spot right above her kneecap.  After we peeled her off the ceiling, he declared that the issue was an inflamed quadricep tendon attached right above the knee.  No surgery required.

In the end, check it out but don't be surprised if it's muscle related.  Get to the gym...rebuild those quads!!!

I think there are times when certain activities will cause pain in a TKR knee. It improves, and as Chico says, all the muscle strength needs to build. Ligaments probably need to adjust too. His post is very sound advice. I would just add that, for myself anyway, I continue to experience improvement even after the one year mark in terms of what I can do. I do a hell of a lot now...and sometimes a bit too much.

In the end it is only a bit like a dental crown this knee replacement....screwed in and re surfaced. It isnt really a new knee in totality. The major cause of pain is resolved but theres years of damage and weakness which preceed the operation. So it does take a lot of time. I can appreciate it is discouraging and there may be an issue which needs addressing but also I would say that some pain at times with a TKR, even a very successful one, isn't uncommon.

For me personally my own ache in the knee is very rare and mild, always related to over activity, and doesn't remove any of happiness of being able to walk and stand better than I have for years, but I am aware that some people do not get the result they hoped for. So many factors come into play, hence the continued reiteration on this forum ofneveryone being different! However, it IS still well under a year. Try not to let it get you down.

It may be that because your other leg is weak your new one is having to work just that little bit harder than it feels comfortable with, and this may limit you a bit more.

After 4 mos after my TKR,I had a LOT of scar tissue that had to be removed.Did the "3 hole punch" thing and I'm back to normal.

Hi Arlene, I am now 15 months post op and the knee is fine when walking but is agony when walking up stairs on on a steep incline. It is also swollen and painful when I press it. I had my 12 month post op check up and an ultrasound revealed inflammation around the patella. I've had blood tests and the surgeon has also ordered a bone scan. If nothing is revealed he has mentioned a small op to snip the tendon which general,y is successful. It's still early days even at 9 months,  but when you go for your 12 month review and if it's still really sore, ask for an ultra sound or MRI scan. I'm very lucky that my surgeon said he doesn't want me just able to walk without pain. He wants me dancing and running up and down the stairs! Good luck