Knee pain after thr

hi tracey, 

So sorry to hear this ... seems that your knee has been given you grief for a while now --- have you seen your surgeon about it ?  

do you have physical therapy? usually a PT will be able to tell you if you are doing something not correct ... like walking for instance ... 

THR surgery or recovery involves a lot of body parts and knees especially ... just think about how your knees have keep you in balance all the time -

does your knee also hurt when you walk? is it red and swollen ...

Your GP might be right, I think .... don't do what hurts ...

hope you feel better soon ...

big warm hug

renee 

Hi Tracey,

I had other just 2 weeks after you.Like you I have started to get pain on outer knee and outer thigh.Feels like muscle is pulling.I tried kneeling yesterday and was ok until I tried to sit back on my heels!No!.I think it may be we are now using that leg more and putting pressure on the muscles.I will ask my osteopath today.Dont think it's anything to do with having a bad knee

Janet

It unfortunately more normal after THR than we want to know. There is so much manipulation of the leg by the assistant at the lower end of the surgical,table.The assistant moves the table levers or some move by ankles . It also constant struggling getting in and out of bed and of course walking learing how to go up,steps after all that manipulation can take a toll on our knees. 

The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. Like heeling after THR it's gets bettter every day,👍You will know the cost of a better quality of life and in the end it will be so worth all your efforts. 

Ice your knee and be gentle walking if the knee hurts stop walking also ask the PT for exercises to strengthen the IT band that runs from the hip to the knee which is usually weakened from the surgery .

it will,get better for you as you heel it's something I wish more docs would take into consideration with patients especially if there have been previous knee problems.

Hopexxx

One of the problems you have is that you are walking differently, and all those muscles and tendons have gone through major trauma AND have to deal with the changes in gait and activity. And what appears to be a "bad knee" could, in fact, be a "sore something else"! Pain isn't always felt where it is located. I would suggest a warming massage two or three times a day (you can do it yourself - no need to pay for someone else), using something like a warming emu oil or jojoba oil mixed with a few drops of eucalyptus, chilli seed oil or something of that sort. Or you can buy ready made preparations. Massage BOTH the hip and the knee and the area in between, especially the back of the thighs. Provided it causes no pain, use the knuckles in circular movements over those biggest muscles, really pressing in to break up any knots and tense areas (if that is hard you can buy cheap but effective tools that will help you do that). And pay attention to dtrong circular and lengthwise finger movements at the back of the knee. If you persist, you may just find that there is a relatively rapid improvement.

When there is - don't stop! Keep up your massages for at least a month after the last of the pain. Or it may just come back.

When we replace a joint, we limp until things sort out. This natural reaction of limping puts unusual stress on other joints that try to take up the slack.

I would elevate and ice and rest the knee. It may sort itself out once your gait returns to normal.

Nevertheless, if it seems extreme or does not respond to the elevation, ice, rest absolutely make an appointment to have it checked out.

hugs

Agreed, your GP was gruff about it.

Hi Tracey, yes i think it can be from the NEW way you are walking after your  op, my physio is teaching me to walk straight and without the gaite i had developed.

tracey31027

You could have separate issues with your knee. Prior to my LTHR, 4 weeks today, I had knee arthroscopic surgery for a torn miniscus in my left knee (same side as THR). My orthopedic surgeon said that it was probably a good thing to have it done prior to the THR to improve the outcome of the THR. Im glad I did it although I continued to feel pain (less after artroscopic surgery) in that knee until I had my THR.

You may have suffered an injury to your knee unrelated to your THR.

There is such a thing as a referred pain that comes from somewhere else along the nerve path on the same side. In my case I had severe knee pain that could have been referred and/or related to a knee injury. The surgeon said the only way to tell was having a MRI done to be sure. I had a MRI done of the knee and it showed the torn miniscus. Additionally I do have some OA in that knee as well which was also alleviated with nthe surgery. But the arthroscopic surgery did away with 80% of the pain I was experiencing. I do not feel any pain in the knee today after THR.

It is possible that something happened to your hip and pain you are feeling is referred to the knee from that injury.

The only way to know is consult with your orthopedic surgeon and find the best course of action.

Take care