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Knee stiffness and tightness

Posted , 6 users are following.

debbie40320
debbie40320

I had my right knee replace end of January.. been  approx 6 months.. still stiff.. had my left knee replaced middle of March.. was not bending so middle of June I had  manipulation on the left.. it is very stiff and tight on the front.. I have been excising since my surgeries .. my question is this normal.. I’m told it can take up to a year.. just a struggle to walk.. I could use advice.. very depressed.. 

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX debbie40320

    Posted

    Yes...a full recovery usually takes a year.  This involves: 1. doing the work to get your ROM back...that alone can take 10-12 weeks; 2. rebuild your dead quads, glutes and core since they've all atrophied...this will take the pressure off your knee, help you regain your balance and enable you to take on stairs again.  These will help...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-rom-work-at-home-620053

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/mastering-post-tkr-stairs-552728

    The depression is a Jedi Mind Trick...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-post-operative-depression-604195

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-and-ptsd-569521

    Plus print and tape this on your fridge...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-reality-of-a-tkr-recovery-in-one-picture-626038

    Don't forget your oars for the boat part...

    • debbie40320
      debbie40320 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply.. I have been exercising everyday, my therapy ended in June..  I keep at it , and I will pray by end of year I appreciate the new knees..  my doctor says it harder for me being on the younger side.. expect more.. 
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX debbie40320

      Posted

      Give up ALL expectations...they only screw with your head.  The knee...and only the knee...controls your recovery.  It will heal when it's ready to heal.  Time, work and patience.  If you don't have much of the latter, the knee will teach it to you.  Take the pressure off your brain...it only makes the recovery more difficult.

  • martha08360
    martha08360 debbie40320

    Posted

    Hey Debbie, I had mine done Jan 31.   Wish I had never had it done.  I still have tons of pain, have to ice regularly, I am depressed as well, and have half of the country (not really) praying for me.  I don't have the answer, but I am just before getting a second opinion...

    • debbie40320
      debbie40320 martha08360

      Posted

      Sorry to hear that.. my right knee was done on Jan 31st.. it’s does not hurt, just stiff.. I don’t have the best ROM.. I’m working the left one more, sine it is only 4 months.. my biggest argument is I never got told about the work I had to put into the ROM..  I’m keep getting told it takes time, would of been nice to know that.. might of waited on the second knee.. 
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX debbie40320

      Posted

      The stiffness will decrease very gradually if you keep working the knee but could last up to 18 months post-op.  If you do the work, you'll barely feel it at 1 year.  TKR veterans will tell you that the stiffness will return unless you keep the knee active.  Fair warning.

    • martha08360
      martha08360 debbie40320

      Posted

      Debbie, do you mind describing your stiffness to me.?  In other words, if you're lying down on your bed and you lift your leg up and bend it, does it bend to a certain range and just stop bending?  Like my BAD knee won't bend down to my butt, like my right knee does.  When I sitting, I can PUSH my BAD knee back to pretty much as my other knee, but it hurts like hell....

    • debbie40320
      debbie40320 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Can I get a better ROM or is to late for that... not sure about my right knee maybe a 113 .. left I know I’m still working it..  if I keep exercising will the ROM also get better??

      Thanks.

    • debbie40320
      debbie40320 martha08360

      Posted

      My stiffness is around the knee.. left has tightness on the front.. as bending right leg bends but not back to my butt.. I’m still working on the left.. I was told the ROM won’t ever be the same as before.  I do lay on the bed lift my leg and bend it.. just started bending down(left) , but it will never reach my butt..  all I want to make sure is I can get on the floor again.. also having both done sitting is hard , getting up is hard and steps are slow going.
    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX debbie40320

      Posted

      I started PT week three at -14 / +84 and finished week 12 post-op at -1 / +123.  I'm 2 1/2 years post-op and my ROM is more like 0 / +133.  After the ROM PT, you have to do the muscle rebuild work.  Do that religiously and you can get better ROM over time. 

      PS: IMHO, you do NOT want to go past 140 since no one knows if pushing the mechanical device too far will damage it or shorten its lifespan.  All you need is 120 or more.  140 is athlete range; 161 is getting your heel to touch your butt.  I don't know anyone else's opinion on this but I, for one, am definitely not going to test the limits of the device.

    • martha08360
      martha08360 debbie40320

      Posted

      I agree with you, I went into this nightmare very unprepared.  Thought it was going to help my life, but it has not, only made mylife  worse.  And I had mine done at a teaching hospital, very well known, so it doesn't matter to me any longer who does my medical care...

  • michelle50265
    michelle50265 debbie40320

    Posted

    I think they tell you a year because they don't really kno. Get a second opinion if you're still in a lot of pain after a couple months and still stiff there could be some underlying stuff going on. Better safe than sorry

  • priya456
    priya456 debbie40320

    Posted

    A stiff knee can develop for a number of reasons.  There may be a problem in the joint restricting movement, or weakness in the surrounding muscles. Stiffness is often accompanied by pain and swelling.  Sometimes there may also be redness, warmth, pins and needles and numbness. 

    There are a number of different causes of knee stiffness but they generally fall into two categories, those caused by an injury and those caused by a medical condition.

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