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Knee still painful

Posted , 4 users are following.

linda12841
linda12841

I had my surgery at the end of August 2017. Although I have no trouble or pain walking around, I still feel pain and stiffness when I lift my knee to a certain height. I can straighten my leg, no problem, but the bending is problematic. I haven't really done exercises after the six week mark but I am very active on my 15acre block of land. I don't want my knee to stay this way. Is it usual to still have pain and stiffness at 8 months post op.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • arlene94040
    arlene94040 linda12841

    Posted

    Hi Linda

     If it helps any I am nine months post op and still need an occasional pain killer.  I wake up with my knee feeling stiff like there’s a plaster cast on it. But I do do the exercises every single day since the operation. I think you’re supposed to exercise every day. I stretch the leg and do all the things I had to do in the beginning. But everyone says this is a very long recovery. Most people say it takes a year . Hope this makes you feel a little better, try doing some PT

    Hope you feel better real soon

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX linda12841

    Posted

    "Being active" does not directly address your knee ROM.  You have to do specific exercises to achieve that.  Aside from the ones given to you by your PT, here are some extra ones...

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

    Then you have to rebuild the strength in your atrophied quads, glutes and core.  This is the musculature that supports (and takes the pressure off) your knee.  This is mandatory work...

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

    All can be done at home with a good set of exercise bands if you don't have access to a gym.  However, a leg press machine will greatly help getting the +120 (and more) bend that you need.  The ROM and that quad strength is also required to do stairs again like a normal person.  

  • jenny80029
    jenny80029 linda12841

    Posted

    Improvements continue, ...though I would suggest some exercises to strengthen your body would help. The stronger you are the better.
  • linda12841
    linda12841

    Posted

    Thanks for your replies.  It looks like physio is the order of the day from your answers. I've been worried I had left it too late but it sounds like I can still make things better if I get back into it again.

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