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LTKR 18 months ago! Knee area still painful.

Posted , 4 users are following.

peggy15811
peggy15811

i had LTKR 18 months ago. I got 90% thru PT and hubby had back surgery and could not quite complete. I am age 70, was not real active since I had a bad fall and tore meniscus and cartilage on an already arthritic knee. I needed left hip replacement too, got the knee to the best point I could at 1 year and pain was gone even though stiffness remained.  Had Left Hip Replacement at 14 months after knee. Now my knee hurts again! I thought replacing it would get rid of the pain but walking feels like the metal is pushing into my shin and gets painful quick. I cannot take NSAIDS, no longer have pain meds and have tried TENS unit, Quell unit, nothing helps. I have to get this knee better as Ineed the other knee done in 6 months, doctor wanted to wait a year after hip replacement. My hip does not hurt but the 2 surgeries on my left side and a bad knee and thin cartilage on my right hip has caused a leg difference, so walking is difficult and my gait is bad. It’s only about ½” but it feels very weird. I bought shoe lifts but they make my right foot raised in back and my left not. I still feel as if I am walking crooked. The surgeon checked the pelvic measurements and they are spot on, it has to be the loss of cartilage on the right side. The left is fixed and back to normal but right is not. I didn’t notice the difference with my left knee replacement, although a slight difference might have been there as knee was still stiff. I noticed it immediately after the left hip though and left hip is not stiff or painful. I am hoping having my painful osteoporosis-arthritic right knee replaced will help the difference some. The problem is my right hip although showing very little cartilage in x-ray is not yet painful in any way. Anyway I am lop-sided. If I could have had right knee done, then left hip, I think I might have been okay, but the fall required I do the left first. I am trying to manage and get off the cane I have been using but with my walking issue it’s impossible. Has anyone had this issue and what can I expect? Right now depressed as I am handicapped and I was not before my fall and subsequent surgeries. Any ideas? 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • auntiebeanie
    auntiebeanie peggy15811

    Posted

    Hi Peggy, poor you. Most people who have a hip replacement complain of knee pain during recovery. It’s usually to do with muscles healing and walking differently. The fact you have a leg length difference isn’t helping. Have you the knee checked to make sure they didn’t knock it out of place a little when doing hip surgery?  Also try learning to walk properly again. Heel first the toes. I had to do that after a knee op when I was limping. Feels weird but really helped me. 
    • peggy15811
      peggy15811 auntiebeanie

      Posted

      I do know that hip surgery can aggravate the knee area, just didn’t think it still would be after 6 months. Honestly I have just last week gotten where I can get around a bit but the next day it always hurts. The doctor has checked X-rays and says all is well. I’m sure it is muscle and tendon issues and the leg length thing but don’t know what to do about them. Should I just grit my teeth and try to walk through it or rest it? I was on 3 weeks rest earlier for IT band syndrome which happens to some after a hip replacement. It occurs when PT has you doing too much before those backside muscles have strengthened. I have had two steroid shots on side of thigh and rested for 3 weeks, I think it is gone now. The pain and small lump in that area is gone, Everything looks good and can not pinpoint the issue other then walking weird. I do try the heal to toe thing but just feel off balance. During PT before my IT band issue, I was walking better and without my cane around the therapy center. Now I cannot even do that at home. My balance is bad and that left knee area hurts when walking. I may just need more time but feel like I have been down forever already. I still have the other knee to do and another year of recovery. It’s just too much! I get steroid shots in that knee but they have gotten where they do not help much or for very long, maybe a month, then it’s really bad for two more months until I can get another shot. Just hoping I can manage for six months, but doctor won’t do the surgery as long as I am still having problems with the other knee or hip. I want to feel recovered there and I don’t mind doing things like walking or using my Exercycle but I know there will be pain and don’t want to set myself back again with another injury. I just had too many bad joints at one time to rehab properly it seems and yes the leg difference isn’t helping. Doctor says it is common but often lessons as muscles are used more, however cartilage loss on other side isn’t going away. Doctor says they are only about ?” each though, so ¼”, but my operated leg is ½” longer. I hope that other ¼” resolves itself. My muscles have not gotten much use because of my difficulties so it could still happen. My right knee is the best it’s going to be until I have surgery since I had shot last week. If I am going to get exercise now would be the best time I guess as next month I will be in screaming pain again. I was just told to take it easy and recovery would come, just slower, but feel as if I’m on a clock so I can get the other knee fixed. Just my luck everything except my right hip went at once. Too much exercise could get it hurting too since the cartilage was as thin as the one I had surgery on. I don’t know why it’s not hurting me, but very thankful it’s not and would like to keep it that way.

  • laurel65763
    laurel65763 peggy15811

    Posted

    I had a LTKR May 2, 2017 with post op complications so my left leg was bent at 45-50 degree angle making it about 3-4" shorter than my right leg and impossible to walk even on left tip toe which the first physical therapist had me doing. It did nothing to straighten my leg which became contracted with scar tissue. After 3 months of no progress, my new therapist told me to stay off my feet until my leg was straighter and focus on stretching and strengthening exercises. I began massaging the scar tissue area with a Gua Sha tool, magnesium lotion, and did Epsom salt baths. I get massage therapy once a week to help relax the tight muscles and that has helped a great deal. After two months my left leg is almost straight at 15 degrees and the scar tissue was broken down with massage and stretching exercises, but my leg is still about 1/2" shorter than the right leg. So I wear orthopedic sneakers that allow for the insertion of flat foam inserts and a full foot arch support insert. I adjusted the left shoe to have more flat foam padding to compensate for the 1/2 inch leg shortness. While not stylish, it also helps to absorb impact from the knees ( I also need a RTKR ) as my muscles and stamina have to build up from being in a wheelchair for 6 months. I am a 67 year old widow who lives alone so I have learned to manage myself and have help to take me to the grocery stores with electric carts. I got a cortisone injection in the right knee in October because Medicare requires it before I can apply for a Synvisc injection in late January. I am hoping to delay RTKR until my left leg is fully functional or stem cell treatments improve for knee repair. 

    I hope you find relief and regain function!

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