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Ouch! Knee Pain after THR

Posted , 8 users are following.

Polly2016
Polly2016

Hi Everyone.  I am 10 weeks post op after TRHR and now suffering with knee pain. No swelling like the early days after the op. Is anyone else having problems or suggest any exercises. Thanks Polly

2 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • junegro
    junegro Polly2016

    Posted

    Hi Polly it's June here, I know exactly how you feel.  Not long after my THR right side, I almost died in severe knee pain.  At first I thought it was from my hoip surgery.  Then the knee got hot and swollen.  Hot to touch.  I had realized it that it was my knee, After consulting the my GP and the surgeon they gave me a scan, and ultrasound and it shows that  my knee is full of osteoarthrtis and it is so painful.  I had to cool it on the exercies at bit and let this settle down.  Once I joined this group I could see that others got sore knees after THR.  Anyway that is that, the pain has subsided somewhat but I am awaiting an MRI on the whole leg as this pain just is not leaving me.

    As far as exercises go  I can't advise but I cooled it a bit and just did some very llimited as per the Dr instructions.  If you knee pain persisis go back to the Dr.

    I could not believe how many people got knee pain after THR.

    I wish you the very best and take care  

    Hugs, June

  • junegro
    junegro Polly2016

    Posted

    Hi Polly.  I had THR left leg about 3 months ago and I had started to get severe knee pain about a month after my surgery  I honestly thought something was wrong with the surgery.  Anyway it did swel ad was hot to touch and my GP thought it was an inflamation so he put me on antibiotics and sent me for a bone scan and ultrasound.  It showed that my knee if full of osteoarthritis and it is so very painful.  There isnot much they can do for me, had to cool it on the exercises and I actually got a cortizone shot as I could not take the pain, I could hardly walk,  so now my knee is shot.  he said this is very commong after THR, i dunno it did not bother me before.  So now I am doing light exercises in the book they gave me and continue with physio (heat treatments) and tens machine help.

    The to top it all I fell on the ice so hard the other day, thought I broke my arm. No my year.  I just spraind my left arm really bad and fell on the THR leg.  All is ok there nothing broken there but I really sprained the upper part of my arm.  What luck.

    I hope things get better for you another thing the Dr. told me is heat 5 min and ice 5 min and it seems to give me some comfort...

    Take care 

    Hugs,  June

  • sandra_84282
    sandra_84282 Polly2016

    Posted

    Hi Polly

    I'm nearly 4 weeks post op and have some knee pain and stiffness. No swelling or heat. I'm putting it down to using different muscles and just rubbing in some Arnica gel.

    I'm not thinking knee replacements.

    Sandra

  • allison72169
    allison72169 Polly2016

    Posted

    Very worrisome. I am scheduled for THR in five days. So one may simpy be exchanging pain in the hip for pain in the knee(s)? Often as I've contemplated this surgery I wonder why anyone subjects themselves to it, as it seems to bring a host of new problems.

    • sandra_84282
      sandra_84282 allison72169

      Posted

      Hi Alison

      Don't be put off by some comments on the forum. Everyone is different. If you can bear to watch the op on YouTube you will see how brutal it is. We need about 3 months to heal and up to a full 12 months for full recovery.

      However I'm sure most hippies like me will tell you that to get your life and health back will be well worth it.

      I was so fit and active before an accident 2 years ago and arthritis set into R hip. Even nearly 4 weeks on I know I am so much better. You will experience all sorts of aches and pains as your nerves and muscles heal but nothing like the hip pain.

      Don't be discouraged. We all heal at different rates. Some of us more quickly than others.

      Xx

    • allison72169
      allison72169 sandra_84282

      Posted

      Hi Sandra, thanks for the reassurance. I do not actually have disabling hip pain, which in a way is unfortunate, as any improvement in hip pain is unlikely to seem dramatic. What I do have is altered gait, greatly reduced range of motion, low-back pain (though some or even all of that may be due to separate, back arthritis), occasional pain in leg (possibly hip pain radiating downward?), bone-on-bone x-rays, difficulty getting out of car ... and so on and so forth. I do, of course, have some hip pain, which sometimes is worse than at other times. But the lack of severe, ongoing hip pain has greatly complicated the decision as to when or even whether to have surgery. Doctors have encouraged me to have it sooner vs. later, as I am not yet elderly (though not young either) and seem to be in basically decent health, whereas a few years down the road recovery could be harder.
    • sandra_84282
      sandra_84282 allison72169

      Posted

      Hi Alison

      My hip pain was not actually disabling and sounded a lot like yours. However I could not walk long distances. I love taking my grandkids to Florida and couldn't handle the parks.

      I had a hug pain threshold and managed my pain with occasional paracetamol. Consultant at first did a clean up job which did make it easier. Saw him 6 months later and again I played it down. He sent me down to ex ray. On return he said "paracetamol you are walking bone on bone and I need to operate." That was me told. The good thing is and I'm proof is that the less debilitated you are prior to THR the more quickly you recover afterwards. As I say nearly 4 weeks and I can fully weight bear in the house without crutches or sticks. Just started to go outside and take one stick. However I think the stick makes me walk funny so will ditch this as soon as I feel confident.

      Worst time wasfirst two weeks. Then not being able to pick things up when I've dropped them. The boredom and the cabin fever. I'm always so busy. Like I retired and lasted 3 months before returning. Lol. X

  • jean95000
    jean95000 Polly2016

    Posted

    Yes I too have knee pain I am 11 weeks post op I put it down to putting more strain on them I rub them with I bruffen which helps 
  • carol14710
    carol14710 Polly2016

    Posted

    I had knee pain after THR and was told it was muscle related which improved with o going therapy. Actually,pain around my knee was worse than in the hip area. Hang in there. It will improve. 

     

  • junegro
    junegro Polly2016

    Posted

    Polly as I earlier said I have had such knee pain the hip that was operated on THR.  It was swelling for a bit, and the Dr. gave me some gabapentin to settle things down.  I had to cool it with the exersises as it hurt so bad.  Then as I sid I fell and that did not make things better.  I am still in a fair amount of pain in my knee and he aid it was full of osteoarthrtis.  Funny, I never had a knee problem before my THR.  There is not much one can do I guess, but I ordered ad MRI on that knee cause it concerns me as you know the pain is horrible.  Take care and good luck  June

     

  • renee01952
    renee01952 Polly2016

    Posted

    hi polly, 

    checking in with you -

    10 weeks is still pretty early in recovering from a major  invasive surgery like THR -  you are getting better and stronger and probably doing more every day, which is great - your body is healing the trauma and also figuring out how to keep you in balance and moving - this takes a lot of energy - knees are very important to keep you in balance and take a beating, I think - 

    we learn how to walk again - so akward , right - I am trying to get rid of the flat-footed stiff mrs. Frankenstein walk -

    At some point I asked my physical therapist for a knee brace but she taped it instead -it helped a little but not much --- 

    I also rub Arnica gel on it or some other muscle cream -  

    do you have physical therapy ?

    please come back here and let us know how you are getting on, okay?

    big warm hug

    renee

    if pain gets worse I would see a doctor - 

    • Polly2016
      Polly2016 renee01952

      Posted

      I amhaving trouble posting here. Thankyou everyone for your replies you have really helped. :o)  Polly
  • adamjackman
    adamjackman Polly2016

    Posted

    I had bad hip pain for the first few weeks after my hip replacement, but that has now all gone.  All I really get is a little bit of soreness in the groin, after I have been exercising and late in the day.
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