Post op, day 3, swollen knee?

Hi caron,yes my knee was dreadfully swollen for weeks after surgery i felt like the painkillers i was taking was more for my knee than my hip!

It does get better with time use lits of ice on it.

Hi Caron-

My OS said very normal for the swelling to travel down the leg as the days hobby post op. Keep icing. It will go away when you become more mobile - a balance between getting up for short intervals then elevating and icing. You are very early on! Can you let them know in the hospital that your pain is bad - they should be able to help with this. I found the first week tough and after that the pain gets easier each day. Congratulations on being on the other side!

Take care,

Sam

I had my op in 2008 when I was 50 and had been told by the surgeon to carry on cycling right up to the day before the op.

I had no bother with my knee after the op but I did with my back which I think is fairly common.

Even though I got back into cycling quite quickly and walking and even running, it took 2 years to 'run in' the joint.

I can remember emotional problems which wasn't helped by being made redundant about 6 weeks post op.

Take your time Caron

Hi Caron

Yes I did too. The surgeon came on day 3 and said the leg didn't look too swollen. Not Day 3 but next day when home from the knee up like an elephant. Ginormous. It did however go down quite quickly, the pain gradually subsided and I feel bone there again. It is all part of recovery which we are all obv not told about but fortunately the Surgeon saying swelling not bad gave me acceptance for it to get worse before better.

Hang on in there. Do the exercises like they tell you. I am now 2+ weeks post op and have as normal knees as ever possible and can walk with my sticks up and down stairs whereas before went up on hands and feet. Am delighted. Need the othe one replacing once over this. I admit during week one I thought do I need the other doing, by now I say I will def have it done.

Good luck to you. If stillin hosp do tell the staff. As I was home I was fine and it went.

Hi caron

Yes perfectly normal, my knee and foot were the worst,you couldn't even define it was a knee so swollen, I'm 5 weeks now,still a minimal swelling of foot and knee, only at the end of the day, pain now minimal. Carry on with the ice as this really helps regular pain meds,when you get home start to mobilise in short bursts then rest,this really helps.keep your leg elevated for small periods, you will find once home it will feel better after sleeping at night, takes the swelling down a little. It will improve from a pain and swelling point of view, week one is the worst

All the best with your recovery, you will feel tons better in time,just go slowly to start with.

Nicky

I think it is normal, they use your knee as the lever to dis-locate your hip in the first place, and then again during the surgery to see if the hip is tight in the new joint and holding when they push and pull, and you wonder why your knee is swollen.

I had a loverly big hand print on my knee, when I showed the surgeon the 2nd day after, he said oppps, must have held on too tight, not that I minded, he was a sweety and had done a good job.

I knew that the first time I stood up after surgery, and I had movement back in my hip I hadn't had for years previous, even with physio it was always tight.

I always claimed it was the joint rather than tendons and muscles, and I was proven right after surgery and surgeon comfirmed it for me, they found a patch of dead bone in the hip joint, that was very old, yeahh 35 years old.

hi caron, 

well done, girl ...

you just had major surgery and  your leg was probably manipulated severely -

I had hand print bruises on back of leg and on thigh and incredible swelling - started on top, going down where it stayed around my anke for weeks ..

with 2nd THR, while in the OR I asked my surgeon to handle me with care ... and he did .... no swelling or bruises ....

I agree, do let the staff know okay ...

come back here any time - we get you through -

big warm hug

renee

I started done swelling about three days after. No pain. Wore compression stockings for about three days. All swelling left with lots and lots of peeing!

Gosh yes! For reasons that are too lengthy to go into, I was in a bad way for months before mine, and I had an awful shock about six weeks later when one of my shoes started falling off! Turned out that not only was the leg swollen, but the ankle had swollen up too, and because the other ankle is badly swollen, I simply hadn't noticed when it happened as it was still smaller than the bad ankle! Now I have one ankle that is nice and stream  lined, and one that looks like it escaped from a remake of Elephant Man! 

Hi Caron,

Yes, this is very common.  You are doing the right thing by elevating and applying ice packs.  If the pain is still bad, ask your doctor to increase your pain meds. 

Best of luck!