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Severe left knee pain after total left hip replacement

Posted , 12 users are following.

junegro
junegro

I have written on the blog,  I had total left knee replacement July 18 of this year and was doing fine for about 4 weeks then I got a severe pain my left knee (the left knee of the hip replacement). I have had numerous xrays and nothing shows up.  i am going for a bone scan tomorrow and I just cannot understand why the pain.  The surgeon looked puzzled so I went to my family physician and he ordered a bone scan.  I feel that if this does not show anything I will want an MRI on the hip and knee.  They call it an occult fracture (a possiblity) I do not want more surgery and I have been through enough.  Anyone else out there had complications in the knee after total hip replacement and what was recommended for you.  Thanks for listening...

1 like, 45 replies

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  • renee01952
    renee01952 junegro

    Posted

    hi junegro, 

    so sorry to hear of the pain you are in ..

    Hopefully the bone scan will give more information -

    It is not unusual for all kinds of pain and discomfort to show up after this major surgery --- Your body has been off balance for some time and is sort of realligning herself while healing an repairing the severed muscles, tendons etc - 

    knees are important part of keeping our body erect and in balance and might get a bit overburdened - 

    I know that I became so rigid in my movements like walking - trying so hard to walk "properly" that my knee was hurting afterwards - 

    Do you have physical therapy ?  

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

    big warm hug

    renee

    • junegro
      junegro renee01952

      Posted

      Thanks Renee just had the shot and I will go back in 2 hours.  I hope they will help me as the pain is getting worse on the knee. Thanks for your kindness and a hug back to you...
  • michelle48397
    michelle48397 junegro

    Posted

    My hip pain actually showed up as knee pain.  I went for 20 yeras thinking that my knee was my problem only to be told it was my hip.  My Dr. told me that there are nerves that run through the hip and end in the knee so referred hip pain in the knee is common.  Hopefully, it is referred pain that will get better as you heal and not damage to your knee.  It can be horrible at times!
  • jennifer06501
    jennifer06501 junegro

    Posted

    Hi Junegro, I am 6 weeks post left hip replacement.  I had in home physio for about 5 weeks and I too suffered knee pain on that side.  My physio watched me walking and told me I was keeping that knee straight and stiff and not bending it as normal when I walked.  She was right, I was favouring that side and keeping it tensed up.  After I realised I made sure that when walking I bent it in the normal way, same as the right knee, and the pain ceased.  Also make sure your foot is pointing forward at all times when walking and not turned in.  Just be conscious of how you are walking.  Sometimes I still get some knee pain and know that I am tensing up, as soon as I correct this, the pain goes...

    Hope this helps.

    • junegro
      junegro jennifer06501

      Posted

      Jennifer thanks for the tip maybe I am tensing the left leg more, but the knee hurts so much, I shall try some of your advice any help I will take, as I said I am going to physio next week and hope she can help me out so I can walk pain free a bit  Take care 

      Hugs,

      June

    • jennifer06501
      jennifer06501 junegro

      Posted

      Yes, try relaxing that leg more when you walk or stand and don't stiffen it.  Good luck with physio.

    • renee01952
      renee01952 jennifer06501

      Posted

      good advice jennifer - we are learning to walk properly again after a period of avoiding pain and getting in to bad habit of bad posture, putting down feet etc -

      I walked (and sometimes still do) like Mrs. Frankenstein ( had 2 THR's) - flat footed and stiff knees - 

       

    • jennifer06501
      jennifer06501 renee01952

      Posted

      Hi Renee, its easy to fall into bad habits isn't it..  My physio was a middle aged woman and really on the ball.  She told me that trying to walk normally was really important as it could lead to a permanent limp later on and if this happens it places stress on other parts of the body like the pelvis etc.. I think we tense up thinking it will ease the pain but it makes things worse in the end. Best wishes on your recovery..

  • anna87839
    anna87839 junegro

    Posted

    Hi there I've just seen your blog sorry to hear about your knee how are you doing now?

    I myself are 12weeks post left hip and still hip not feeling right how ever that's supposed to be

    now,I have bad pain in my knee on my unop side

    went to GP Friday and asked was it because

    my good leg had taken the strain for my operated

    leg for years all I got was maybe let's get your

    other leg better first. What are you to do? Let us

    no how you get on .hugs xx?

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo anna87839

      Posted

      Hi Anna, u are probably right, now you knee is getting more strain due to it taking the majority of weight from your hr, I'm presuming you are now fully weight bearing, are you having physiotherapy if not ask for some I'm sure it would help, as one of the previous poster has pointed out your probably tense as we and not walking with a normal gait,

    • anna87839
      anna87839 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Hi there yes I'm going for physio tomorrow

      my 2nd session,I had to fight to get it as was

      told didn't give physio after hip replacement

      in my part of UK,and to pay private was ninety

      five pounds a session of 45mins,anyway i fought

      and got it shouldn't have to go through that when

      your not feeling your best got there in end.

      Going for xray today as hip just not feeling good,

      holding everything is OK just so worried.😱

      Hugs xx🐆

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo anna87839

      Posted

      I'm so glad you pushed for it, you are so entitled to it and for some reason not many force the issue so end up seeing them 2/3 years down the line because they weren't fully mobilized from the outset.

      I have community physio, she's great and I'm lucky to have a fantastic DR's surgery who don't mind using there funds to help patients recover, this is also why most orthopedic surgeons don't know the true figures of those that have a problem after hip replacement because patients are told "that's normal" ask for hydrotherapy if its available in your area, I'm starting soon.

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      PS I'm sure all will be as it should just your stiff and maybe in a bit of discomfort, are you doing your daily range of motion exercises.

    • anna87839
      anna87839 AlexandriaGizmo

      Posted

      Hi again yes I am doing my exercises which I

      feel comfortably doing,I had hydro before my

      op just one of the rings I had to jump threw(ha)

      to get to see consultant, it obviously did no good

      but would emagion it would be good to have now

      Lovely.Thank you for your lovely reply taking

      time to answer it means so much.

      Big hugs🐝

    • elaine23679
      elaine23679 anna87839

      Posted

      If you can I would ask for hydro now.... it is one thing I am going to be asking for... or do you have a pool nearby that runs a small arthritis club session... might be worth looking into, as this is gentle exercises in water which is good...

      ​I have one about 200m from my home but it is full at the moment so on waiting list to join in. 

      Elaine

    • AlexandriaGizmo
      AlexandriaGizmo anna87839

      Posted

      You are very welcome, its good to be able to have different options but there sadly not always available to every one, its definitely a postcode lottery when it comes to health options, I'm also doing exercises to keep me as mobile as possible, roll on the summer LOL

    • junegro
      junegro anna87839

      Posted

      Anna I managed to make Thanksgiving dinner in great pain but I did not let on to the family I think they are tired of my pain but really they are so supportive.  My son took over the kitchen and did almost everything for me and the dinner was such a succcess and seeing the family helps.  one missing in Calgary, but he is a Dr., and works so much.  Anyway sorry to hear about your hip and we are about the same 12 weeks post op and so much knee pain, but my pain is on the LHR knee and yours is opposite.  I hope you get some answers and I wish you the best.  What do you do they say heat for 5 min and ic for 5 min and then meds later on have been iancreased.  Let us see how we do  Wishing you all the best

      Love and hugs,

      June

    • BusterBeans
      BusterBeans junegro

      Posted

      Junegro, do you have any updates to share about your knee pain after hip replacement? I had a simultaneous bilateral TKR last year. My OS wanted to replace my hip first but my knees hurt too badly so I did them first. Six weeks ago I had my left hip replaced and it triggered terrible stabbing pain in the left knee below my patella especially when lying down or sitting. My OS keeps telling me to be patient, that the situation will work itself out but it's been six weeks and no change.

    • renee01952
      renee01952 BusterBeans

      Posted

      hi busterbeans, 

      so sorry to hear about the challenges you are having ...

      perhaps it would be better to start your own discussion and post this question ... 

      sometimes you get more responses that way ...

      good luck

      big warm hug

      renee

    • junegro
      junegro BusterBeans

      Posted

      Hi thee Buster Beans, just got my ultrasound andct skan andMRI on my knee that I had hip replacement on.  I could not believe my ears he aid that my knee was hot and would eventually need knee replacement on that side.  I had no problem with my knee prior to that. I will live with the pain as I am not going thru another surgery,  I have had 2 within 1 year and girl I am wasted from all of this.  To top it all my Mom is gravely ill and may not make it till Xmas.  It is such a sad time for me and I feel so alone in all of this.  Sorry for venting but it is just too much.  All this stress has put alot of havoc on my body.  I can only pray that things will get brighter down the line but it seems hopeless at times.  

      The therapist by the way told me all that it would go away but she was blown away by my MRI and there is nothing they can do.  The Dr. says the exercises are irritating me more and more so I cooled it down alot and just resting the best I can between running back and forth to hospial.  My Dad is in a home with Dementia and that is not easy but thank God he is looked after.  I hope you get better but insist in a skan and MRI as that is the only truth to all of the pain.  It is funny they spend so much $$ on all the scan, xrays etc when all you need if an MRI for the real truth.  All the physio in thhe world is not going to help my knee.  But I do stay active as you can see.  I hope you feel better soon,.  Thanks for listening and sorry to ent so much but I am alone in all of this I have no help..Love and hugs to you  June

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