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Stabbing knee pain

Posted , 13 users are following.

john7150
john7150

I am now 4 weeks after TKR. I'm walking without aid, have a bend of 120 degrees and manage stairs fine.

I have two problems though. The first is that I get a stabbing pain in my knee when just sitting. Everything can be fine then out of the blue "ouch" the stabbing pain hits. I find the best way to clear it is to stand and take a short walk.

The second problem is sleeping at night. It's not pain that keeping me awake it's just that I cannot seem to relax into sleep. I will get up, watch an hour of TV, go back to bed and maybe sleep for an hour. Then I'm up again. Dr. gave me some sleeping pills but they seem to have no effect at all.

Anyone else experience these problems?

0 likes, 34 replies

34 Replies

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  • susan20089
    susan20089 john7150

    Posted

    Hi john, Yes I am nearly 3 weeks after Tkr and getting those stabbing pains. I haven't got much bend in my leg but have a nice straight leg now. The sleeping at night is a problem too. I end up coming downstairs and sleeping on couch. I have first physio on Friday so hope to get brand problem sorted. 
    • john7150
      john7150 susan20089

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Susan. It seems that the stabbing pain and sleepless nights are par for the course. Hope all goes well with your recovery.
  • david13272
    david13272 john7150

    Posted

    Hi John7150 , I am 19days in , 110 degree bend , walking unaided after 10days, I like you can manage stairs. the swelling is still bothering me but cannot say I have had the pain like yourself. I do though find it difficult at night finding the right position to relax. I have always slept on my front so switching to my back was a problem for me. Last pt night though slept on my front for the first time since the op. May be worth going back to see what that stabbing pain is just to make sure all is well. 
    • john7150
      john7150 david13272

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply David. My knee, like yours, is still swollen but gradually going down. They told me it can take up to 8 weeks for it to return to normal size. Hope your recovery goes well.
    • petemorris
      petemorris john7150

      Posted

      Eight weeks????....I'm six months down the road, and mine is still swollen...They've told me it could be 12 months!!!
    • john7150
      john7150 petemorris

      Posted

      I think I would query that Pete. 12 months seems an awfully long time to me.
    • petemorris
      petemorris john7150

      Posted

      Well...I think it's a case of commenting what fits the patient....It is a hell of a long time.  But as far as I'm aware, they've told everyone that...Of course the caviat being 'up to' 12 months....But I'm pretty sure there was no mention of it before I had it done.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 john7150

      Posted

      Unfortunately, not the least bit unrealistic in the case of the overall average. One other little thing.....take your time when relearning to walk. Make sure you do the heel, ball, toe thing each time or you'll find possible problems downstream

       I was in such a hurry the 1st time I wound up kicking my foot out and it didn't get going straight till I had the revision 9 years later

    • debbie02705
      debbie02705 david13272

      Posted

      wow thats fast to sleep on your front , i was 20 weeks , but dont it feel good , do you have sharp pains when you turn over , it feels like every thing is droping to the side near the bed , keep doing well 
    • david13272
      david13272 debbie02705

      Posted

      It certainly does feel good Debbie, starting to have some quality sleep. I dont really get the sharp pains you refer to. I am trying to find the right balance between exercise and rest. The other day I walked for an hour unaided (slowly) and came home, iced and rested and next day felt great, I just dont want to do too much. I am though scheduled to fly to Asia back working on 12th Jan just over six weeks after my op so on a tight schedule !
  • Butterbean
    Butterbean john7150

    Posted

    Wow you're doing really well, I'm 5 weeks post op and still feel safer with one crutch outdoors and though I can do stairs easily I still come down one step at at time. 

    I too get odd pains in my knee for no apparent reason I'm just putting down to the randomness of the healing process and assume as it's still early days it will fade in time. I'm a restless sleeper anyway so have varying degrees of sleepless nights which I assume will also get better in time. 

    I think you're doing amazingly well and should be very pleased with your progress

    • john7150
      john7150 Butterbean

      Posted

      Thank you. I am pleased with my progress so far. The biggest problem I think is the sleepless nights. I suppose they will pass though. I think you are right though, the stabbing pains are just part of the healing process. 

      Hope your recovery goes well.

  • petemorris
    petemorris john7150

    Posted

    Well I'm pretty much six months down the line of the very long road to recovery with my knee.

    I occasionally get the stabbing pains, but never thought much about it, because they go after a few seconds, so didn't think it was a big issue.

    However, the sleeping issue I think is pretty universal.  I tried everything in the early days..Nytols, sleeping pills, more pain meds...Nothing seemed to work...The only thing I found is that eventually your body says enough is enough and basically shuts down, so you do sleep...But that's rare....

    It does improve with time, and now after six months or so, I find my sleeping pattern is pretty much as it was before...But it's been a long hard slog.

    If anyone wants to read my blog I kept from day one of my operation...it's all in there....Just PM me, as I'm not allowed to post the link on here in public.

    • liz34614
      liz34614 petemorris

      Posted

      Pete, thank you for sending me your blog, I found it really interesting reading and in some parts quite funny!  The sheets, I think I have finally twigged it is the 'bloody' stockings.  for several nights my duvet cover seemed to expand so much and my legs are constantly entwined in it.  I get out of bed, sort it all out and ten minutes later it has become magically twisted around my feet yet again.  Last night was the final straw and at 3am I pulled it off and just used the duvet, what bliss, freedom at last to move my legs.  I am three weeks post op and have 110 bend 0 straightening don't use any aids and sleep like a log (apart from duvet cover attacks) I have just given up pain meds although I have them at the ready at night.  Had clips out on Monday, saw the Physio while at the hospital and go back on the 9th January to see the consultant and then physio again .... and hopefully told I can drive!  I so miss the freedom of getting out of the house whenever I want to.  
    • petemorris
      petemorris liz34614

      Posted

      Hi Liz, I'm glad you enjoyed the blog...I tried to make some elements of it funny rather than all doom and gloom....Yes I remember the attack of the killer sheets....they have a mind of their own.  You sound like you're doing really well...Good on ya girl...I still maintain that being able to take the torture nylons off was definitely bette rthan sex....hahaha.

      Yes by the sound of it, you probably will be back at the wheel soon....Did I mention?  When I went to start my car after not being anywhere near it for six weeks the battery was flat and I had to bump start it (fortunately I live on quite a steep hill)....That was fun (not) with a dodgy knee!!!

    • john7150
      john7150 petemorris

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply Pete. It's nice to know other people are going through the same as you. Glad your sleeping is back to normal.
    • rick1951
      rick1951 petemorris

      Posted

      Hi Pete would like to read your full blog.I'm nine weeks post operation ,not sleeping well yet and stabbing pains all the time .

      Even tramadol does not seem to work .

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