Thigh pain after knee replacement
Posted , 51 users are following.
I know some people suffer with thigh pain after a TKR . . and I wonder how many of them actually end up with this permanently? At the moment, the pain in my thigh usually starts about ten minutes after lying down, and then wakes me in the night with excruciating pain which literally makes me scream and tremble. It feels as if someone is ripping the leg apart with a burning knife. Strangely, though, during the day it just feels a bit sore to touch and stiff. I'm worried that this nerve pain will be permanent. since day three of the operation, I've only been given paraacetamol for the pain, and I've really reached the end of my tether and been reduced to a trembling wreck by this pain. I had the operation a month ago, and although the walking and general moving around is better, the pain is infinitesimally worse . . any hope for the future?
7 likes, 124 replies
janet43227 martinarvelo
Posted
Oldfatguy1 janet43227
Posted
Yes, it will go away. Just don't try and set your watch nor your calendar. Everyone is different and e every has their own way of reacting to various parts of the procceedure. Its a process we go through o e step at a time. Don't be alarmed as you plod through jungle of pain and frustration to find one thing clears up and another surfaces. One thing everyone has in common, more patience a t the end of the journey than they had at the beginning. Look at what you've been through: leg nearly cut off, nerves severed, ligaments and tendons bruised beyond belief, bones chiseled and drilled. Then you are put back together with needle and thread then told to get with a rehab program and expected by Dr s an therapists to come out at the end of a conveyor belt being like e everyone else that's gone through this barbaric treatment. I've had 11 surgeries on my leg and knee, this includes 3 different prosthesis and 5 complete rehab. No 2 just alike. You will heal in time. The things to be most concerned about: blood clots which include sever burning in the calf and possible fever. The second, infections which would includes ah h things as fever, chills, unusual drainage with discoloration, nasuea, unusual swelling and a very hot, expanded area around the knee. Otherwise its all day to day. Look up Chico Marx on this site. He has written several great articles regarding the surgery/rehabbing and life in general. Very informative but you have to consider the fact he is a New York/new Jersey sicilian type that moved to Texas. Be than kful he writes these things and hasn't put them on audio tapes otherwise you would only catch about every 3rd word. Good luck. Stay with the Florida you will get expert advice from real veterans.....those that have a actually been through the battles.
Tony2960 janet43227
Posted
Hi, I hope your knee recovers quickly and successfully. My experience, I believe, is worst case. I had a knee replacement in 2012. 3 days later I had a heart attack. I recovered perfectly from the heart attack but not from the knee surgery. I was in constant pain for almost 5 years. The only thing that relieved my pain was my second knee replacement (May 22, 2017) on the same knee. In between I endured months and months of therapy, a revision, and increasing levels of pain. I also endured people insinuating that if I had been more diligent in my therapy, I would have been fine. I was out of work for 18 months and was in great pain when I went back. I only went back because my health insurance had lapsed. No doctor could/would tell me why I was in so much pain from my ankle to above my thigh. My first surgeon told me that he put in the smallest possible implant and that everything was perfect. The second surgeon, that performed the revision and the and the second full replacement, did say that the spacer was too large. Only after my second surgeon diagnosed that the implants were loose in the bone, earlier this year, did he agree to replace the entire implant. My recovery since the second full replacement has been fairly swift. It has been 14 weeks and my knee feels so much better. I can now walk 2 miles before my leg gets tires and my knee begins to swell. Never give up and don't let them convince you that it's your fault.
Tony
Oldfatguy1 Tony2960
Posted
Once again proof that friends and family can be great assets but can also be the biggest pains in the a** imaginable when they start telling you how and when you should heal as nd be back on your feet. I had one that started the conversation that he had a friend that healed in this miraculous time frame and that was just the norm. I told him I had a friend that was smart enough to keep his mouth shut about things that he had never been through and that was also the norm. Can't imagine the heart attach and tkr rehab going on at the sa.e time. Certain aspects would seem to be working against each other it would appear. I broke my femur the day after the revision which resulted in another surgery the next day but at least it was doing certain rehabbing that was pulling in the same direction. I've had 11 surgeries and 5 complete rehab on the same leg but still find the heart situation as really gutvwrenching. Hope things are still on the upswing for you.
Tony2960 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Sincerely,
Tony
debbie98833 Tony2960
Posted
I had a tkr 4 weeks ago today. I was doing very well with my therapy, not needing a cane or anything to walk. I did have thigh pain immediately after surgery, and for several days afterward. It seemed to get better. However yesterday at therapy, I did the simple movement of placing my foot onto the pedal of the exercise bicycle and suddenly had an excruciating pain in my thigh (upper quad muscle). I'm glad I was at therapy, because if I was home I would have thought my knee replacement broke! My therapist tried to calm me, telling me I broke loose some scar tissue. Now I can barely walk, sleep is difficult because I will have the sudden pain in my thigh (exactly where the tourniquet was placed) if I try to turn over. I was given new therapy exercises, but if I lay on my side, I cannot lift the tkr leg one inch without terrible pain. I'm concerned, distressed and saddened that I was doing so well, and now I've gone backwards in my recovery. I have an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow, hoping to calm my nerves. My pain is almost as if my quad muscle is torn. Reading others in this forum, maybe it is nerve pain. I certainly hope not. I will update in a few days.
joanie4lessthig debbie98833
Posted
Hi, I'm new here. I am just about 4months out of authroscopic knee surgery. My knee and thigh has been always tight since surgery. I've been struggling with recovery and my last visit with physical therapist, I told her that my thigh was very tight and painful instead of doing all my exercises she put heat on it and rolled my whole thigh out with a plastic roller. I was jumping all over the table oh, it was so painful. The next morning I had excruciating thigh pain sharp burning ripping pain that started from my inner thigh and ran diagonally down to my knee. I was getting it throughout the day then the next morning; I decided to go to the emergency room thinking I have a blood clot. CT scan results said no blood clot in the visual area. And there was limited visualization of the posterior tibial vein. So they diagnosed me with a muscle stain. Went home and tried to help decorate the Christmas tree and then, Wham, the pain piercing through my inner thigh down to my knee was back. I screamed in pain. Does this get better or is there something else to worry about? I am so hesitant to do anything. Thanks for listening.
Deb011973 joanie4lessthig
Posted
Hi!
I didn't experience anything like you have described with my 3 past scope procedures. I would suggest having it looked at further. My last scope was done on my right knee approx. 6 years ago. I had returned to work with no limitations at 6 weeks postop. (If i remember correctly). I hope it gets better for you.
UPDATE on TLKR
It has now been 9 weeks since my knee replacement. I still experience some swelling with activity, but overall doing well. Only ibuprofen to control discomfort for the past 4 weeks. I was discharged from PT last week since I had met or exceeded all PT goals. I will see the doc this coming week, and expect to return to work on Dec 4th.
tom809 joanie4lessthig
Posted
joanie
Hopefully your pain has decreased since your post. I too had my knee rolled w a roller and it hurt like heck. I was 4 weeks post op. The next day I too had excruciating pain and thought PT had really created a problem and set me back. Then over the next few days the pain resolved and now I am better than before the "roller". Hope you are too.
susan11913 janet43227
Posted
Has the thigh Pain gone. I just got it.
Sx
susan11913 joanie4lessthig
Posted
Beloveed martinarvelo
Posted
Hi all, I had bilateral replacements 2007in 2007. Dr. Jeffrey Murray did the surgery. He did an awesome job. Although I was younger than most people the problem and pain I was experiencing merited the surgery. I was determined to get better and my situation was a bit different. I'm very allergic to opioids and many other meds. Ice does not do me well. I could not use it at all. When I was coming out of the surgery my heart stopped but, I'm good. I had a reaction to the anasteshia. I have serious medication issues because I am allergic to lots of things. I'm doing well but, have severe camps in both my mid thigh areas even now. I'm able to walk with no problem, have not used a cane since 2nd month after surgery. I was determined to walk as normal as I possibly could and be self dependent. By the Grace of God and much prayer at 64 I'm working every day and very blessed.
My only concern is being awaken every few nights with severe thigh cramps.
I do find that if I wear low heeled shoes that I have worse cramps than if I wear shoes with at least 2-3 inch heel. I've never been able to do well with flat shoes. I have high arches and insteps. Even as a child, lifts were fitted in my shoes because of this.
I have found that warm/hot compress-es or, taking warm showers or sitting in warm water helps relieve the cramp-ing. I have also discovered that some-times my potassium may be a bit low and that eating 4 or 5 dried prunes and drinking a glass of water after helps. (I don't like bananas and, prunes have lots of potassium and l like them.)
I am unsure exactly the cause of this cramping so many years after surgery but, I thought sharing my experience might encourage someone else. I have not had sciatica since the TKR and, although it was said that I was a bit young at the time, I'm very glad it was done. It has made an absolutely drastic improvement in my life.
If I had to make the decision to do TKR over, my choice would be yes.
Dr. Murray did an absolutely awesome job ! I'm very grateful. Very grateful.
Deb011973 martinarvelo
Posted
Tuesday will be 3 weeks since a left tkr. Like so many other posts I too am experiencing pain in my thigh. I knew of the tourniquet prior to the surgery, but didn't know it would cause such an issue. With the drug problem in the US doctors are afraid to prescribe medications (at least my docs seem to be). I was actually told by the doctor that I should be off of pain meds by the time the 1 refill I got is gone. I think I could probably step down to something milder, but going without anything... I don't think so. I still take 1 or 2 a day, depending on what I have done and how I am feeling.
I also am experiencing a "stabbing" pain on the inside of the knee. I find I have this more when I am seated. At my 2 week follow up doc said everything looked good, so I can only assume that this is caused my muscle or tendon damage and will hopefully go away with time.
For those that are experiencing nerve "tingles" (that creepy crawly feeling) my therapist actually showed me something that helps, without taking meds.
Use a dry wash clothes and rub the area for a few minutes. This will over stimulate the nerves and they will "reset" on their own.
The one problem that seems to bother me the most is the tightness in the tendons in the back of my knee. I was told this is because I have favored this bad knee for so long that I have a slight bit of muscle contracture. (when straight I still have a 5 degree bend). Therapy is working on stretching this area. Hurts like h*ll when they do, but with bend has improved from 8 degrees to 5 with only 5 therapy sessions. Hopefully it continues to improve.
Wishing you all the best!
Deb
Oldfatguy1 Deb011973
Posted
As far as pain control, I've always dine better with my PCP than surgeon. Surgeons usually have their "pill of hospitals choice" where the PCP can work a cocktail formula.
Remember, there are stitches internally as well as externally and that knee surgery isn't like slicing off a hunk of tissue. There is so much trauma that takes place because they are cutting tissue and nerves, chilling and drilling bone, pounding the stem in place, stitching inside and out, possibly using staples and God only knows what else they may have to do on the fly to make things fit. I've had 3 seperate prosthesis and 5 complete rehab, with nothing being the same every time except it hurts to beat h***
Deb011973 Oldfatguy1
Posted
Silly me watched a surgery video on Youtube once they finally said "replacement". I knew what I was getting into. The video of my own surgery was very similar to what I saw. So far the pain has been mostly manageable. Its not so much the surgery site itself, but the aches and pains associated with the internal trauma.
Oldfatguy1 Deb011973
Posted
Never, never would I subject to watching that surgery. The physical beating is enough, I sure as hell don't need my psychic to take a beating, besides if there is anything I excell in its being a coward.