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TKR help, knee is not bending much and I’m not able to do a straight leg left at all.

Posted , 8 users are following.

anab37
anab37

Hi, I’m going crazy trying to understand what is wrong with my knee. My knee doesn’t bend much and I can’t lift my leg at all when I’m layimg down.  I had an MRI of the knee and doctor said there is nothing wrong with the knee. Had an ultrasound and some other testing to see if it’s nerve damage but it all came back negative. My doctor is puzzled and not sure what to do. He thinks it could possibly be something with my back since I have spinalstenosis. He said that he was going to speak to my back doctor but in the mean time. I trip all the time, I can’t sleep more then 2 hours a night because it’s so uncomfortable. I’m tired all the time and my back hurts more then ever before. Last week I decided to get on the bike and I fell because my knees is not bending much. HELP, DOES ANYONE HAVE THESE ISSUES TOO. I’m losomg my mind

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Paddycakes
    Paddycakes anab37

    Posted

    Hi When was your tkr? Mine was on May 22/18 and having same problem with the bend and straightening. Have sciatica on same left side as surgery knee. When I tried to bend my left knee, my lower back and hip tighten up. I do not sleep well either, I toss and turn. I am working with a physio therapist for knee and back. Have to do exercises for back and knee and seems both are improving. I have a bend of 90 but still a lot stiffness. I go on a stationary bike and short but often walks with cane.

    • anab37
      anab37 Paddycakes

      Posted

      Hi,

      My surgery was 4/08/2018. I worked with a physical therapist for 3 1/2 months and she finally told me that therapy is not working for me.  My bend is 110 and my doctor said that is normal. I have a really hard time going up and down the stairs still and I also have bakers sist in the back of my knee which the doctor said that shouldn’t stop my knee from bending. I personally don’t think that my knee is bending normal because I know someone who had the same surgery and her knee bends perfectly fine, In fact she said it’s better then her good knee. The only thing my doctor is concerned with is me not being able to do a straight leg lift. I mean my leg won’t move an inch. He thinks that my muscles are so weak that’s why it won’t lift but I don’t know.

  • debbie40320
    debbie40320 anab37

    Posted

    How far are you along.. my right leg is 6 1/2 months and left is only 5 month replaced.. my right leg has some bend.. not a lot but I’m accepting it and still working it.  Left I had a MUA in June and it bent back all the way per doctor, but it is a struggle for me to get it back.. I hope it loosens up.. I continue to exercise everyday.. ride a stationary bike.. just started riding a regular bike..  I hope all works out.  It a rough road.. giving it time, told it takes a year to recover.. 
    • debbie40320
      debbie40320 anab37

      Posted

      A MUA is manipulation under anesthesia.. my left leg was very tight and stiff.. the doctor thought it would get better but she would do a MUA before 12 weeks were up.. they put u under and bend the  knee.. it is not as tight(a lot of scar tissue broke up). But it  still has a strappy feeling in the front.. I push it back a little more then  before the MUA but I guess it is maybe at a 105... my right is maybe a 112.. 

      I guess I don’t understand why it is limited to going back.. my doctor said the norm will be 117.. I would be happy with that, but struggle to get it..

      I can tell you my left is 5 months and I am finally walking better.. steps I do slow but have gotten better.. I think u will get better.. as for bending I don’t know,,, still a struggle for me and I exercise it at home everyday.. I’m giving it the year everyone says to give it... hope it gets better!!!!

  • dianna67682
    dianna67682 anab37

    Posted

    Hello there I’m so sorry to hear about your pain. Let me give you the quick version of my story, afterwards I’ll give you my  suggestions on what you need to do.  I had bilateral total knee replacement done back in 2011, my left knee never felt right from the beginning.11 months after that when I got so sick and tired of the doctor telling me that all I needed was more physical therapy, after too many manipulations I can’t even count them I went into his office into tears.  Turns out I had a real nasty  steph infection. Ok I had my first revision which turned in to 3 revisions. Fast forward still to this day having  severe knee pain at times. I’m never free of pain! In 2015 I went to the ER because of  severe pain in my right knee, turns out I had another infection.  The best thing that could’ve happened to me was when I moved from Illinois to Florida, and the Ortho  informed me that he would not do any surgery unless I agree to have a metal sensitivity test.  Well you’re not going to believe me but all of my pain was because of the metal that I had in my body.  I have a sensitivity to so many different metals.  Now my suggestion to you would be to go back and see your ortho and have him to test you for a metal sensitivity.  What’s even more crazy as I mentioned I moved from Illinois to Florida and the lab that does the test is in Illinois.  Now I’m still having problem with the left knee because it has the metal that I have sensitivity to. Ortho  really does not want to go back in that need because I’ve already had three revisions and I don’t wanna go through that again. Every now and then my mind tells me that I really need to get that metal out because it’s causing me a lot of grief with my health. Good luck and please reply and let me know how you’re doing.
    • anab37
      anab37 dianna67682

      Posted

      I have an appointment with my doctor this month and I will bring the metal test to him. Thank you very  much and will update as soon as I have any answers. Good luck to you as well.
  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX anab37

    Posted

    When I got stenosis, everything went to hell.  Both legs involved; could barely walk more than 100'.  It was HORRIBLE.  My neurosurgeon confirmed it with a CT/Myelogram with contrast...the gold standard test for the spine.  Found it at L2/L3.  Bilateral foraminal stenosis.  This is when the canals (foramina) that run front to back through your spine compress the nerve roots running through them.  Very painful

    I was already fused L3 through S1 from the posterior (TLIF fusion).  Doc asked if he wanted me to rip it all out and re-fuse me L2 through S1...OR...have a Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF).  They go in from your side, drill out the disk and insert a car jack-like expandable device.  Then they use an Allen wrench to open it up (like that car jack) thereby increasing the space between the vertebrae and opening up those foraminal canals.  Finally, they fill the thing with a small bone graft from your hip to get the fusing started and close.  IMMEDIATE and TOTAL pain relief, one night stay, no rehab, no back brace.  Miracle op...like it never happened.

    Search YouTube for "Globus LLIF" to see an animation of the procedure and "Globus Calibur" to check out the device. The attached pictures are pre-op lateral, post-op posterior and post-op lateral.  Big difference.  I just love my car jack!!!!! 

  • janeyt34
    janeyt34 anab37

    Posted

    Hello,

    Sorry to hear of your problem, you don't say when you had your TKR.

    When I had mine (TKR DEC 2015) it was 5.5 weeks after, before I could lift my leg so depending on when it was I wouldn't worry.

    I was having incredible pain with my back for 3 wks after and it was very sensitive this pain was really bad and worse than the knee op. Eventually after three wks it improved with tablets  - Gabapentin.

    Considering what the surgeons do to you leg no wonder some people have swelling, pain, lifting operated leg I wouldn't worry. I also had difficulty bending my knee - due to an excessive amount of swelling and scar tissue - although I did the exercises I could not achieve the desired bend so had to undergo MUA (manipulation under anaesthetic).

    I had the MUA done March 2016 and have been able to bend to 120 degrees. I swim twice a wk and do stretching exercise these help enormously with back and knee.

    Hope this helps

    Regards

    Janey

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