Posted , 6 users are following.
I'm 14 weeks from tkr, had manipulation at 8 weeks to break up scare tissue. My knee is still swollen and stiff in the morning, though I am slowly regaining flex (115 degrees) and pain is mostly from the PT's exercises, but I don't need pain medication. I've tried icing and heat but they don't seem to make much difference in the swelling. Any treatment ideas?
0 likes, 7 replies
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Snoozy69 ken878
Posted
If you've tried ice and elevation and still get swelling you can tape your knee up using kinesiology tape. I use the pro version which lasts 5 days and you can shower with it on. There are loads of YouTube videos showing you how to apply it x
jenny80029 ken878
Posted
CHICO_MARX ken878
Posted
Swelling and tightness are absolutely normal. When you push the knee too far on any given day, it will swell. Heed the warning. When I hit a year, I could still see a very slight difference between the larger TKR knee and the other original one. Now I'm almost two years and it's still a tiny bit bigger. No swelling...just the way it is. Almost all your actual swelling problems should be gone in the 6-12 month range depending on when you go back to work, what your job entails and how much you push the knee.
Some minor tightness can last 12-18 months. Again at almost 2 years, I still feel a bit from time to time. You just ignore it. Small price to pay for a pain-free life.
ken878 CHICO_MARX
Posted
My swelling is constant...doesn't change with exercise activity, icing or heating. Did the other knee six years ago...piece of cake...done in 2 months. I don't work, so that won't be an issue...I'm retired....should have mentioned that I'm an active 83. Usually off hiking, walking the treadmill...lack of activity is wearing at this point.
CHICO_MARX ken878
Posted
If it's constant, demand an answer from your doc. There have been people on here who talked about blood and/or fluid buildup that had to be drained.
The fact that #2 is different from #1 is not surprising at all. The vast majority of people on here who had a second knee done after a first one reported both better AND worse experiences with #2...very few had identical recoveries.
ali95530 ken878
Posted
Stiffness is still there weather dependant.
One day you’ll just wake up and realise like magic the swelling has gone
CHICO_MARX ali95530
Posted
Yup. Normal. Docs say the stiffness (tightness, "band-like feeling"
can last 12-18 months. By 12, the worst of it should be gone, but it does "linger" in many of us. I'm almost 2 years post-op and I still feel it from time to time. Gotta keep walking and hit the gym to regain all your leg strength. It all helps. This is a lifetime recovery...