Posted , 8 users are following.
After 6 weeks of surgery I feel accute pain swelling and stiffness in my knee. What is the reason behind it?
0 likes, 11 replies
Posted , 8 users are following.
After 6 weeks of surgery I feel accute pain swelling and stiffness in my knee. What is the reason behind it?
0 likes, 11 replies
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lyn32416 EMKAYY
Posted
jen04209 EMKAYY
Posted
mona92713 EMKAYY
Posted
It's normal. I'm at 4 months out. I still have some swelling but it has decreases over time. Continue elevate, I've and stay on physical therapy. Be faithful to your exercises regime. What's happening surgeon's separate your knee tissue, muscles, nerves, , ligaments and it's trying to renew back over your new knee. Hang in there.
mona92713
Posted
CHICO_MARX EMKAYY
Posted
"What is the reason behind it?"
You're only 6-weeks post-op. That's the reason. Nobody told you this would take a year and the first 3 months are usually hell on earth??? The first thing I would recommend is that open a closet door, dump all of your expectations inside, close door, lock door. Your knee is still probably swollen from the surgery; takes months to subside. If you overwork the knee on any given day, it will swell again like a balloon...you cannot push a knee to heal. The stiffness and/or "tight band feeling" will decrease over time but some residual symptoms could last up to 18 months...or more. Enjoy the clunking/popping sounds...they become part of you...remind you that you are still alive and WALKING.
There is a "timeline" I theoretically put together for this but remember that statistics apply only to populations (all TKR patients) and not any ONE individual patient. And you will never know where you fell under the "Bell Curve" until you are done and you can look back and see where you placed...
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/the-tkr-recovery-bell-curve--563756
You can always hope for a faster recovery but you cannot expect it. Gotta be strong but gotta be patient. Eat healthy, hydrate, do your PT to get your ROM back, take your meds on time, undertake an exercise program after PT to rebuild the strength in your atrophied quads, glutes and core. Ice and elevate. This will take time...
EMKAYY CHICO_MARX
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CHICO_MARX EMKAYY
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Precautions? Just don't push the knee more than it can take at any given time. I did 8,200+ steps on my Fit Bit 5 weeks post-op. Lived with a balloon for three days. After that, I tracked my steps every day. Found my pain point, eased back and moved ahead gradually. By 8 months I was doing 11,000+ steps ( 5+ miles) with no issues. Get a pedometer, smartwatch, tracker, etc. and keep tabs on your steps.
Also, eat healthy, hydrate a lot, ice and elevate. It just takes time...unlike hips and shoulders (I've done two shoulder impingements and one hip replacement), a knee CANNOT be pushed to recover faster than it is able.
Oldfatguy1 EMKAYY
Posted
You're using it more, consequently it's hurting more. Be sure and rest it as much as possible, add lots of water to your intake and continue icing. A good Dr will tell you the knee owns you for a year and then you may start owing it .
One of the side benefits of tkr is learning patience. I f you didn't have any before you started, you will by the time you are through the process. One line that is used often: this is a marathon not a sprint
cheryl86544 EMKAYY
Posted
The main reason you have this is because you just had knee surgery.. Hopefully, by now you've had time to read Chico's info as below. Recovery from knee surgery can be very up and down. It's surgery like no other.
Lifter EMKAYY
Posted
Emkayy - I am at three weeks post op with a UKR, right leg, medial side and am running into the same thing. The first two weeks were very good. Only used Advil and swelling seemed to be leaving. Then, the last two days have been terrible. Swelling is back and all of the soft tissue on the medial side hurts badly. Now I am taking the Oxycodone the doc prescribed. I haven't done anything different. My question is, "Is UKR recovery an up and down process?" I honestly thought it would be easier.
jen04209 Lifter
Posted
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