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Why is my knee so stiff 4 weeks after surgery, can’t bend it more than 65 degrees

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Guest

Why is my knee so stiff 4 weeks after full replacement surgery. Find it difficult to bend it more than 65 degrees. Going to physio once a week, have done 2 sessions

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0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • trees1234
    trees1234 Guest

    Posted

    Hi are you doing your daily exercises also? Try lying on bed flat. Slightly bend your good leg then place a carrier bag under your heel of your operated leg try bends like this it helps. 

    I have electric reclining chairs which have been a godsend helping with bending. 

  • fran70537
    fran70537 Guest

    Posted

    Hiya ,I'm the same ,knee doesn't want to bend,and because the operation site is new yet it's sore when you do the exercises,I went for physio today it just seems that it's never going to bend ,I think it's going to be a long slow recovery .Exercises are the key ,rest and pain relief.Hopefully a full recovery will be at the end of it all.🙋Fran

  • fran70537
    fran70537 Guest

    Posted

    I also get the tie from my dressing gown put it underneath your foot and gently pull your foot back and bend your knee as is comfortable and hold for 20 ish seconds see if that helps .🙋 Fran

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX Guest

    Posted

    You're still waaaaaaay early in your recovery.  Scar tissue buildup and swelling cause most of the stiffness early on, plus it's a mechanical device that needs to be "broken in".  The ROM is regained through about 10 weeks of PT @ 2x/week.  I went from -14 / +84 to -1 / +123 in that time.  Pretty good ROM at 3 months.  Takes time, work and resistance to the medieval torture they put you through...but worth it.

    Swelling can be helped with ice and elevation.  Try some Voltaren Gel (RX in the US).  GREAT topical anti-inflammatory and pain reliever, especially at bedtime.  Stiffness (tightness, a "band-like feeling"wink can last in a much decreased form from 12-18 months.  Rarely feel it at 2 years.

    A FULL recovery takes about a year...count on it...accept it.  Commit to it, OWN IT!!!  Very, very few people get off easy...I wasn't one of them and you're probably not either.  Time, work and patience...that's the program.

  • lorraine58772
    lorraine58772 Guest

    Posted

    PT should have provided you with excercises. You have to do the home exercises daily. I do 7-2sets per day. Amazing difference. I come from a village, there is no PT there. I was 7 weeks out and my bend was 30 degrees and it hurt to lift my leg. So i went to the city, staying by my sis, so I can see a PT. One week here and am making progress! Learning excercises that will make my knee stronger.  
    • Guest
      Guest lorraine58772

      Posted

      Hi

      Thanks for you comments, could l ask 2 sets of what exercise. I am currently doing 3 sets of sliding knee under chair and flexing knee on stairs for3 mins each and 3 sets of 10 mins on a exercise bike. Wondering now if this is enough.

    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 Guest

      Posted

      I rec’ my excercise plan from my PT. Also Chico has very good regiments to follow. All comments from everyone is helpful, to me anyway, I felt so alone until I found this patient information. I’m 8 weeks now and still have 40 degree bend but I just started my PT late. Just in one week of excercises, I gain 10 degree bend. The rule is don’t push it too hard, you will know your limits. For me, I did 7-15 rep excercise twice a day. This week I added 5 more reps and 2 more excercises.  it took me weeks to get with the program, I learned no one will do for me, I quit my sobbing. I cry occasionally now but not everyday like i was my first 5 weeks.  
    • lorraine58772
      lorraine58772 Guest

      Posted

      i wish I could email you a copy of my regiment, it’s hard to describe excercises.  At first i tried googling to find excercises, i couldn’t find any i understood. after seeing my PT she gave me excercises with instructions and pictures. 
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