Total Knee Replacement

I have also used voltaren and it helps a bit but I would recommend therapeutic massage and a therapy pool of 93 degrees. Before and after my TKR the pool has been the most helpful. I searched high and low for a skilled therapeutic masseuse and finally found one and she is great. She as found my glutes sinjoint and hamstrings are very tight thus my problems with sit to stand. My primary doctor just started me on low impact circuit training yesterday because she feels I’ve spent over a year focusing on my knee. The rest of my body’s reserves are low. It is helping. Terry from Las Vegas nv

Hi MaryAnn,
Thank you so much for getting back to me. I have Voltaren and will start using it a bit more frequently. I agree on the strengthening of the quads as I'm sure mine were quite weak as a result of the bad knee. I've been cleared to start pilates again and will work with my instructor on just that.
I hope you continue to improve day by day and I will absolutely continue PT for as long as I can.
Have a great week and I'm sure we'll connect soon!
Cheryl from Chicago

Thank you for such helpful information, Terry. I didn’t have access to a therapy pool near me, but I have heard that it works wonders for people! I did go for massage off and on and at the time, that was wonderful too. Those are two great suggestions! All of my best to you as you continue your circuit training! Mary Ann from Boston MA

I go to the local ymca therapy pool. I use the Olympic size pool too. Many exercises that I do in the pool I can’t do on land yet. Try the ymca!!!

HELLO, THIS IS GREG. ITS GOOD TO READ THAT YOUR FLEXION IS 130 AND EXTENSION AT NEG 1. SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE OTHER SYMPTOMS. IM GOING TO GIVE YOU ALITTLE INFO ON MY SURGERIES, YES THAT IS PLURAL. I WENT DOWN FOR KNEE REPLACEMENT IN FEB OF 2021, I HAD GOOD FLEX AND EXTENSIONS BUT PAIN AN INFLAMATION WERE STILL THERE. IT TOOK ALMOST EIGHTEEN MONTHS AND SEVERAL REFERALS UNTIL I GOT ANOTHER SURGERY OR REVISION. BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM IMPLANTS DAMN NEAR FELL OUT WHEN THE KNEE WAS OPENED UP. MY NEW SURGON WASNT MILITARY, NO OFFENSE. MY NEW IMPLANTS WERE DRILLED 3 INCHES INTO THE BONE AND I WAS TOLD THEY WOULDNT GO BAD. ALMOST 6 MONTHS LATER THEY TO WERE STILL SWOLLEN AND HURT. DOCTOR WHEN IN AGAIN AND FOUND THE BOTTOM LOOSE AND CHANGED IT OUT. 6 MONTHS LATER IM STILL SWOLLEN AND IT HURTS MORE. I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND WENT ON MANY WEBSITES, UNTIL THIS ONE GAVE ME THE ANSWER. MOST IMPLANTS ARE MADE OF PRECIOUS METALS, TITANIUM, CHROMIUM, NICKLE, ETC..
APPARRENTLY I AM ALERGIC TO NICKLE AND MOST IMPLANTS AND IMPLANT CEMENT HAS NICKLE IN IT. I ASKED MY DOCTOR IF I COULD BE ALERGIC AFTER THE 2ND SURGERY AND HE SAID IT WAS VERY RARE, AND A METAL PATCH TEST IS NOT THAT RELIABLE, I HAD IT DONE. THERE IS A PLACE OUT OF CHICAGO AND DOES THE BLOOD WORK TEST, YOUR DOCTOR SHOULD KNOW, PHONE NUMBER IS 312-733-7121. THEY ARE ORTHOPEDIC ANALYSIS. PLEASE IF THIS STILL PERSIST HAVE THAT TEST DONE, DONT GO THROUGH SEVERAL SURGERIES LIKE ME. IM SCHEDULED FOR MY 5TH SURGERY ON THE SAME KNEE IN 4 DAYS. THEY CAN INSTALL A CERAMIC COATED KNEE IMPLANT. THEY COST ALOT MORE, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS SEVERAL SURGERIES COST. I WISH YOU THE BEST AND HOPE THIS HELPS YOU AND ANY OTHERS WITH THIS SAME CONDITION. GREG AT MECHACFT@GMAIL.COM

Hello Knee Replacement Patients!
I am a new member of this group and what I've been reading has been so comforting. I had left knee replacement in early October of 2023 and my recovery has been so very difficult. While my flexion is nearly 130 and my extension is -1, the swelling, stiffness, tightness (feels like my knee is in a vice) general pain has been present daily and I am exercising till the cows come home. My surgeon has told me that all these symptoms can last up to 6 months and my PT's tell me 12 months - UGH. I'm still in PT 2X per week, scheduled until early February. My husband has been amazing helping me through this experience, but this is tough. Any suggestions this group may have to "speed" this healing process up would be so helpful. Also, my surgeon has just put me on gabapentin, but I don't think it's really helping.
Happy New Year!

Frustrated in Chicago...

Hello Cathy,
I also had a TKR in Chicago on July 28th. I have had several surgeries in my 68 years, and this is by far the worst. The first three months were horrible. I cried almost daily. I was on Gabapentin, as well as several other medications. By the fourth month, the nerve pain finally subsided, but I was still having lateral knee from a tight IT band. I have been exercising for six months, and it’s still painful. I also have a large, painful Bakers Cyst behind my knee that won’t absorb on its own. Between the cyst and IT band issue, I’m not happy. Yesterday was my six month anniversary. My doctor told me it would take one year to heal, so all I can do at this time, is believe him and pray that someday I will be pain free.
I tried to hurry the healing process along by increasing my repetitions and sometimes working through the pain. I realized that it only made me feel worse, and felt like I was regressing. For me, there isn’t an easy fix, nor exercises that will shorten my healing time. The body will heal on its own accord and nothing I do will heal it faster. I eat well, take vitamin supplements, drink a lot of water, try to keep at a healthy weight and do my exercises 5-6 times a week for six months.
Happy New Year!

Hello Cathy and SBanner,
Thank you for responding to my post. Your experiences sound a lot like mine. I am entering my 4th month after surgery and it's been hell! I'm still in PT, 2x a week and my PT tells me to hang in there as it just takes time. Like you, my surgeon prescribed gabapentin but the drug has been so hard on me that I'm in the process of weaning off of it. While my flexion and extension are where they need to be, my gait/walk is totally off, unless I'm using a cane. I'm told this is due to my quad muscle being very weak and unable to support the knee. The exercises to strengthen the quad are so difficult, but I power through them. Therefore, the knee is always sore and swollen -- still feels like it's in a vice all day long. I exercise daily and by the end of the day, I'm so sore and swollen that I, too, just want to start sobbing (and of course, questioning what the hell did I do?) My surgeon has told me I fall into the 10% of patients who take a VERY long time to recover. I too have a small cyst that is present on the X-rays, which my PT noticed (surgeon said nothing about it). Not sure what can be done about it outside of healing on its own? I ice all day long, which does help the pain, but just causes more stiffness. It's a vicious circle!
I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one falling into that 10% but yikes, this is exhausting. Best wishes to you both,
Cheryl from Chicago

Hi Cathy,
You aren’t alone with your healing. At four months, I was still icing my knee because of pain and swelling. Thankfully, I was off all medications by this time, because I was having a significant hair loss. I narrowed it down to Gabapentin.
My husband and I decided to be snow birds for three months this year. Even though it’s cool in FL, the weather allows me to take daily walks that help so much. Can’t do this in Chicago at this time of year. I’m up to 9000 steps now. Pre-knee problems, I walked all the time, so looking forward to walking without thinking about the replacement.
The first thing I have to do before I get out of bed each morning is stretch. The stretching really does help so much.
I was able to do my PT exercises one day in the pool. I was sore for the following two days, but really enjoyed doing them. I’m looking forward to the weather warming up so I can do this more frequently.
I see small improvements every month. My Bakers Cyst looks a little smaller this month, but maybe that’s just wishful thinking.
One of my mistakes, was comparing myself to others. One person told me she was fine after two weeks, another was golfing after three weeks and another lady was zip lining in Colorado at 6 1/2 weeks post op. I was crying and had hard time walking to the bathroom at 6 1/2 weeks.
I’m entering my 7th month post op, and starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Three months ago, there was no way I could have walked through Midway Airport, but I was able to do it around 6 months post op, without a cane or wheelchair.
It’s a long healing process for me and look forward to feeling better every month. I’ll make my final evaluation of the surgery at one year post op.
Stay warm back home in Chicago.
Sue