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Calf pain after TKR

Posted by afladland @afladland, Jan 23, 2023

I am 5 weeks post op from TKR on my right knee. From the very 1st week, most of my pain is in my calf. It seems to be getting worse with every week. It is especially painful when I am sitting or driving. The only thing that gives me immediate relief is when I get in a hot bath. At my 4 week check up, I have virtually no swelling and my ROM is where its suppose to be. It is such a deep ache in my calf with numbness in my foot. Ultrasound showed no blood clot. I've been from my surgeon to a vascular specialist and now referred to a neurologist. Has anyone had this issue?

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kellybaumgart | @kellybaumgart | Sep 10, 2023
In reply to @artscaping "Good afternoon @kellybaumgart and a big welcome to Connect. We believe strongly in sharing. It seems..." + (show)
@artscaping

Good afternoon @kellybaumgart and a big welcome to Connect. We believe strongly in sharing. It seems that there is always more to learn from our fellow patients who have actually used certain treatments and taken related medications. Four surgeries on one knee. Is that the new limit? I will have to admit right up front that even after 2 years for my right knee and 10 years since the TKR on my left knee.....I still get pains, numbness, and other irritations from both of them. Not the same type or the same time.

Just to check it out...I ran through some movements with my left knee. For the last few weeks, it has been a bit on the raunchy side with pain and discomfort which of course made me at least somewhat irritated. Today that discomfort is gone completely. Sometimes I do think that is a sleeping position issue. So...today I found the Foam Leg Pillow by Sharper Image. You place it between your legs which keeps the distance and pressure even when you are sleeping.

If you are interested, it is on page 38 of the Fall Preview 2023 catalog. Now the right knee TKR is from 2021 and it is behaving. However, the hip above it is announcing some needed attention for the one bursa I have up there. I think we have seven but all it takes is one to get your attention. That one also lets me know when it is tired of driving. Thank goodness for cruise control so it can get a break.

Please stay in touch with Connect members. There are wonderful folks here to help you.

May you be safe, free, and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris

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Chris - Thanks for the suggestion. I will check out the knee pillow. I purchased one that had memory foam, but it isn’t very comfortable and doesn’t stay in place when sleeping. I previously had 4 surgeries on my right hip to treat bursitis, clean out the tendon, and cut a hole in my IT band so it would glide better. I got two staph infections which is why I had so many surgeries in short succession. Of course now that is flaring up again since the TKR. I hope we all find relief somehow.

REPLY
lk3xs | @lk3xs | Sep 12, 2023
In reply to @artscaping "Good afternoon @kellybaumgart and a big welcome to Connect. We believe strongly in sharing. It seems..." + (show)
@artscaping

Good afternoon @kellybaumgart and a big welcome to Connect. We believe strongly in sharing. It seems that there is always more to learn from our fellow patients who have actually used certain treatments and taken related medications. Four surgeries on one knee. Is that the new limit? I will have to admit right up front that even after 2 years for my right knee and 10 years since the TKR on my left knee.....I still get pains, numbness, and other irritations from both of them. Not the same type or the same time.

Just to check it out...I ran through some movements with my left knee. For the last few weeks, it has been a bit on the raunchy side with pain and discomfort which of course made me at least somewhat irritated. Today that discomfort is gone completely. Sometimes I do think that is a sleeping position issue. So...today I found the Foam Leg Pillow by Sharper Image. You place it between your legs which keeps the distance and pressure even when you are sleeping.

If you are interested, it is on page 38 of the Fall Preview 2023 catalog. Now the right knee TKR is from 2021 and it is behaving. However, the hip above it is announcing some needed attention for the one bursa I have up there. I think we have seven but all it takes is one to get your attention. That one also lets me know when it is tired of driving. Thank goodness for cruise control so it can get a break.

Please stay in touch with Connect members. There are wonderful folks here to help you.

May you be safe, free, and protected from inner and outer harm.
Chris

Jump to this post

My TKR in 2019. Immediately had burning calf pain, no clot, I have had ever possible muscle, nerve & vascular test. Nothing but can't walk more half mile until calf pain causes me to stop. They just tried pregablin and no improvements. Knee is fine. So frustrated.

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1 reply
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Sep 12, 2023
In reply to @lk3xs "My TKR in 2019. Immediately had burning calf pain, no clot, I have had ever possible..." + (show)
@lk3xs

My TKR in 2019. Immediately had burning calf pain, no clot, I have had ever possible muscle, nerve & vascular test. Nothing but can't walk more half mile until calf pain causes me to stop. They just tried pregablin and no improvements. Knee is fine. So frustrated.

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Good evening @lk3xs. My goodness, you have been a Connect member since 2019. I am glad you took the time to add to the body of information about this "delayed" TKR pain and discomfort. Yesterday, I walked 1/2 mile down our lane and back up the hill. Today, I almost crashed when I got out of bed. The top of my right leg let me know how unhappy it was.

So,,,, was it too much too soon? I am taking it easy tonight.....just did Yoga this morning. Maybe it is just not fair to expect that at 81 years old, every muscle is tuned up and ready to go. I had considered switching from Gabapentin to pregabalin. Think I will try to build up my stamina. You would never know I lived at 6,000 feet in the mountains and walked up and down almost every day. Guess "those were the days, my friend," and they will end. Letting go is so difficult.

If you come upon a solution please keep your fellow TKR members in the know.

May you be safe, protected and free of inner and outer harm.
Chris

REPLY
lk3xs | @lk3xs | Sep 12, 2023

Sports & doing it at full gear helped me toward a hip & both knees replaced in my 50s. Surgery not bad but this calf pain is puzzling. Can so elliptical bike & leg curls/presses no problem, just walking/stairs. Pregalin did not work & done with drug treatments!

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shawnarjones | @shawnarjones | Sep 16, 2023

Yes! I'm two weeks post op abd just say the calf pain has been the worst, and most consistent pain in all of this.

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620915122k | @620915122k | Mar 22 10:00am

Had first TKR on 6/15/23 on right knee! Knee doing ok. Had my TKR on left leg on 3/14/24 ! Lots of more pain especially on back of calf. Have tried icing, elevation and Tylenol . Nothing works. Any ideas?

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2 replies
healthseeker77 | @healthseeker77 | Mar 23 2:53am
In reply to @620915122k "Had first TKR on 6/15/23 on right knee! Knee doing ok. Had my TKR on left..." + (show)
@620915122k

Had first TKR on 6/15/23 on right knee! Knee doing ok. Had my TKR on left leg on 3/14/24 ! Lots of more pain especially on back of calf. Have tried icing, elevation and Tylenol . Nothing works. Any ideas?

Jump to this post

Have you called the surgeon who did the TKR? He/she should be able to advise you on this pain that you did not have with the surgery done on your other knee.

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Mentor
John, Volunteer Mentor | @johnbishop | Mar 23 5:37pm
In reply to @620915122k "Had first TKR on 6/15/23 on right knee! Knee doing ok. Had my TKR on left..." + (show)
@620915122k

Had first TKR on 6/15/23 on right knee! Knee doing ok. Had my TKR on left leg on 3/14/24 ! Lots of more pain especially on back of calf. Have tried icing, elevation and Tylenol . Nothing works. Any ideas?

Jump to this post

Hello @620915122k, You will notice that we merged your discussion with another discussion on the same topic so that you could meet other members with similar symptoms following a TKR. If you click the link below it will take you to the beginning of the discussion so that you can read the comments:
--- Calf pain after TKR: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/calf-pain-after-tkr/

One thing to consider is this kind of pain may also be a blood clot in the calf area which is something I have experienced and something that needs to be discussed with your doctor or surgeon as soon as possible. Have you discussed the pain on the back of your calf with your doctor?

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iliano62 | @iliano62 | Apr 29 12:43am
In reply to @kellybaumgart "I had a right TKR and am about 10.5 weeks out from surgery. That was my..." + (show)
@kellybaumgart

I had a right TKR and am about 10.5 weeks out from surgery. That was my 4th surgery (osteotomy 2017, partial knee replacement 2017, medial imbrication and lateral release 2022, and then the TKR June 2023) on my right knee. Since the surgery I’ve had incredible pain in my calf and heel. Now the pain in my heel has changed to numbness. I also have a searing pain in my hip. I had an injection into my L4 and they just did an MRI as well. The MRI showed mild arthritis in the L4 and L5 area, but no nerve impingement. I’ve been getting dry needling in my calf and hip with no real long term symptom relief. The surgeon isn’t really addressing any of this pain and my PT said this type of pain isn’t really indicative of a TKR. The pain really makes doing some of my exercises truly difficult and sleeping is also a nightly battle. The other odd things is pain and weakness (can’t lift my bent leg especially turning over in bed, PT exercises, or when getting in/out of the car and driving) as it feels like someone is stabbing me right behind the knee where the knee and calf meet. Based on the comments here I am clearly not alone. I have been through a lot and I’m not a complainer, but it sometimes feels like the surgeon isn’t taking me seriously. Has anyone found relief or answers? Overall my knee is starting to feel a bit better, but the calf pain is really hampering my recovery efforts.

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Hi, I'm alamos 4 months after LTKR and have the same problems since 4 weeks. Have you find solution for this terrible pain?

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upstategal | @upstategal | May 1 1:03pm

My doctor had put me on Meloxicam but after being on it for a month or so I noticed swelling in my feet and calves. Someone had suggested that that is a side effect of the drug and so even though I stopped taking it; I still have swollen feet and calves especially when I wake up in the morning. I was told by my surgeon that 1 out of 20 her patients that have this surgery also have this outcome. Her only suggestion was offering Gabapentin and when I saw the side effects were at least double that of Meloxicam, I decided against it. I did order a mini-trampoline to jump on lightly for 5 to 10 minutes. It's supposed to be a natural way to deal with edema and it does help. I am 9 months out of my TKR and am still struggling so I do feel for so many of you because the chronic pain can wear me down sometimes. My quality of life is definitely not better at this point and I don't want to settle for the analogy of picking the short straw when it comes to the outcome of my surgery.

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