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Severe post-op TKR buttocks, lower back and lateral hip pain

Posted by drmom @drmom, Mar 19 7:03pm

Shocking and devastating lack of interest by my Knee Surgeon in the postop complication I'm having my knee is doing well. I'm two months postop but since 10 days after doing a too difficult exercise in PT excruciating unrelenting maddening buttock lower back lateral hip may be trochanter bursitis. I don't know my surgeon is completely uninterested in helping me. His attitude is. It's not my problem. I am devastated. I don't know where to turn. There is no way I'm doing shots in my spine, which are likely not to work since the prednisone tablets didn't work and the risk of infection for TKR is too much. I tried resting for three days and got some domination of pain, but as soon as I went back to my exercise and swimming pain came back in full force could this be a nerve irritation that will go away in time by itself I don't know what kind of doctor to go to

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dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Mar 20 7:24am

@drmom
You may want to see an orthopedic spine specialist to get a MRI of your lumbar spine. TKR can throw off alignment of your body and exercises can cause injury. Usually, knee and hip specialists would investigate the new pain for you and you should also consider getting a X-ray and MRI of your right and left hip to see if there is joint or soft tissue damage. A pain management specialist can give you options to manage the pain once you get imaging done.

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drmom | @drmom | Mar 20 9:09am
In reply to @dlydailyhope "@drmom You may want to see an orthopedic spine specialist to get a MRI of your..." + (show)
@dlydailyhope

@drmom
You may want to see an orthopedic spine specialist to get a MRI of your lumbar spine. TKR can throw off alignment of your body and exercises can cause injury. Usually, knee and hip specialists would investigate the new pain for you and you should also consider getting a X-ray and MRI of your right and left hip to see if there is joint or soft tissue damage. A pain management specialist can give you options to manage the pain once you get imaging done.

Jump to this post

Thank you so very much. I told my knee surgeon I wanted an MRI, but he didn't want me to have one -so presumably he's trying to protect himself from any supposition that there is damage to soft tissues caused by my TKR. I find this reprehensible -you mentioned an orthopedic spine specialist, when I googled that I only come up with spine surgeons. Is there a more specific way to find someone who is not only a surgeon of the spine and not only of a specific part of the spine i.e. cervical? Can't say how grateful I am to you. This is an absolute nightmare.

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dlydailyhope | @dlydailyhope | Mar 20 10:23am
In reply to @drmom "Thank you so very much. I told my knee surgeon I wanted an MRI, but he..." + (show)
@drmom

Thank you so very much. I told my knee surgeon I wanted an MRI, but he didn't want me to have one -so presumably he's trying to protect himself from any supposition that there is damage to soft tissues caused by my TKR. I find this reprehensible -you mentioned an orthopedic spine specialist, when I googled that I only come up with spine surgeons. Is there a more specific way to find someone who is not only a surgeon of the spine and not only of a specific part of the spine i.e. cervical? Can't say how grateful I am to you. This is an absolute nightmare.

Jump to this post

@drmom
I go to a local orthopedic large practice that has many specialties. You need to see the specialist that focuses on the body part.

For example, I have seen the spine specialist/surgeon and his physician assistants for cervical and lumbar spine issues, injections and surgeries. When I injured my hand/wrist and for carpal tunnel, I have seen the hand specialist/surgeon (just recently had carpal tunnel release surgery on right hand and still need to do the left), and when I was having hip/buttock pain, I saw the hip/knee specialist who sent me for MRIs of my right/left hip. I did not have any issue with my hip joint but they found bilateral gluteal tendinopathy and bilateral high grade hamstring tears. I have no idea how I got this but it is very painful. They can do pain injections and I may need surgery at some point on my right hamstring to reattach it to my pelvis/ischial tuberosity.

I am a 55 year old female and noticed after my lumbar spine surgery in August 2024 that my body alignment changed and created new pain until I adjusted my body mechanics.

It sounds like the change in your body alignment and PT may have caused a new injury. Your pain should not be ignored and needs to be investigated. Keep advocating for yourself to get the relief you deserve.

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