Scar tissue after knee replacement

Hello @hospdoc, and welcome to Connect. Thank you for sharing your story with the other members of this group and discussion.

I also had a bad recovery from a total knee replacement in 2006. I had to have two manipulations, and when that didn't work I did a full leg cast with cranks at the knee joint that I would turn to manually apply pressure to bend my knee. That still didn't work. One day, about a year and a half after my surgery I popped the knee loose on my own on accident and I now have 0-100.

From one TKR to another, all I can say is keep pushing and keeping seeking answers, it can get better, even if it takes more time than you originally thought. I'd be interested to hear more about your astym treatment if you don't mind sharing with the group.

Thank you so much for your message it give me hope and I feel a kinship with with people like you

I had scar tissue after hip replacement. I have a massage therapist who does mayo facial release. It took care of the scar tissue, IT band tightness, and other muscle imbalances from walking funny.

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I have had an awful experience following my knee surgeries. I had done I suppose you can call a partial knee replacement, for osteochondritis dissicans. I had my first surgery in August, physical therapy was and has been rough, the pain meds I was prescribed might as well have been candies for all they did. I was first prescribed hydrocodone, oxycodone, and when I wasn't getting much ROM (averaging 90 at PT and screaming the place down) I was referred to pain management by my ortho. after my second surgery to remove scar tissue. (October 30th) Pain management then prescribed me dilaudid, which surprise, did nothing for pain. His only answer was increasing the dosage, at one point I was taking my whole days dosage (3 2mg pills) just to go to physical therapy. This did nothing for the pain. I have finally seen a different pain management doc who has put me on muscle relaxers as well as a 24 hour alleve. These still have no effect on the pain. I am in tears every day from the pain, and here I am thinking I'm a tough girl. I am stuck in the same place I was following my first surgery, I'm thinking I went through all this extra pain for no reason. I'm losing more ROM everyday with the pain, which is not changing/ subsiding at all. Just hoping someone has some miracle answer for me, or perhaps a similar experience and any advice. I should mention I just turned 22 last month.

Hi my sympathies I have similar issues my surgery was June still have scar tissue, although getting better, My doctor says if it’s not healed by next May he’s going to do arthroscopic surgery to remove any scar tissue, it is a slow process I’m hanging in there I wish you the best don’t know anything about laser

I am in the same spot as you, I had my first surgery in August. I am in severe pain, had arthroscopy to remove dense scar tissue the day before Halloween. Despite different pain management doctors prescribing nearly everything under the sun, I've had no improvement to the pain. I was getting 110-105 the first few weeks, but this past Friday only achieved 96 degrees, all while screaming in tears with pts physically pushing me.

I had my TKR 7 weeks ago...going in this week to try to break the scar tissue...they are putting me out. Haven't slept well since the surgery...great deal of pain. Biggest issue is Range of Motion...only at 95 degrees. I want to remain active, but I'm getting nervous. Surgeons did not recommend Physical Therapy initially, but now they want me to start. I'm confused about that as well...I've worked it hard at home.

Hello @rjmurray41, welcome to Connect.

If you are only at 7 weeks, try to not get discouraged just yet. It took me well over a year to find my new norm. Like you, I struggled with extreme scar tissue formation. I also had to have two manipulations where they put me back under to break the scar tissue. I had a horrible recovery, but I was also battling 12 years of right leg muscle atrophy and joint flexion, so I was trying to reverse a decades worth of not having my leg straight or bent properly. In the end, I ended up getting to 0-105 degrees or so of flexion.

I also did not do physical therapy except for what they gave me to do at home. Looking back, I was not nearly as disciplined as I should have been to combat the scar tissue. Pain can be debilitating, especially when trying to rehab.

@rjmurray41, if you don't mind sharing, are you concerned about the procedure to break up the scar tissue? How are you currently managing your pain? I also had a lot of pain after the replacement, but it does get progressively better (and so does the sleep, I became a major insomniac for the first few months).

As Justin said .... with only 7 weeks behind you, you just can't expect it to look very good. I had my original TKR 4 years ago, and a revision to that one a year afterwards ..... that was almost 3 years ago. I still have quite a scar on my knee and I suspect I always will. I consider it my "badge of courage" ..... I have many friends who are too afraid to have a TKR .... not me, get er' done is my philosophy. I'm not sure what is meant by breaking it up. I just rubbed coconut oil (the solid) on it for a year with no results. Please don't misinterpret this as discouraging you .... I'm not doing that intentionally, but some things may have to be lived with.
abby