Hi...
From my experience and recently have 2 full knee replacements over the last 9 months, I would say it sounds like because of your swelling as well as a very hard knee that you have lots of scar tissue still in your knee. I'm not sure how much and how long of physical therapy you had? But at some point, the knee should not be hard any longer, it softens and swelling seems to suggest that perhaps you're not doing enough icing and/or you're doing too much walking on it at any 1 time.

It's a tricky balance because different people can tolerate a different amount of pain as well as their knees are in different shape and condition from others. Because I exercised so much all of my life, I was easier able to take a higher amount of pain without swelling but. .. If I overdid it, I would get swelling!

> ICING CRITICAL... I would say at least 4 times a day, especially on days where you might at home. Be doing your own physical therapy. Because those particular walks or exercises such as ankle flexes and leg raises... all can irritate the knee and cause it to swell.

So you have to kind of monitor how much you can do starting with doing a minimal amount and gradually increasing it. over a few days to a few weeks, to determine that boundary.

●It's a bit of trial-and-error but it will serve youwell and when you get positive results, you will become more positive Anne.You will know the boundaries to work within a lot better as you continue to improve

● STRETCHING... 3 to 4 times daily is also very important. Because the stretching aids your range of motion and by doing the stretching, you will have less pain!