When does the pain end or lighten up after total knee replacement?

Posted by irishtrish @irishtrish, Sep 11, 2025

I am 3.5 months since my knee replacement and I'm still experiencing pain and spasms. Also, the replacement clicks/catches on the outer back part of the knee. Is this all normal or anything to worry about? How do you handle the pain?

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Profile picture for cyndi2013 @cyndi2013

@steveinarizona
I wouldn't want a surgeon to do this, "the Jiffy knee cut produces less pain but his cut is designed so that if he or anyone else has to go back in, he left a road.".
If he believes that another surgeon would likely see the need to go back in the knee, then that's a huge problem I would have with Chow.
Just my opinion

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@cyndi2013

The bell curve rule operates on TKRs as well:


No matter how good the surgery, bad things can happen. My research was designed to maximize the probability of a good outcome but one can't guarantee it. An implant can wear out, the patella can separate, the spacer can separate, etc.

IMO an excellent physician anticipates the worst as well as the best and plans around it. But go ahead and find someone who thinks that all his surgeries come out perfectly. I don't want that delusional surgeon.

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Profile picture for steveinarizona @steveinarizona

@cyndi2013

The bell curve rule operates on TKRs as well:


No matter how good the surgery, bad things can happen. My research was designed to maximize the probability of a good outcome but one can't guarantee it. An implant can wear out, the patella can separate, the spacer can separate, etc.

IMO an excellent physician anticipates the worst as well as the best and plans around it. But go ahead and find someone who thinks that all his surgeries come out perfectly. I don't want that delusional surgeon.

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@steveinarizona
Thanks. I was just stating my opinion. I had my TKR almost 1 year ago, and I am happy with mine.

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Profile picture for gymratca @gymratca

PS: ICING is critical after walks, as well as after PT / Exercises... And helps control swelling which controls pain ...so if you're not icing or if you're not icing after each of these kind of sessions that could directly be the reason why you are still experiencing major pain.

( Typically icing duration 8 - 12 minutes, never on direct skin, via ice packs or cold gel packs that most favorably are surrounding entire knee...wrapped in a large towel completely around all sides of knee 😇)

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@gymratca
I long ago realized ice can be my best friend!

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Profile picture for cyndi2013 @cyndi2013

@steveinarizona
I wouldn't want a surgeon to do this, "the Jiffy knee cut produces less pain but his cut is designed so that if he or anyone else has to go back in, he left a road.".
If he believes that another surgeon would likely see the need to go back in the knee, then that's a huge problem I would have with Chow.
Just my opinion

Jump to this post

@cyndi2013

My last comment and I am going to leave this issue alone. My surgeon is a revision surgeon...he spends about 20% of his surgery time on revising other surgeons' work. So he is thinking ahead...just in case.

I am sitting here typing on my computer on the 8th day post surgery and the only pain I get is when I try to flex beyond what I currently can do. Go ahead and find someone else...I will stick with the best hip/knee surgeon around. I wouldn't have trusted any other surgeon to do a bicruciate retaining implant like Chow did.

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I am glad your revision went well. As did my traditional tkr. We both survived and doing well.

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I am in 13th week and have been plateauing at around 90 degree knee bend since about week nine. Doing my 3X daily exercise and 2X weekly PT religiously. Has anyone experienced long plateauing and then continued progressing after week twelve?

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