Has anyone had a tight band feeling after total knee replacement?

Posted by mhort1213 @mhort1213, Feb 28, 2019

I am 8 weeks post TKR and have had this very tight band around my knee since week one. My Dr at 6 wks says it is normal and will go away. Has anyone else had this and did it go away and when?

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@snowdoc2001

Yes. It feels like a tourniquet in my thigh. Dr told me she had to cut further up due to adhesions. That and continued swelling is really slowing recovery. I am 3 months out tkr and one month from manipulation. Discouraged with slow progress and low right back pain from the cane. I feel like this tkr was worst decision i have made !

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I know how you feel as I can relate. I am almost a year out and still have that band effect and days when it is raining and snowy it really is apparent. They had to cut the anterior tib and somehow tie it all together. Overall I am happy to get rid of the pain and be able to walk. So it was worth it. I continue to exercise and stretch and not overdo. The PA told me the knee won’t be like the other one so I accepted the fact that I can’t and won’t be able to do the stuff I used to do. My biggest prayer is to get rid of the band for I do get discouraged at times.

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Yes I did have the same surgeon. My in hospital experience could not have been more different. Same hospital but after first TKR care was not good. Second time around awesome care from staff and nurses. I was bone on bone. Same PT and same exercises. I think knowing what to expect helped. After my first TKR I experienced foot drop while in hospital and that slowed my getting up and moving. Staff not very good. I had to spend extra time in hospital until the problem got better. Next time around so much better. Lots of support and excellent care. Don't know why there was such a difference in the care I received. So I think better in hospital experience helped but also I was familiar with the after care and PT and knew what to expect.

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Absolutely. I have had injections at the top & bottom of the IT band with no relief. I have been using a foam roller to try to break up the adhesions, with no help. I am 4 months out from my TKR and I'm scheduled to see my surgeon again on Feb 20th. Originally, I was told due to the fact they had to straighten my leg so much, it was no surprise that my IT band was stretched and t will eventually calm down. If I bend my knee to 30 degrees, I get this horrible pain, but it goes away fairly quickly. It wakes me all throughout the night and my sleep has been affected greatly. I am not sure of the answer at this point, but I am looking for some relief soon. My surgeon did tell me he did have a patient with the same issue that lasted 10 months! I'll post my conversation with my surgeon after the 20th. As far as my knee replacement, I think it is doing well except when this IT band is really acting up, my knee swells, but really isn't painful, just feels swollen! Good luck.

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@sjot4u

I know how you feel as I can relate. I am almost a year out and still have that band effect and days when it is raining and snowy it really is apparent. They had to cut the anterior tib and somehow tie it all together. Overall I am happy to get rid of the pain and be able to walk. So it was worth it. I continue to exercise and stretch and not overdo. The PA told me the knee won’t be like the other one so I accepted the fact that I can’t and won’t be able to do the stuff I used to do. My biggest prayer is to get rid of the band for I do get discouraged at times.

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What’s most “annoying “ to me is that my surgeon dismissed my complaints. Over and over I explained that the knee seemed to “snap back” when I was walking, that every 45 minutes to an hour I was awakened during the night in horrible pain. The surgeon “never” listened to me, never ordered any additional testing. Just told me “to wait until a year was up.” I asked her is she thought it reasonable to assume the knee would be better, when I’m fact each week, each month it was getting worse? She again dismissed me. When I finally sought another opinion, that surgeon listened and ordered a nuclear bone scan. It was obvious from the scan that there was a total mechanical failure and loosening of the implant. I suffered months and months (torchured) unnecessary. Now I am waiting to get a surgery date which will be couple months more. I must say this also my original surgeon was not at Mayo, but I did seek a second opinion from Mayo and was “dismissed” as well. Very disappointing.

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@danielcwest

What’s most “annoying “ to me is that my surgeon dismissed my complaints. Over and over I explained that the knee seemed to “snap back” when I was walking, that every 45 minutes to an hour I was awakened during the night in horrible pain. The surgeon “never” listened to me, never ordered any additional testing. Just told me “to wait until a year was up.” I asked her is she thought it reasonable to assume the knee would be better, when I’m fact each week, each month it was getting worse? She again dismissed me. When I finally sought another opinion, that surgeon listened and ordered a nuclear bone scan. It was obvious from the scan that there was a total mechanical failure and loosening of the implant. I suffered months and months (torchured) unnecessary. Now I am waiting to get a surgery date which will be couple months more. I must say this also my original surgeon was not at Mayo, but I did seek a second opinion from Mayo and was “dismissed” as well. Very disappointing.

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@danielcwest I am really sorry for the treatment you received but happy that you did find a surgeon who paid more attention and was able to diagnose the problem. My surgeon was great when I was having more pain than he expected me to have, he was seeing me frequently and did an xray. We were both relieved when the pain suddenly resolved.
Will your future surgery be a recision or can they do something more simple to fix the problem? I am sure you are not looking forward to whichever it is but keep in mind that afterward your leg will feel so much better.
JK

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Doctor is doing total knee replacement revision. Starting all over. 😥

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I guess what is the worst for me is that the tightness is there all the time and I still get "skin numbness" off and on throughout the day in different places. I also have a "pocket-like" spot of swelling on the inside of my ankle. Surgeon would barely look at it and my GP said "it's from the surgery". So discouraging that they won't answer my questions. If they would at least try to explain things to me instead of just dismiss me it would help.

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@danielcwest

What’s most “annoying “ to me is that my surgeon dismissed my complaints. Over and over I explained that the knee seemed to “snap back” when I was walking, that every 45 minutes to an hour I was awakened during the night in horrible pain. The surgeon “never” listened to me, never ordered any additional testing. Just told me “to wait until a year was up.” I asked her is she thought it reasonable to assume the knee would be better, when I’m fact each week, each month it was getting worse? She again dismissed me. When I finally sought another opinion, that surgeon listened and ordered a nuclear bone scan. It was obvious from the scan that there was a total mechanical failure and loosening of the implant. I suffered months and months (torchured) unnecessary. Now I am waiting to get a surgery date which will be couple months more. I must say this also my original surgeon was not at Mayo, but I did seek a second opinion from Mayo and was “dismissed” as well. Very disappointing.

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Surgeon's only care if the knee move back and forth correctly. I am going to the P A and she is great. She even said the surgeon's only worry about movement. If it moves great his job is done. The P A said she gets the problem cases and works with the pain center. I just had a knee block and it has helped a little but the band I'd still there. I've fallen so many times due to I unconsciously don't lift my high enough with the band feeling a ts up. So beware of falling.

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@danielcwest

Doctor is doing total knee replacement revision. Starting all over. 😥

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@danielcwest I guess you just have to be thankful that this doctor discovered the problem and will fix it. I had a friend who spent two years limping in pain before she found a doctor who figured out the problem. Sure, another surgery is not what anyone wants but it's better than the alternative of continued pain. I hope this surgery will go well.
JK

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@sweede536

Surgeon's only care if the knee move back and forth correctly. I am going to the P A and she is great. She even said the surgeon's only worry about movement. If it moves great his job is done. The P A said she gets the problem cases and works with the pain center. I just had a knee block and it has helped a little but the band I'd still there. I've fallen so many times due to I unconsciously don't lift my high enough with the band feeling a ts up. So beware of falling.

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@sweede536 That's too bad that your surgeon had that attitude. I was fortunate in my choice of surgeons and he was great. I never had the tight band feeling that many refer to. What is a knee block?
JK

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