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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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JK | @contentandwell | Feb 12, 2020
In reply to @sierrashopper "To doodles 418: Doesn't make sense to me. I have a friend who kept going back..." + (show)
@sierrashopper

To doodles 418: Doesn't make sense to me. I have a friend who kept going back to her surgeon with pain for a few years and she could not straighten the leg. He said there was nothing to be done and that the implant was fine. She went to another local practice and the surgeon there said he was amazed she could even walk because everything had loosened and become separated. She underwent a revision a few months ago and is doing very well. Don't know where you are located but there are some great surgeons here at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC which is where I went for my surgery because I had issues that the locals would not address. You need to find someone else.

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@sierrashopper I have heard the Hospital for Special Surgery is the best for orthopedics. Do they do other surgery also?
JK

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1 reply
sierrashopper | @sierrashopper | Feb 13, 2020
In reply to @contentandwell "@sierrashopper I have heard the Hospital for Special Surgery is the best for orthopedics. Do they..." + (show)
@contentandwell

@sierrashopper I have heard the Hospital for Special Surgery is the best for orthopedics. Do they do other surgery also?
JK

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As far as I know it is all orthopedic ---- reconstruction, infections, diseases, cancer etc. You need to check the website. The surgeon I used was G. Westrich.

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doodles418 | @doodles418 | Feb 13, 2020
In reply to @sierrashopper "To doodles 418: Doesn't make sense to me. I have a friend who kept going back..." + (show)
@sierrashopper

To doodles 418: Doesn't make sense to me. I have a friend who kept going back to her surgeon with pain for a few years and she could not straighten the leg. He said there was nothing to be done and that the implant was fine. She went to another local practice and the surgeon there said he was amazed she could even walk because everything had loosened and become separated. She underwent a revision a few months ago and is doing very well. Don't know where you are located but there are some great surgeons here at the Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC which is where I went for my surgery because I had issues that the locals would not address. You need to find someone else.

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I am in the midwest in a large metro area. I have an excellent PT in a private group who is going to give me a referral to a Dr that specializes in revisions. My story is not typical, and I will share it eventually, but it is rather complicated the path this surgery has led me down.

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bobhy | @bobhy | Feb 24, 2020

I am three months post TKR, and still have that same sensation. I described the feeling to my doctor and physical therapist as though I have a tourniquet tied just above my knee. Both the Dr. and PT have said they expect that sensation to abate, but cannot give assurances. The sensation is uncomfortable enough to keep my awake at night.
Before surgery I swam perhaps 10 miles weekly. Last week I swam for the first time and was able to flutter kick. It's painful, but I think this is helping. This week the tourniquet sensation is slightly better. I don't know if it's the exercise, or I'm just finally improving with time.

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2 replies
sweede536 | @sweede536 | Feb 25, 2020
In reply to @bobhy "I am three months post TKR, and still have that same sensation. I described the feeling..." + (show)
@bobhy

I am three months post TKR, and still have that same sensation. I described the feeling to my doctor and physical therapist as though I have a tourniquet tied just above my knee. Both the Dr. and PT have said they expect that sensation to abate, but cannot give assurances. The sensation is uncomfortable enough to keep my awake at night.
Before surgery I swam perhaps 10 miles weekly. Last week I swam for the first time and was able to flutter kick. It's painful, but I think this is helping. This week the tourniquet sensation is slightly better. I don't know if it's the exercise, or I'm just finally improving with time.

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I also have the very tight band feeling around the top of my lower knee. Surgeon said as long as it goes back and forth it's fine. I started to see a lady PA at the surgeons office and shes great. She said about 15% of of the surgery has problems. Many others have had the same problem as we do.
Mine is over 4 years now. I've had a spec iui al freeze where probes are inserted into your knee. Supposed to kill nerves, didn't work. Had cortisone injections, didnt work. Doing this all at the pain center. Going back in two weeks, not sure what next step is.

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1 reply
dellie | @dellie | Feb 25, 2020
In reply to @sweede536 "I also have the very tight band feeling around the top of my lower knee. Surgeon..." + (show)
@sweede536

I also have the very tight band feeling around the top of my lower knee. Surgeon said as long as it goes back and forth it's fine. I started to see a lady PA at the surgeons office and shes great. She said about 15% of of the surgery has problems. Many others have had the same problem as we do.
Mine is over 4 years now. I've had a spec iui al freeze where probes are inserted into your knee. Supposed to kill nerves, didn't work. Had cortisone injections, didnt work. Doing this all at the pain center. Going back in two weeks, not sure what next step is.

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I have had the injections as well and tomorrow I go to a new physical therapist with hope of additional type therapy concentrating on the IT band only. My doctor keeps telling me he doesn't think it's the actual knee, but the fact he had to straighten my leg so much, it more than stretched this band. Let me know what the pain doctor has to say and I'll update after my sessions with the new PT. Good luck to you!

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dellie | @dellie | Feb 28, 2020

Yes. I am 5 months out and just went to a new PT. He made me quit all exercises and has me doing specific ones for the IT band. My knee is no longer flat on the table..I'm 11 degrees off which is putting more of a stretch on the band as well. The surgeon thought my straight knee was good, but in reality, very bad. Keep doing your quad stretches and force that knee down. I'm hoping I see improvement soon. The PT told me he could get the IT calmed down, but it will come back since my knee was off by 11 degrees and my hip was way too tight, so I dangle my leg off the bed and stretch that muscle as well. I'm going 3 times a week and I'm very hopeful. Good luck

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dellie | @dellie | Feb 28, 2020
In reply to @bobhy "I am three months post TKR, and still have that same sensation. I described the feeling..." + (show)
@bobhy

I am three months post TKR, and still have that same sensation. I described the feeling to my doctor and physical therapist as though I have a tourniquet tied just above my knee. Both the Dr. and PT have said they expect that sensation to abate, but cannot give assurances. The sensation is uncomfortable enough to keep my awake at night.
Before surgery I swam perhaps 10 miles weekly. Last week I swam for the first time and was able to flutter kick. It's painful, but I think this is helping. This week the tourniquet sensation is slightly better. I don't know if it's the exercise, or I'm just finally improving with time.

Jump to this post

Are you able to get your knee flat on the table? I guess that is part of my problem as well as my hip/pelvis muscle is way too tight too.

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1 reply
sweede536 | @sweede536 | Mar 1, 2020
In reply to @dellie "Are you able to get your knee flat on the table? I guess that is part..." + (show)
@dellie

Are you able to get your knee flat on the table? I guess that is part of my problem as well as my hip/pelvis muscle is way too tight too.

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I am very frustrated as they say they had never seen this problem, I've had 5 or more people that have the same problem that I have.
Four years of this terrible. Can't go for walks as I get two block away it hurts so bad I start thinging of how painful it's going to be when I start back tracking home. I've had probes that froze nerves, I've special nerve shots, i've had regular pain shots and I have just about had it! Four years wasted!!!!

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Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Mar 1, 2020

@sweede536, Good evening. Four years is unthinkable. I am sure you have gone back for images and assume everything looks fine. The only option you didn't mention that you had tried is Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR). If the fascia around your knee is all crisscrossed and in layers, it may be the source of your pain. It is no longer fluid and moving freely. Here is a Connect discussion and an introduction to @jenniferhunter. She is a qualified expert in this area.
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/.
May you open the door to freedom from pain.
Chris

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