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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Well I know how you all feel. Four ops in left knee, one in the right. The right knee has scar tissue but it’s bearable. The left knee is awful. It was originally done in 2012. Then again. Then spacers for infection, then done again. What a mess! Now the tight band when I walk a mile. It will never get better. I’ve accepted that, but the pain is always there, just to remind you, you’re an idiot. You should have put up with the limp. My surgeon went from charm personified to hateful and nasty! So I have to wait till the pandemic is over before I can see anyone. Great!! Press rewind but too late!!

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The tight band feeling is terrible! After 5 1/2"years it's just as bad. The more you walk the more it gets worse! It makes my leg feel very unstable. I've called 11 times. Have had all kinds of injections with no change. When I go to lift my knee to step over something I start feeling the pain then dont lift my leg high enough and trip. There about 267 people out of this internet site that has the same thing. You would think someone would know what the problem is.

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@medinafive

Oh man, a year? I think I will be driven nuts by then... I guess we learn to live with it. I don't have any pain.. I hope you can find some relief.

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Mine is been with me over 5 years!!!
I get so pissed as it never gets better. Fallen 11times!! Lucky no broken bones. When I step over something my subconscious takes over and says pain starting! Then I dont lift my foot high enough and thus trip. I had so many different shots for what they say might be over active nerves. It's not nerve as i feel it's the outside ligaments. It hurts from my left lig. To my right side ligament. Then across the front of my knee. The more I walk the tighter the ban feeling gets.
Going in for my left knee this November and really has me worried! My wife has had both hers done and feels great. Mine sucks!!!!

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@scgraham

I am 19 months post TKR surgery. The surgery went well. I have great ROM. But, from the beginning I have had a tight band feeling just under my knee, and a compressed feeling in my calf muscle. Feels like I have on the tightest knee sock imaginable with a tourniquet for a top band. I was prescribed gabapentin, didn’t help. I went through PT 3x trying different things to treat this, including astym and dry needling. I still have bruised areas on my leg and it’s been 7 months since the last session. My surgeon and PT have not been able to explain the what or why of this phenomenon. But was told at my one year appointment that there was a good chance I would just have to live with this. It takes a great deal of mental energy to rise above this pain to have a productive day. I am a 65 yr old female. Anyone else out there have any information or tips for dealing with this?

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Had this forv5 1/2"years. Deadening nerve shots has somewhat helped but not enough! I feel very unstable climbing stairs or just climbing anything. I,ve tripped and fallen 11 times and have been luck no breaks. I'm going back to the surgeon in 3 werks .no body can tell me why I'm in so much pain when I walk.. so disgusted. My wife had both her knees done by the same surgeon and she does great!
Good luck yo you, just becafull.

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@captjamesh

Guys and girls I have this also! Tomorrow will be 2 weeks since surgery and like others have described my knee feels like I have a tight to very tight ace bandage wrapped around my knee. I have had some feels of burning and tearing during PT. I really notice it after I first wake up and I am so paranoid that it is scar tissue forming.

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My current PT says the earlier you start the Myofascial Release Therapy the better. I know it's very painful right now, but see if you can find a PT that knows this technique and can advise you on when to start. I wish I had found this group earlier. My "band" is starting to release a "little" and its been 7 months. Best of luck. Keep us posted.

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@judybearden1

Did you do anything to help it? I'm almost 7 months out and still going to PT for it. I did find someone who does Myofascial Release Therapy and the most relief I have gotten is 2 hours. She's confident she can help so I'm continuing with her for a while more.

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Hi, gonna jump in here. (R)tka 6 weeks ago. Now wearing foot/ankle brace for drop foot due to stretched peroneal nerve during surgery. No change to that in 6wks. Also numbness of bottom of foot and calf pain unchanged since surgery as well. Because there has been no change at all I'm starting to feel like this may be permanent. I gave read many stories here and would like your comments if you have similar issues. Also, no one has commented on recourse thru litigation...

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Yes i have, and it will go away gradually with healing. I just flex my foot and walk . but it will go away

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@scgraham

I will clarify what i meant by "tight band" and it may not be the same as what other posters mean. It feel like a tourniquet is around my leg just below my knee. And the pain extends to the calf area of my leg, feeling like an extremely tight compression feeling. My muscles are soft, not contracted. My knee cap is not involved. I am 19 months post surgery.

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Wow i had that to. I had to walk, ice and start my exercise all over again. Mine felt like a rubber band around the bottom of my knee. And pain down the side of my leg to the ankle and tendons . just enough to aggravate you. But it will go away in a couple weeks. I had to start riding my stationary bike sooner than planned. That did it for me. I'm nine months out from second surgery on the same knee. Still healing but the tight band did go completely away in a couple weeks. If that long. Good luck and be patient. Healing is slow.

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@ladybee

Wow i had that to. I had to walk, ice and start my exercise all over again. Mine felt like a rubber band around the bottom of my knee. And pain down the side of my leg to the ankle and tendons . just enough to aggravate you. But it will go away in a couple weeks. I had to start riding my stationary bike sooner than planned. That did it for me. I'm nine months out from second surgery on the same knee. Still healing but the tight band did go completely away in a couple weeks. If that long. Good luck and be patient. Healing is slow.

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It goes away for some people. For many others, like myself, it does NOT go away! 😟

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@ladybee

Yes i have, and it will go away gradually with healing. I just flex my foot and walk . but it will go away

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That's just it. I can't flex my foot. I had to get the brace to hold my foot up so I stopped tripping over it and potentially fslling.

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