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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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clbs | @clbs | Oct 25, 2020
In reply to @jnoronha "Hi Judybearden1: This steroid injection is totally different. My surgeon also told me he would give...." + (show)
@jnoronha

Hi Judybearden1: This steroid injection is totally different. My surgeon also told me he would give. I opted not to take it with him. I doubt he knew how to give it. First of all he did not know about it. He talked to his friend doctor who told him that I need to see a dermatologist who will give me a steroid. Now, mind you, this was all because I had developed a scar keloid. My nurse friend brought it to my attention. Until then I did not know about it and when I asked my surgeon he told me it take a year to 18 months to heal. When I told him it was a keloid he contacted his friend to find out what it is.

This steroid is, as I mentioned, given in the skin, not only in one place but three places or so depending on how big the scar is. I got three pokes at a distance of about an inch and half on one knee and the same with the other. The dermatologist releases the medication little at a time on each spot. It is given just in the top layer of the skin. You can actually see the needle under the skin. So, this is not like the steroid injection that you take in your shoulder or knee before TKR, etc. which is usually one poke and you are done.

This steroid injection has helped me to bend my knee a little better, walk better and the warm feeling and numbness has reduced though not totally gone which according to the surgeon will take a year to 18 months. I had gone to another ortho surgeon for a second opinion and he told me the numbness is permanent. I don't know which surgeon to believe.

Overall, I am feeling much better although the pain has not completely gone in my left knee which was done a year ago, on Oct. 30th 2019. The second knee was done on May 20, 2020 and the pain is not totally gone but it is getting better. I feel it is too early to expect total no pain in comparison with my left knee. I walk every day for 1/2 hour, I work in the yard, do household chores, etc.

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Almost my entire right leg is numb from the knee to the ankle and my TKR was January 2019. Pretty sure it’s not going away. And your tight band feeling is in the scar area? I have that feeling, too, but it not anywhere near the surgical scar so perhaps, your issue is different than mine. Maybe steroids wouldn’t be the answer in my case...

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jnoronha | @jnoronha | Oct 25, 2020

I am so sorry to hear that. Good luck to you in finding a solution for your problem.

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ruthannejoan | @ruthannejoan | Oct 26, 2020
In reply to @clbs "Almost my entire right leg is numb from the knee to the ankle and my TKR..." + (show)
@clbs

Almost my entire right leg is numb from the knee to the ankle and my TKR was January 2019. Pretty sure it’s not going away. And your tight band feeling is in the scar area? I have that feeling, too, but it not anywhere near the surgical scar so perhaps, your issue is different than mine. Maybe steroids wouldn’t be the answer in my case...

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I also have the same tight nimbness in lower leg. Surgery was Jan 2020.
I am beginning to think the problem is more of a peronial nerve issue. I do not have foot drop, thankfully. No actual knee pain. If it truly is nerve trauma, there may still be a small hope for at least some reduction of this feeling.
I have wondered if the tourniquet used during surgery to control loss of blood and to keep the surgical field dry, may be the predominate cause as my sciatic nerve was screaming for about 3 months post surgery- the nerve bifurcates and also becomes the peronial nerve which also serves the lower leg. No dr has given me a yay or nay answer in that direction though. Hopefully taking B vitamins will help nerve healing. At least I had no infection and I can walk.

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sweede536 | @sweede536 | Oct 26, 2020
In reply to @ruthannejoan "I also have the same tight nimbness in lower leg. Surgery was Jan 2020. I am..." + (show)
@ruthannejoan

I also have the same tight nimbness in lower leg. Surgery was Jan 2020.
I am beginning to think the problem is more of a peronial nerve issue. I do not have foot drop, thankfully. No actual knee pain. If it truly is nerve trauma, there may still be a small hope for at least some reduction of this feeling.
I have wondered if the tourniquet used during surgery to control loss of blood and to keep the surgical field dry, may be the predominate cause as my sciatic nerve was screaming for about 3 months post surgery- the nerve bifurcates and also becomes the peronial nerve which also serves the lower leg. No dr has given me a yay or nay answer in that direction though. Hopefully taking B vitamins will help nerve healing. At least I had no infection and I can walk.

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I've had a tight band problem for 5 years!!! I've had nerve shots, rehad twice and more shots, nothing has worked.
I am going to have my RH replaced soon. My surgeon says he thinks it my bad hip now. He thinks when its replaced the tightness will go away. Says bad joint can cause unevenness and can cause the pain. I sure hope, living with this horrible dull tight pain for all these years has made my life miserable!
I 1 qss 1ea 1q111111¹
always thought this was a rear problem the way my doctor talked but theres a lot of this, yes no surgeon can say what causes it! I think these doctors need to devote more time in researching this problem

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chickenhaslips | @chickenhaslips | Nov 17, 2020
In reply to @sweede536 "I've had a tight band problem for 5 years!!! I've had nerve shots, rehad twice and..." + (show)
@sweede536

I've had a tight band problem for 5 years!!! I've had nerve shots, rehad twice and more shots, nothing has worked.
I am going to have my RH replaced soon. My surgeon says he thinks it my bad hip now. He thinks when its replaced the tightness will go away. Says bad joint can cause unevenness and can cause the pain. I sure hope, living with this horrible dull tight pain for all these years has made my life miserable!
I 1 qss 1ea 1q111111¹
always thought this was a rear problem the way my doctor talked but theres a lot of this, yes no surgeon can say what causes it! I think these doctors need to devote more time in researching this problem

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It’s Chickenhaslips again.I gave a recommendation October 26 ,2020 .I stated the biking and weights to build up the guards ,hamstrings and adductor,abductors had helped.They have continued to help me.Has anyone else had this experience? I had a significant case of IT Band .It’s not totally gone but much improved.No more clicking or pain going up and down stairs.You really lose a lot of muscle mass with the operation.Need to build it back to balance the leg muscles and take pressure off the IT Band . Like to hear from people with a similar experience

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stp258 | @stp258 | Nov 21, 2020
In reply to @mhort1213 "I have tried water therapy and up to this point has not really helped much if..." + (show)
@mhort1213

I have tried water therapy and up to this point has not really helped much if at all. My ROM is excellent. The tight band that I feel starts on the inside of my knee and wraps over my kneecap and goes under my knee. It feels like a wide band or tourniquet. I also have some effusion (fluid) on the lateral side of my knee which the Dr.says will go away as well in time. Praying he is right!

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I have the exact same feeling you describe. I am almost 4 months post surgery. ROM has always been good, and have some pain now and then, but not too bad. I walk over two miles a day, but this tight band feeling is very disappointing. My surgeon avoids answering me. I am starting to come to terms with the real possibility this never goes away.

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clbs | @clbs | Nov 21, 2020
In reply to @stp258 "I have the exact same feeling you describe. I am almost 4 months post surgery. ROM..." + (show)
@stp258

I have the exact same feeling you describe. I am almost 4 months post surgery. ROM has always been good, and have some pain now and then, but not too bad. I walk over two miles a day, but this tight band feeling is very disappointing. My surgeon avoids answering me. I am starting to come to terms with the real possibility this never goes away.

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I honestly don’t think the surgeons know what causes that tight band feeling. My right knee was done almost two years ago and I still have that feeling. Pretty sure it’s never going away. 😟

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monielove | @monielove | Nov 27, 2020

I just had a TKR 5 weeks ago today. And I had to get a manipulation this week knee was not bending the band was always tightening down to my foot is numb. I expected the searing burning pain as the doctor had to cut dead tissue in the bone out and the osteoarthritis caused the bone to be so large, and the cartilage was gone. I had 47 years of pain in this knee but never numbness in my foot. The doctor also inserted stabilizing rods in my bones. So yes I am going through a lot of pain.... just did not expect the numbness in my foot. They did another band but it’s nothing like the first one I couldn’t bend my leg at all with the first one lots of swelling of course. I have had 4 children in my life and few more other surgeries... but nothing like this. I will be glad when I can feel my foot again.

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buickturboman | @buickturboman | Dec 22, 2020
In reply to @cobweb "I also have that problem and it has lasted 6 years" + (show)
@cobweb

I also have that problem and it has lasted 6 years

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It has been just over a year and my knees are still stiff barely reaching 90 degree of flexion. I can’t sleep more than 2-3 hours at a time and my state of mind very bad. I feel as though I will never be the same and not sure I can live like this.

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sprinrosa64 | @sprinrosa64 | Dec 23, 2020
In reply to @mhort1213 "Wow, that's certainly not encouraging. How is your range of motion with the tightness? My ROM..." + (show)
@mhort1213

Wow, that's certainly not encouraging. How is your range of motion with the tightness? My ROM is excellent so I don't think it's scar tissue. Hopeful mine will go away and praying all works out for you as well.

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I had my left TKR Oct 2018 I had super tight band feeling , almost like it was bands made of thin sharp sheet metal, [ only way i can explain it ] Doctor always told me it was scar tissue and to keep working , which I did. with no changes. A scar tissue therapist after 3 visits told me there was no unusual scar tissue and I was dealing with nerve damage or nerve entrapment . Out of desperation I had some nerves cut around knee, pain before it was 10 this got it to 9. With no answers I had a revision done 7 mons . ago, My ROM is excellent but the pain remained. So now in jan. I will be having nerve stimulators implanted in my quad with hopes it blocks pain. I should say back in 2019, 8 mons. after 1st TKR I had to have right knee replaced, This one other than tightness right above knee is great and livable. tightness right above knee is a common place. Don't stop moving other wise stiffness wins. I figure there has to be an answer out there. KEEP THE FAITH & KEEP SEARCHING PEACE

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