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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@autp17

Check into Active Release Technique (A.R.T.). I had one treatment and it has helped me. The Dr. said I would need 4 treatments. I would check into it.

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Just curious. Was this covered by insurance or did you have to pay out of pocket?

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@judybearden1

Just curious. Was this covered by insurance or did you have to pay out of pocket?

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It is covered by Medicare because it like an adjustment plus the a.r.t.

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@donmckibben

What are they going to do on the revision surgery to mediate the tightness in the knees? I have the same issue with my knees that were replaced in 2017.
I have been trying knee squats to help with strength in knee area but I have had extreme pain around the knee in the process. I'm desperately trying to find a solution

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Same thing happened to me when I did knee squats.Try the leg press machine at a guy .Don’t go all the way down with it.Also try the leg abductor and adductor machine.Put your back against a wall and slide down into a sitting position and hold it for as long as you can.Do straight leg raises while sitting in a chair or lying on your back.These are the exercises my surgeon gave me in lue of squats .

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@chickenhaslips

Hello everyone.Its Chicken has Lips . TKR a year
ago . Severely bothered by ITBand Syndrome from
eight weeks on . In the last six’s weeks it’s gotten
dramatically better. On the advice of my surgeon,I
rode a bike or recumbent one 2-3 days a week, lifted weights 2-3 times a week to build up the leg muscles.And I have added muscle and strength to balance the knee.Also , I got fitted for orthotics. I think that helped a lot too .Before that regimen I tried stretching,ultrasound and PT . I think strengthening the quads and adductor muscles were critical. Good Luck

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I had a TKR 18 weeks ago and have had IT Band Syndrome from day one. I found Active Release Technique (ART) which has helped me. They focus on the hip and IT Band. After 1 treatment I have improved. I will need at least 4 treatments. Check into this if you are still having the problem.

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@chickenhaslips

Same thing happened to me when I did knee squats.Try the leg press machine at a guy .Don’t go all the way down with it.Also try the leg abductor and adductor machine.Put your back against a wall and slide down into a sitting position and hold it for as long as you can.Do straight leg raises while sitting in a chair or lying on your back.These are the exercises my surgeon gave me in lue of squats .

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@chickenhaslips I have been told both by my orthopedist and my physical therapist to not use the leg press. That was confirmed in an article that I recently read on what to not use at the gym. It puts too much pressure on your spine. I thought it would be ideal after a knee replacement to help with my flex but both of those professionals were adamantly against its use.

The other things suggested all sound helpful though.
JK

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@autp17

I had a TKR 18 weeks ago and have had IT Band Syndrome from day one. I found Active Release Technique (ART) which has helped me. They focus on the hip and IT Band. After 1 treatment I have improved. I will need at least 4 treatments. Check into this if you are still having the problem.

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Great news

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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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Not sure how you are doing now but this sounds like my story. TKR 2018 revision 2020 and still those PAINFUL TIGHT bands. New doctor tells me it’s nerve damage from 1st surgery. Still working to correct it. No other choice. 64 yrs old and I just want to walk up the street without tear producing pain

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@sprinrosa64

Not sure how you are doing now but this sounds like my story. TKR 2018 revision 2020 and still those PAINFUL TIGHT bands. New doctor tells me it’s nerve damage from 1st surgery. Still working to correct it. No other choice. 64 yrs old and I just want to walk up the street without tear producing pain

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I feel badly for all of you still experiencing pain. My TKR was six months ago and have had tight band feeling ever since, but not the pain you describe. I’m trying to adjust to it. I believe it has to do with nerve damage, as I initially had a couple days of drop foot following surgery and foot tingling for months. Fortunately both of those are better. Doctors need to do a better job beforehand explaining risks, along with % who suffer from them. I know I would have given even more consideration to this operation than I did had I known what I know now. I hope you find relief.

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@stp258

I feel badly for all of you still experiencing pain. My TKR was six months ago and have had tight band feeling ever since, but not the pain you describe. I’m trying to adjust to it. I believe it has to do with nerve damage, as I initially had a couple days of drop foot following surgery and foot tingling for months. Fortunately both of those are better. Doctors need to do a better job beforehand explaining risks, along with % who suffer from them. I know I would have given even more consideration to this operation than I did had I known what I know now. I hope you find relief.

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Absolutely right....my TKR is coming up on a year and I still experience the same thing although it is somewhat becoming less, it is not something I was expecting post surgery. My husband never had anything like this and that was what I was expecting. I will not say I regret having the surgery, but I cannot say I am glad I had it. The thing that I do have improvement is there is stability I didnt have before. I can walj better, but not for great lengths of time. My Dr said it may not be optimal healing for maybe another 6 months. Nerve damage/trauma is not discussed, if at all, and should be as it is a potential.

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Has anyone had that tight band feeling go away after two years or more? I have had that feeling in one knee for two years now and in the other knee,to a lesser extent, for 9 months and, while it’s not painful, it’s uncomfortable and annoying!

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