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Swelling and stiffness, 3 years after total knee replacement
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Apr 3 5:43pm | Replies (218)Comment receiving replies
I had TKR (R) July 2018 and I still have swelling and stiffness after nearly 2 years post-op. X-Rays, Ultra sound, Blood tests, nerve blocks etc etc. and the pain (only during certain movements) is always present. Developed a rash at my knee but Dr.'s say it's not a reaction to the knee (materials). I disagree. I have swelling from the knee joint line right down to the ankle. And the more I stand, walk, do stairs, etc. the more I pay for that in tiredness, stiffness, pain(lateral side) to the point that I feel that exercise worsens my condition. And that's what happened after the TKR too. My TKR knee is 1" larger in circum. than the L side. Likewise the R leg is larger due to Edema down to the ankle. I know I have a lot of 'Scar Tissue' and that probably is the main reason I have stiffness, etc. I've had Arthroscopy surgery to remove scar tissue, & do a manual manip. of the knee but 3 weeks after it was back to where it was before. I need a 'Sherlock Holmes' to figure out what to do. My life sucks now due to reduced activity. When I try & pick up an object off the floor, I look like a Giraffe. I can't kneel down. I'm protective all the time of my knee. And now my L knee needs attention. But that won't happen or I'd be in a wheelchair.
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@mnitchke Your symptoms do not sound like typical after-effects to me. Certain things are pretty common, like not being able to really kneel. Kneeling is painful for many people unless they put a cushion under the knee, and if you don't have good flex it's very difficult to really kneel without toppling over. I have that problem. My flex hovers around 120. The only other thing that I can't do really is exercise where I have to get down on the floor and back up again quickly, as in yoga and pilates.
I have had two TKRs. My R one used to bother me when I overdid exercise but ever since I had a fall last summer and had a minimal hip fracture on my L hip, the L one bothers me more than the R one.
I have never heard of a significant difference in circumference.
I think you definitely need to get another opinion from an excellent surgeon.
If you do need at some point to have another TKR, please be assured that every TKR is different, even if a person has bilateral TKRs, the two knees can have different problems afterward, they are two separate surgeries despite being done at the same time. My second TKR was with a Conformis custom-made knee and it has worked out very well. Many people have great success also with Makoplasty surgery which uses a Stryker knee.
If you do find an excellent orthopedist to get a second opinion from I would really appreciate hearing the outcome.
JK