Scar tissue after knee replacement

Me too.. I want to take walks so bad and I can’t or I’ll be in excruciating pain the next day.. I’m in pain and so stiff .. I can’t stand being inactive like this..my dr recommended a Dynasplint.. I’m at 90..not straight enough..I would like to know if anybody else had one? Diana

I had use this both for bend and straightening my knee. I did three hours each as told by PT. Not all at once. Just as much as my knee could tolerate. But it was a total of six hours each day. I do think it helped but it was a commitment.

Good evening @katp, I am not a hater, I am a supporter. I have been using MM for Small Fiber Neuropathy and its determination to keep me in pain 7/24. After 4 or 5 years and with amazing improvements in products and options, I can finally control my pain with tinctures of different dosages and content from 3:1 CBD/THC to 1:3 CBD/THC. My favorite get-up and get going is a 1:1 CBD/THC. And nighttime......a little more calming 1:1 CBD/THC.

I was pleasantly surprised that the nurses and physicians openly discussed my use of MM during my hospital stay. At my follow-up today, the topic was on the table again in a positive and helpful way. Things are looking up.

I have a new goal for my pain. I used to want to be pain-free. Now I will realistically accept pain under control.......not totally gone....just tolerable.

May you be healthy and whole.
Chris

Thank you. I guess the social stigma of MM is still alive and well in me. So far all I have been able to do use it to sleep. By about 7 pm my knee seems to swell, tighten, and nothing I try seems to calm it down. It’s good to know that others live with tough chronic pain. Some days I want to quit. Most days I live in acceptance, doing what I can, resting, reading, and taking care of myself. I realize that many have it worse than I do. I may try cbd for daytime use. Why not, I’ve tried so many things.

My story is so similar to yours. I knew I had scar tissue at 6 weeks also. Docs and pt told me I was ‘guarding’, like it was my fault for not working hard enough. I did not give up. Scar tissue is a very real complication. Don’t let anyone tell you that you are just weak!

Hello everyone. My story is.like everyone else's. I had TKR going on 9 weeks and my knee is worse than before the surgery with scar tissue build up all around the knee that has limited my mobility. I'm at 88 degrees flex and 11 degrees straight. My PT can get it to 105 and 5 with me screaming in agony. I had a manipulation done going on 3 weeks ago and it did nothing. I've had 13 knee surgeries on this knee in my lifetime starting nwith an ACL replacement back when I was 18. I'm 46 now. O had an osteotomy with a left wedge 7 years ago. The other surgeries were scopes to clean up arthritis and torn meniscus.

Im.writing looking for help and advice. I still go to PT 3x/week. The 2 weeks just after the manipulation I went 5x/week. Other then stretching, what can I do to help combat this? I feel I'm capped with PT as I havent seen improvement there. I'm so nervous and losing faith that this TKR was the right decision.

Thank.you

My doctor recommended the dynosplint as well. I would need both types of splints for bending and straightening as there isn't 1 splint that does both. I'm curious as well of this has worked for others.

Hello @briankoz and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am sorry to hear about your limited range of motion following this last and surgery. It sounds like you are working so diligently to regain your motion but things just aren't working as you had hoped.

You mention dynosplint so wanted to connect you with members @mwatts91757 and @reelin who have both shared about it in other discussions and may have information they can share with you as you consider it.

I found some information that you might find helpful on range of motion timelines and what you can do if you fall within the 5-7% of people who experience stiffness after surgery (as quoted by this article) and what things you can do at home and in addition to your PT.

-Range of Motion After Joint Replacement Surgery:
https://www.peerwell.co/blog/2017/01/13/range-of-motion-after-joint-replacement-surgery/
Have you tried these suggestions already?

I’m 9 weeks in and I also have terrible sciatica pain, hip, SI joint pain from the TKR surgery. Had the pain the minute I came out of recovery and has just got worst over time. I’ve had PT for knee and the above problems. I just found a new chiropractor that is finally helping me. Find out if you have periformis syndrome because I was just diagnosed with that from all the problems that were created during the surgery and now that I’m being treated for that I finally am getting so much better. Periformis syndrome doesn’t get diagnosed as much as it should on people and it can greatly affect everything in the butt and hip area. I’m finally getting better. It’s been a tough and painful road.

I am so glad you found the cause and are getting better! I agree that often piriformis and sciatic inflammation, which can cause pain and referred pain throughout the back and lower extremities, can be overlooked, especially after surgery or an injury.

On my soapbox now - There is almost always pain and discomfort after surgery, but it should lessen over time. Unless there is a defect or infection, new, worsening pain after surgery is not "normal" and needs to be evaluated & treated - it often leads back to joints, muscles and tendons that have been compensating for the bad joint for years. You will need physical therapy and exercise to get to your new normal.

You need to be your own best advocate, and keep pushing for a real answer and needed therapy to correct the situation. Then you need to do the therapy - which may be uncomfortable, boring or time-consuming - for as often and as long as recommended in order to make a complete recovery. (PT can be done on your own with a few sessions with a therapist to get & keep you on track - it doesn't need to be a costly matter of going to the clinic 3 times a week...)

Sue