Therapy after TKR

Hi @sharebear, I've always liked the Bob & Brad physical therapist videos. Here's two that I used to help with my knee replacement a couple of years ago.

2 Key Exercises to Rapid Recovery for Total Knee Replacement - https://youtu.be/xkHw5cWdDUk
Top 6 Exercises To Do After Total Knee Replacement - https://youtu.be/BcKjCDs4yuY

Do you have any pain or swelling?

Thank you 😊 I will try these!! Unfortunately I do have swelling and it hurts all the time. It’s ok first thing in the morning then I get up and an hour later poof it’s swollen and sore 🥹

I would talk with your surgeon about the swelling. Are you still icing and elevating the leg? That might help with the swelling.

Hi , yes I do ice and elevate but it really doesn’t seem to help. Feeling frustrated 🥹

Hi there , just started PT 8 weeks post op for second surgery after TKR and I am in a lot of pain afterwards. Is this what I can expect from this on forward ? TIA

I went through months of PT which started at home maybe 10 days post surgery. This is my second replacement and recovery is much worse. My ortho told me it can take up to a year and I had my surgery Aug 16, 2021. I found that my knee always hurt after PT. It should not hurt during PT because even if it feels fine, I always experienced pain afterwards. I was told an indoor bike, preferably recumbent was ideal but I don't have one and no getting one. Range of motion, whether you have pain of not seems to be the most critical. If you have followed up and gotten no satisfaction, you might want to get another opinion. I worked a lot in bed or on thew sofa flattening ny knee and pulling it up. My other knee did NOT take this long so I am just going with the year estimate. You can only push your body so much. Best of luck.

Hi , thanks for replying 😊 I’m sorry to hear of your pain!! The surgeon says I have a “mechanical issue” and things like acupuncture won’t work. He wants to do a manipulation under anesthesia. Do you know about this kind of thing?

I had an MUA done. You will need to follow up with 10 continuous days of PT and then PT 3times a week for a few more weeks.My experience was very painful. The MUA breaks up scar tissue but your knee still will not bend without pain. I had to work through the pain and very glad that I did. I now can bend to 130. Get a good PT, it makes all the difference.

I had mua at 6 weeks dr was able to get full flexion…..went to pt everyday for week …. Was not able to keep any flexion to swollen instead working on flexion they were working on edema…..8 months out now still not much flexion more pain now because on my feet more…. I Went for second opinion… needless to say I go on 26 schedule replacement of tkr I found out my slightly to big causing my flexion issue all these months..good luck to you this is just my experience mua does help for a lot of people but yes painful…but remover give yourself a break sometimes, the body needs rest to heal …

I still in pain 15 months after Total knee replacement on my left knee. I cannot do daily activities the pain gets so bad. This is controlling my life. I am 72 years old. I had total knee replacement and 6 months of PT and seems pain continues to worsen. Incision healed up nicely. Blood work shows no infection. But pain continues. I have movement but painful. I have had several X-rays that show placement seems to be fine. I have had Cat scan and nerve study. I am in pain management and have been since after surgery. I am taking hydrocodone, cyclobenzaprine, and gabapentin. Still no relief of this pain. If I lift my leg outward sideways the pain is excruciating and continues down my leg to my ankle. Especially when lying down on my right ride and raise my left leg upward or away from right leg. I have been faithful taking my meds for 15 months and still no pain relief. Pain management is process of sending me to neurosurgeon to check on lower back pain L 5 area may be cause of now having leg, hip and lower back pain. Unknown if any of this will resolve the constant knee pain. I do lots of crying and praying and cannot understand why no one can figure out why all this pain is ongoing. There has got to be someone , some doctor somewhere that may can help me. No other doctor would take me being another doctor had done my surgery. I was and still confident in my doctor but he does not know what could be causing all the pain. I was told by a friend that you can still develop infection in the joint even years afterward. I am wondering if this could be my situation. And that any bodily infection can move to a replaced joint. I did develop a sore below my knee that later appeared as a basil cell skin carcinoma which was successfully removed. Any ideas or suggestions appreciated this pain is overtaking my life.