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Climbing Stairs After TKR

Posted by babette @babette, Oct 28, 2018

I'm a little over 3 months out from my R TKR and have a great deal of pain going upstairs and can't even attempt going down. How long did it take you before you could use the stairs without the "step together step" method? What was most helpful in getting you to that point? Thanks in advance.

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ddsack | @ddsack | Aug 14, 2022
In reply to @heyjoe415 "Hi everyone. I had a left TKR in March and within 6 weeks, was going up..." + (show)
@heyjoe415

Hi everyone. I had a left TKR in March and within 6 weeks, was going up and down stairs with little discomfort.

In July I had the right TKR. It's five weeks out - my ROM is good at 129 degrees, extension is 1 degree. Problem is, I have a lot of pain right behind the kneecap and up into the quad tendon. It's a sharp pain. I did so well with the first TKR I thought this one would be the same.

It's five weeks, so should I be concerned, or just be patient and stick with the PT and at-home exercises. Oh, I'm a 67 yo male. Thanks all! Joe

Jump to this post

Hi Joe,
Have you had the same sharp pain behind the kneecap since the surgery, or has it come on in the last few weeks of PT? Does your PT person have an idea what factors might be causing that specific location to hurt, and does any sort of massage or manipulation help at all, even temporarily? If nothing improves in a week or two, I would probably try to see the doctor, or maybe consider a new physical therapist if the doctor sees no problem.

Each TRK can be different. My 2nd TKR flexion range is just slightly under that of the first TKR. It may be because that leg was straightened a bit because I was getting so pidgeon-toed due to my knee pain so surgery was a bit different. Or maybe I had such good results on the first one that I took the whole PT process more lightly and did not press myself as hard at home after PT was over for the 2nd.

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1 reply
mpirruccel | @mpirruccel | Aug 14, 2022
In reply to @heyjoe415 "Hi everyone. I had a left TKR in March and within 6 weeks, was going up..." + (show)
@heyjoe415

Hi everyone. I had a left TKR in March and within 6 weeks, was going up and down stairs with little discomfort.

In July I had the right TKR. It's five weeks out - my ROM is good at 129 degrees, extension is 1 degree. Problem is, I have a lot of pain right behind the kneecap and up into the quad tendon. It's a sharp pain. I did so well with the first TKR I thought this one would be the same.

It's five weeks, so should I be concerned, or just be patient and stick with the PT and at-home exercises. Oh, I'm a 67 yo male. Thanks all! Joe

Jump to this post

Sorry you are experiencing pain! You are so early in recovery I would just give it more time. I still use a massager called Theragun which helps a lot. Use about twice a day. Unfortunately I am a year out and will be having a bone scan for unexplained pain on outside of knee. I have had it all through recovery. Good luck.

REPLY
2 replies
goodpeople | @goodpeople | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @mpirruccel "Sorry you are experiencing pain! You are so early in recovery I would just give it..." + (show)
@mpirruccel

Sorry you are experiencing pain! You are so early in recovery I would just give it more time. I still use a massager called Theragun which helps a lot. Use about twice a day. Unfortunately I am a year out and will be having a bone scan for unexplained pain on outside of knee. I have had it all through recovery. Good luck.

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when you say "outside of knee", I assume you mean the lateral side? If so, IT Band Syndrome is a possibility and can be visualized with an MRI. It can be excrusiatingly painful.

REPLY
1 reply
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @mpirruccel "Sorry you are experiencing pain! You are so early in recovery I would just give it..." + (show)
@mpirruccel

Sorry you are experiencing pain! You are so early in recovery I would just give it more time. I still use a massager called Theragun which helps a lot. Use about twice a day. Unfortunately I am a year out and will be having a bone scan for unexplained pain on outside of knee. I have had it all through recovery. Good luck.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much! I will give it more time. The first TKR couldn't have been better, so my expectations are probably too high. I have no pain walking, biking, or even doing leg presses. So I'm hoping this will pass with time.

Thanks again for your reply! Joe

REPLY
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @ddsack "Hi Joe, Have you had the same sharp pain behind the kneecap since the surgery, or..." + (show)
@ddsack

Hi Joe,
Have you had the same sharp pain behind the kneecap since the surgery, or has it come on in the last few weeks of PT? Does your PT person have an idea what factors might be causing that specific location to hurt, and does any sort of massage or manipulation help at all, even temporarily? If nothing improves in a week or two, I would probably try to see the doctor, or maybe consider a new physical therapist if the doctor sees no problem.

Each TRK can be different. My 2nd TKR flexion range is just slightly under that of the first TKR. It may be because that leg was straightened a bit because I was getting so pidgeon-toed due to my knee pain so surgery was a bit different. Or maybe I had such good results on the first one that I took the whole PT process more lightly and did not press myself as hard at home after PT was over for the 2nd.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the reply. The pain just started last week. But I may have caused it. I was at the gym and used the pull up machine. It has a platform you kneel on so you can adjust the weight you're lifting. The kneeling was painful and may have caused this problem.

I'm a little over eager with this stuff. I can walk fine and use the stationary bike. I'll give it some time.

Thanks so much! Joe

REPLY
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @goodpeople "If I’ve learned anything over the past 20 months it’s that each knee is different! I..." + (show)
@goodpeople

If I’ve learned anything over the past 20 months it’s that each knee is different! I was 3months between surgeries and in retrospect, the first was a breeze. I am heading into revision surgery for the second one in a few weeks. On the one hand there’s benefit to having the experience of the first knee, on the other hand it can be misleading. Just keep doing your PT and concentrate particularly on the areas where you have the most discomfort.

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Thanks so much for your helpful reply! Best of luck with the revision! Joe

REPLY
mpirruccel | @mpirruccel | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @goodpeople "when you say "outside of knee", I assume you mean the lateral side? If so, IT..." + (show)
@goodpeople

when you say "outside of knee", I assume you mean the lateral side? If so, IT Band Syndrome is a possibility and can be visualized with an MRI. It can be excrusiatingly painful.

Jump to this post

Thanks for your reply. I actually have a pain that is most evident on the outside of knee but ends going around the knee, feeling like a tight band. Nervous about bone scan as it may show I may need another surgery to get rid of pain. But no guarantee on that! And hard to trust the first doctor who did surgery.

REPLY
2 replies
goodpeople | @goodpeople | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @mpirruccel "Thanks for your reply. I actually have a pain that is most evident on the outside..." + (show)
@mpirruccel

Thanks for your reply. I actually have a pain that is most evident on the outside of knee but ends going around the knee, feeling like a tight band. Nervous about bone scan as it may show I may need another surgery to get rid of pain. But no guarantee on that! And hard to trust the first doctor who did surgery.

Jump to this post

the tight band is also part of the issue. If you have any questions about the doctor, go with your gut. Was this surgery done at a major medical center? Most drs. will tell you that if the surgery was less than a year they don't want to do much. It can take up to two years for everything to "fall into place." I don't understand why you are having a bone scan and not an xray or MRI.
Is there swelling? Hurt more when going up and down steps?

REPLY
1 reply
mpirruccel | @mpirruccel | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @goodpeople "the tight band is also part of the issue. If you have any questions about the..." + (show)
@goodpeople

the tight band is also part of the issue. If you have any questions about the doctor, go with your gut. Was this surgery done at a major medical center? Most drs. will tell you that if the surgery was less than a year they don't want to do much. It can take up to two years for everything to "fall into place." I don't understand why you are having a bone scan and not an xray or MRI.
Is there swelling? Hurt more when going up and down steps?

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X-ray done at one year. Looks ok. Can’t have mri because the metal in implant interferes with procedure. Surgery done at local hospital. Some swelling and pain with stairs. Scan will show any infection, allergies to implant materials both of which may require a second surgery ☹️

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1 reply
goodpeople | @goodpeople | Aug 15, 2022
In reply to @mpirruccel "X-ray done at one year. Looks ok. Can’t have mri because the metal in implant interferes..." + (show)
@mpirruccel

X-ray done at one year. Looks ok. Can’t have mri because the metal in implant interferes with procedure. Surgery done at local hospital. Some swelling and pain with stairs. Scan will show any infection, allergies to implant materials both of which may require a second surgery ☹️

Jump to this post

MRI machines at major centers can work on implants. I have had two already. Are you near any major cities?

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