Has anyone had a tight band feeling after total knee replacement?

I am 18 months post LTKR and 8 weeks post RTKR. Left is still very painful but Right seems on track. Left IT band very tight and kneecap painful. I was very knock kneed so Dr and PT hoping two straight legs will eventually sort me out. I am afraid to have any sort of surgical intervention, but deep in my heart, I think something not right with Left side. My pain keeps me from living my life. I have not sought second opinion, but thinking it may be time. Anyone had luck with things sorting out? I want to give it time, but what about the pain control in the interim?

18 months is long enough. Get a second opinion.

And talk with a physical therapist, specifically for ways to stretch the illio tibial band (ITB). It can be tough to stretch. I stand straight, knees locked, and cross one foot over the other, both feet flat on the floor. Bend down as far as you can and you should feel a stretch in the ITB of the leg that is not crossed. Do it for both sides.

All the best!

Joe

What kind of stretching are you doing Jan?

I am 14 weeks out from my TKR surgery and still have that tight feeling around my knee when I walk . I am not sure if it is muscle tightness (it feels tighter after I exercise) or scar tissue. It does not hurt or restrict me from walking, and I am hopeful it will eventually subside with continued exercise and stretching. What's interesting is, when I sit in my recliner with the footrest extended all the way, I can pull up both knees equally quite a ways (keeping my feet on the footrest)--no pain, no tightness. I haven't always been able to do that. Makes me think that, in time, I will break through the tightness. And when I lie in bed at night, there is no pressure or tightness around the knee. It feels normal. So I encourage you to be patient and keep doing stretches and exercise, as am I.
Melinda

I had that for 21/2 years. It also became very painful. The implant was too big and not stable. I just did a knee revision because i vouldnt walk from pain getting do bad

Yeah I don't know about the femoral prosthesis, but the edges of the tibial prosthesis should not extend past the bone.

I had TKR on my right knee 59 days ago, and TKR on my left knee 30 days ago. I too have that "tight band" pressure feeling around both knees still, although I am able to bend both knees to 120 degrees flexion with the aid of a physical therapy leg strap. To me the band sensation feels more like the result of ongoing swelling, rather than scarring, and I have puffy baker cysts behind both knees. I think both legs are very gradually getting better, but boy, it's taking way longer to heal than I ever imagined it would prior to my first surgery. TKRs are very major and invasive surgeries for sure.

Hang in there. Unfortunately, I have had that tight band feeling around my knee for almost 3 years along with pain and burning. Hopefully, you will have much greater success than I. TKR is definitely a major surgery.

Have you had a second opinion? Have you been offered remedies? If yes, what kind? I have burning and tightness for 1.5 years and cannot see living with it forever! Mine is pretty constant. I hope you find relief.

I am 14 months out from tkr and have tightness all the time. That is the least of my pain. Continuing to do pt exercises at home 2x week which sometimes makes the pain worse. Take Tylenol every day and Lyrica and cbd/melatonin at night plus icing and massage (theragun) as needed. Unfortunately I am recovering from breast cancer surgery and have to wait until next year to find a knee pain specialist in my area. Bone scan showed no infection, tried nerve ablation but it didn’t do anything. There is an implant that is put in by your spine to cut pain but not interested especially with my cancer situation which happily is gone. You are early in recovery so odds are that you will get better. Myofascial release therapy may help with tightness also. Unfortunately there is the 20% of us that don’t do well after tkr and have to find something to help with ongoing pain. Good luck.