Pain and bending knee

Have you looked into the possibility that you might have a Baker’s cyst behind your knee that is preventing you from bending your knee
That happened to me and because I had calf pain they did an ultrasound and saw the Baker’s cyst

Hi @fran102, Welcome to Connect. If I remember correctly, I still had some swelling and a little pain the first few weeks but can't remember if I still had the pain after 5 weeks. I know when I had my followup with the surgeon, he scolded me for not icing and elevating enough...basically icing and elevating when I wasn't doing any exercises or anything else. I was just doing it 3 or 4 times a day. It sounds like you are making progress but just not as fast as you would like. Don't be discouraged. I'm sure it's still early in your recovery. Here's some information I found that may be helpful.

-- Total Knee Replacement Surgery Recovery Timeline:
https://www.healthline.com/health/total-knee-replacement-surgery/rehabilitation-timeline
I know you doing PT, home exercises and icing and elevating but have you discussed your progress with your surgeon or care team to see if they have any suggestions?

Thank you. I will ask about that.

Thank you. I appreciate the info and will call my surgeon’s office today after I have PT to see what they think. I should have mentioned I went into surgery with a very weak knee since I had a dislocation in May and had to wear a knee brace. I wonder if that could be why I’m struggling so much now?

That sounds like it may be part of the reason if your knee was weak before the surgery. I did both the pre-surgery and post-surgery knee exercises and it really helped with my recovery.

I had same issue my first tkr….I don’t think I even got to 90 …. But I just want to say slow and steady…as long you are making progress and maintaining that progress that’s the goal….if you are able try mfr if you have been reading these boards you heard many people chat about it…..it does work loosen up the knee not feel so tight…..for me I was close to six weeks out I might have been 65-75 the dr suggested manipulation…. Worse thing I could have done it set be back for months…. In the end did not help whatsoever…. So trust me I know you want more bend now but slow steady way to go….my revision on my knee now another story I had 80-90 right after surgery so very happy…..I am practicing the same slow steady and I am maintaining my bend ….. so give yourself a break we all feel we should be further a long in recovery, but some of us take longer than others to get that bend back myself included….so appreciate every degree , continue all your work you are doing ,try stay positive it will get you where you want to be….

I am 13 weeks out and still suffer with leg cramping, can't bend if I do too much etc... It's such a struggle. I can say that at around 6-7 weeks after getting my staples out and steri-strips fell off my bend started to come more. It was a process and hurt when PT would do overpressure to make it bend more. Keep communicating and it will happen. Try not to be impatient because I know that I sure am. I was dismissed from PT and my ROM was 115 myself with 120 overpressure. You are doing good at 90 at 6 weeks. If I' too active I get a baker's cyst behind my knee and it hurts. I was told I can wear a compression sleeve now as long as I can bend my leg and move in it and the compression really helps with swelling, cramping and such. I wish I could go back to PT. My surgeon said he would see me in 9 months if I had no issues.

Yes I have started wearing a compression bandage and it helps with the Baker’s Cysr. I am still thinking of asking the doctor to drain the cyst.
I had surgery 16 weeks ago and discouraged that thi cyst impedes on my walking. I can do everything I did before (aquafit, cycling and muscle conditioner) but what I had really hoped for was pain free walking and that hasn’t happened

Thank you so much. I appreciate what you said about staying positive and I’m going to work on that. It’s really helpful to hear from others who have been through the same thing. Patience is difficult for me and I can see I’ve got to learn it.

Had no idea how much bending would hurt. Mornings are terrible but it does get somewhat better as the day progresses. PT really does help. I hope you will be able to go back.