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Knee cap pain after knee replacement surgery

Posted by angelacol @angelacol, Dec 6, 2021

Just wondering if anyone has had issues with the top portion of the knee cap having shooting pain after knee replacement surgery? I’m seven weeks since my surgery and trying to do rehab but the pain in my knee is very bothersome and feels like my knee cap is going to crack In half.
I saw my surgeon today who came into my room spoke to me for about five seconds and ran back out before I even could ask him any questions Which I have many unanswered, not happy about that and looking into finding another doctor that knows about my process that will actually answer my questions.

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rennie | @rennie | Jan 13, 2023
In reply to @continentalred "I am sending you this article I recently read. I found it to be very interesting..." + (show)

I have seen this article but it does not address diagnosis. My Physiatrist is doing an EMG later this month and I plan to ask him about it. Does anyone know how this issue is diagnosed/treated?

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sprinrosa64 | @sprinrosa64 | Jan 14, 2023
In reply to @rennie "I am 21 months post LTKR and my knee cap pain/burning persists and is pretty much..." + (show)
@rennie

I am 21 months post LTKR and my knee cap pain/burning persists and is pretty much constant. Tightness above and below. Numbness in foot. Gabapentin and Tramadol prescribed by Physiatrist help some. Ortho says she sees nothing wrong, but I assure you, something is not right. I have requested appointment for 2nd opinion, but do not know how to approach. My issue is complicated by back issues. I had L5 Decompression bc Ortho said the problem not my knee. I think she is wrong and I have two issues. How do you get the doctors to listen? Am I explaining my pain incorrectly? Frustrated!

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Rennie sorry to hear about your pain. I went thru very similar pain after my TKR ,the pain was below my knee and across the knee cap, as well as the tightness above knee. I tried so many different therapies and drugs with nothing working. I finally received complete pain relief in the knee cap area after a doctor cut my saphenous nerve. This was pretty extreme thing to do but it worked for the knee cap, it had no effect on any other area. But at the point of agreeing to it I could barely work. The pain below my knee , say the top of the tibia , is terrible bu I will keep searching for answers. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU , KEEP MOVING AND SEARCHING . MAYBE THE SAPHENOUS NERVE IS SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO

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1 reply
heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Jan 14, 2023
In reply to @lk3xs "I can't really kneel since my tkr on both knees. It has been five and six..." + (show)
@lk3xs

I can't really kneel since my tkr on both knees. It has been five and six years. My kneecaps are just to sensitive.

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I'm about 6 to 9 months out from my TKRs. I can kneel, but it feels weird. It doesn't hurt, but I have to be careful.

I use a pull-up machine at the gym that requires kneeling on a padded surface. I can do this, but only 3 or 4 months post-op. For some reason, the knee caps are the last thing to heal.

This is probably because unlike a hip replacement, a TKR is not 100% the same anatomically as real knees. There is hard plastic where there was a meniscus.

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rennie | @rennie | Jan 14, 2023
In reply to @sprinrosa64 "Rennie sorry to hear about your pain. I went thru very similar pain after my TKR..." + (show)
@sprinrosa64

Rennie sorry to hear about your pain. I went thru very similar pain after my TKR ,the pain was below my knee and across the knee cap, as well as the tightness above knee. I tried so many different therapies and drugs with nothing working. I finally received complete pain relief in the knee cap area after a doctor cut my saphenous nerve. This was pretty extreme thing to do but it worked for the knee cap, it had no effect on any other area. But at the point of agreeing to it I could barely work. The pain below my knee , say the top of the tibia , is terrible bu I will keep searching for answers. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU , KEEP MOVING AND SEARCHING . MAYBE THE SAPHENOUS NERVE IS SOMETHING TO LOOK INTO

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Thank you! I have been researching the saphenous nerve issue and was thinking mine could be damaged or entrapped. How did your doctor diagnose? What was the recovery like after the surgery? Was pain relief immediate? Can you walk/hike distances post surgery or does it limit you? So many questions but I have not heard of this intervention for pain relief. I do not work, but I volunteer a lot and love to hike. I want my life back! Anything you can tell me may be helpful. Thank you!

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sprinrosa64 | @sprinrosa64 | Jan 14, 2023

I wish I had good news , cutting the nerve only removed the pain from my knee cap, had no effect on below knee. The doctor who cut nerve had told me all the pain would be gone, not true at all. The below my knee pain remained and I really can’t take a walk for pleasure at all. No one knows why , they all just guess and everyone had the answer but nothing has worked. It’s been 5 yrs. , SORRY TO SAY . But I keep searching, I am trying to get into this top doctor in NYC. There has to be an answer. Good luck

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