Dull aching pain at 5 months bilateral knee replacement

Posted by lindaann6434 @lindaann6434, Jun 14, 2023

At 5 1/2 months post double knee replacement. Still have difficulty getting up from low chairs. Dull aching pain disturbs my sleep. I’m taking an 8° Tylenol and 25 mg of Tramadol. I can’t use NSAIDS.
Is this typical ?

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Linda Ann,

That dull aching pain may not be typical for those 5-1/2 months post TKR, but I have similar symptoms 9 and 10 months post bilateral TKRs. The cause of my pain is currently unknown to me and my doctors, but two days ago I just came across this Mayo Clinic article about infrapellar Saphenous nerve neuroma. It may be worth looking into:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/orthopedic-surgery/news/saphenous-nerve-neuroma-after-total-knee-arthroplasty/mac-20482753

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Thanks for info. I’ll discuss with my doctor. I had both knees done at same time, that delays my progress. The aching isn’t always the same. Not localized medially.
I was just wondering if it’s typical.

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I am 5 months post TKR. I still have stiffness and some intermitant pain. Every knee is different! I continue to do my knee stretchs for range of motion and do an exercise class that incorporates a full body workout that includes getting in an out of a chair for strength. I also am going to start back on the exercise bike. I had a couple of weeks of sciatica at 4 monts TKR so I stopped my routine due to extreme pain from that! Slowly but surely I am getting back to normal!

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@jazzy155

I am 5 months post TKR. I still have stiffness and some intermitant pain. Every knee is different! I continue to do my knee stretchs for range of motion and do an exercise class that incorporates a full body workout that includes getting in an out of a chair for strength. I also am going to start back on the exercise bike. I had a couple of weeks of sciatica at 4 monts TKR so I stopped my routine due to extreme pain from that! Slowly but surely I am getting back to normal!

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For sure every knee is different. I had both done at same time and they are different.

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Hello!,
Yes this is very normal. I had it with my hips and now I have it with my knee replacements. It's like a dull aching toothache is what I describe it as. I'm 10 weeks out on my right knee replacement and 3 weeks out on my left knee replacement. I had my hips done 2 and 1/2 years ago and dull aching lasted a good year and a half but it wasn't all the time it was here and there. Today I'm having one of those, I call them dull toothache pains in my legs. Just got to be patient. I know it's hard to be patient trust me 4 replacements in 2 and 1/2 years. Seems like there's no end in sight but there really is and hopefully I'll have my life back here soon. I wanted to add I use lotion or lidocaine and rub my legs at least twice a day, this helps a bit. Good luck.

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@roxxxy2626

Hello!,
Yes this is very normal. I had it with my hips and now I have it with my knee replacements. It's like a dull aching toothache is what I describe it as. I'm 10 weeks out on my right knee replacement and 3 weeks out on my left knee replacement. I had my hips done 2 and 1/2 years ago and dull aching lasted a good year and a half but it wasn't all the time it was here and there. Today I'm having one of those, I call them dull toothache pains in my legs. Just got to be patient. I know it's hard to be patient trust me 4 replacements in 2 and 1/2 years. Seems like there's no end in sight but there really is and hopefully I'll have my life back here soon. I wanted to add I use lotion or lidocaine and rub my legs at least twice a day, this helps a bit. Good luck.

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I have recently been doing a good massage before bed and it seems to help a lot. I have lidocaine that I used before the replacement, I’ll give that a try
Thanks

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Do you believe the knee surgery was wise? I am unsure about having it.

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@jokjo

Do you believe the knee surgery was wise? I am unsure about having it.

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For me it was a neccessity . I had a shredded miniscus. It all depends on you!

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I am 6 months out from having both knees replaced. I have one more session of physical therapy and expect to graduate. Im able to do dance aerobics, walk with much better balance. I still feel more comfortable using a walking stick coming down steep hills where I live.
Some days I don’t have much energy but I attribute that to being 75 yr. Old. My surgeon says that having both knees done at the same time makes your progress about a month behind singe.
My biggest problem is aching knees at night and still a feeling of tight band around knees although it is decreasing.
Hoping to hear any tips or experiences from you

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I came across the article for saphenous nerve neuroma following TKA, which has led me to this discussion. My situation is pain in my left knee four years after the TKA. I was doing okay until a little over one year ago, but now I have been through two sessions of PT and countless xrays that show the knee is fine. I have a spinal cord stimulator for stenosis, which manifested in knee pain, but that pain sensation was different from the current. Is there any ongoing research covering the development of scar tissue so long post-TKA? Functionally, the knee is good, except for the pain.

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