After six months TKR still a bit swollen and warm

I am 7 months post TKR and my knee is still a little swollen and stiff. My surgeon has sent me for a bone scan and MRI which didn’t show much but a little fluid. He is going to try and drain it this week and send the fluid in, looking for a low grade infection. It hasn’t stopped me from doing things but it isn’t what I hoped for.

I am 11 months out and still have some swelling and if. do too much I feel that baker's cyst behind my knee. At 5 months my surgeon took a x-ray and said it looks good and that was it. I'm going in tomorrow and hoping he does something but I'm not holding out any hope. Really wonder if I could possibly have a low grade infection however my blood work CBC are all normal from my NP. I am doing everything but getting up off the floor and by afternoon my leg and muscles around my knee all hurt and I lose range of motion the longer I do things. I always push through. I did 18,000 steps at Universal when we were there and I did pay for it later that evening and wore my knee sleeve as well. However you can only wear that so long. Let us know what they find.

I am 13 months post TKR. My surgery knee is always still a little warmer than my other knee on the outside where I also still have an area of numbness. According to surgeon this is normal. At six months the temperature difference between surgery and nonsurgery knee was more significant and I still had some swelling until a month ago. It very slowly gets better.

Everyone recovers differently, some fast, some on schedule, and some later. Swelling can take a while to resolve. I was fortunate and the swelling from my TKRs resolved in about two months (I also am a gym rat and did a lot of prep work before the surgeries).

But a friend of mine, even a bigger gym rat than me, had one knee replaced two months ago and there is still significant swelling and his quadriceps look as if they've atrophied. Very strange. And he still has pain.

All I can suggest is be patient, work with a pt, do all the exercises recommended, make good use of ice and elevation, yada yada, and hope. I know the docs say it can take one year for a full recovery, but I'd check out any significant swelling or warmth after three or four months, FWIW.

Infection is possible, even after a successful surgery. So make sure to take antibiotics before any dental work (the surgeon should have a standing Rx for these - Amoxicillin, probably). I think this needs to be done (antibiotics) for all future dental work, even cleanings, for the rest of your life after a joint replacement.

Thank you so much. You’re always so helpful.

Thank you! That is very encouraging! ❤️😀

26 mo po or 27 mo po atrophy still there. In gym 3x a week. Still get shaky and weak. Can’t find anything but it’s too large. Pain still there. Now right knee bugging me. So upset, tachycardia now. Best of luck!!!

Surgery 2020 still having problems. No swelling but pain unable to walk long periods of Time MRI shows tendonosis an d small area of scar tissue. Doctor states there is nothing he can do. Very dissapointed

I may be in the same situation as you. 2 years po and outside lateral part of knee is swollen and usually warm. Going to fourth doctor to see about MRI. Painful to walk and stairs and even swimming. Biking is tolerable but not comfortable. Still icing, massaging. Use tape, bio freeze and lidocaine patch for some pain relief. Could be patellar clunk syndrome per info on web. Stay tuned.

I’m so sorry! Hope you get some relief too.