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Total Knee Replacement: Nervous about the surgery
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Nov 30, 2023 | Replies (60)Comment receiving replies
Just wondering if anyone has experienced significant pain in SI joint area following TKR. I had a right TKR 4/23, & now I have extreme difficulty walking. (I had none before surgery). As soon as I stand or put weight on my new TKR, I have pain in my SI joint. (I never had back pain or SI joint pain prior to my TKR.) My orthopedist tells me my knee is doing well, (good ROM, though still somewhat stiff), but I can't walk more than a very short distance. (I still need a left TKR, & now my left knee also becomes very painful & stiff if I try & walk, which did not happen prior to surgery.) I have done PT for my SI joint, but no real improvement. My right leg is now about 5/8 mm longer than my left, but my orthopedist told me my body would "adjust".
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Hi, Alexalee. Yes indeed there are others that have SI joint pain on the TKR side and I’m one of them. My rather acute SI joint pain developed 7 months post surgery & I still have it at just over a year out from the TKR. It flares up when I walk more than usual, am on my feet a lot, or doing a lot of stairs. My previous PT thought it was arthritis &/or hip tilt (I don’t think he was right about the arthritis). New PT thinks it has to do with lack of strength in TKR knee & has given me exercises targeting the inner thigh muscles - with some, not great success. The Cedars Sinai SI joint dysfunction webpage has what I think is a good explanation for our pain. From what I gather, other parts of our bodies are trying to compensate for the lack of strength & stability around our new knees and this can throw things out of balance. Next time I’m at PT I’ll ask for exercises that also target muscles around the SI joint & hips. I’ll be anxious to see additional posts from you to see how you progress - and if you have ideas to share. So sorry you need surgery on the other knee. My very best to you.