I will clarify what i meant by "tight band" and it may not be the same as what other posters mean. It feel like a tourniquet is around my leg just below my knee. And the pain extends to the calf area of my leg, feeling like an extremely tight compression feeling. My muscles are soft, not contracted. My knee cap is not involved. I am 19 months post surgery.

@mhort1213 I am also 10 weeks post surgery from bilateral TKR and have this banding I continue to be concerned with. I am 2 weeks out from MUA because I could not get pass 90 degrees on both knees at 6 weeks. I am an over creator of scar tissue, nothing to do with how hard I have worked on PT. My PT and surgeon tell me it will get better, but hearing from @scgraham makes we want to seek a second opinion on the tight banding I feel on both knees.

Thanks @scgraham. That is a lot different than what I felt. I wanted to be sure that I was understanding what "tight band" meant. Each surgery can be different for everyone. I am getting ready to have my other knee replaced in a few months. I am hoping it goes as well as the first one, but I have also had major shoulder surgery in between and I had a hard time during the operation and recovering from that. I am a bit nervous about it. I am sorry to hear that you have that much pain. When I was having a lot of pain with my shoulder, I read about dry needling, but never had to have it. I hope you find something that will ease your pain and give you some relief.

@ssbionicknee and @mhort1213 I live in Tulsa OK and no one around here seems to know why this happened or how to treat it or what the long range prognosis will be. It has been so frustrating. The last thing i was told by my surgeon was I'd probably just have to live with this. I was desparately hoping somebody here could give me some direction. Thank y'all for your input.

I have tried water therapy and up to this point has not really helped much if at all. My ROM is excellent. The tight band that I feel starts on the inside of my knee and wraps over my kneecap and goes under my knee. It feels like a wide band or tourniquet. I also have some effusion (fluid) on the lateral side of my knee which the Dr.says will go away as well in time. Praying he is right!

I had left knee replacement in 4/2017 and January 25,2019. I’m not making the progress that I did on my right knee.
I’m 6 weeks and have 118 degrees flexion. But the outside of my knee, right at the joint is sore. I’m going to PT.
The IT band got aggravated from me limping prior to my surgery.
I’ve had the IT band trouble and my OS gave me a shot of cortisone. Worked like magic.

Hi @iloveoliver – Welcome to Connect! Here is an interesting coincidence – I too have had two TKRs – my right one in April 2017 and my left one January 29, 2019! We are almost identical in our scheduling. I'm glad to hear that the cortisone worked for you. Personally, I think your 118 ROM at 6 weeks is pretty good. As they say, everyone recovers differently and every single surgery has its own path. What are you working on in PT? For me right now, we are really focusing on balance and climbing steps. I'm holding out for 8 weeks as the "magic moment" when everything falls together and I feel "normal." It seemed like last surgery, 8 weeks was a big milestone. I think we'll both be feeling much better at that point!

We are concentrating on regaining strength in the left quadriceps. I’ve had a lot of pain underneath my knee. So we’re working on that and heel slides. Good Luck..!!!

Thank you all for your replies. It is disappointing to realize that no one knows what has caused this, and any possible treatment. I do not take opioid painkillers. It is very frustrating to realize after 19 months post surgery, this pain will not relent and there are no answers.

Yes I had that tight band feeling after both my TKR. It took several months for it to go away. I went to PT and she did a lots of work on the knee to loosen it up. Massage the whole knee with Vitamin K oil really helped a lot too. Now post op for two and three years and left knee feels great. Right knee a little tight once in a awhile if I neglect to do my stretching exercises.

Hi I had TKR on Jan.8,2019. I have experienced the rubber-band tightness. I also had MUA on February 27th and I am still experiencing the stiffness of the knee as well as the tightness. I have an appointment with my surgeon this week, not sure if he is going to suggest I have arthroscopic surgery to do a clean up or if he will suggest going back into the knee. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do.

@lynnwade54 please let us know if this works for you. I have had this feeling for 19 months post surgery.

That's not very long post of. Took about four months for my tightness to clear up. PT helping a lot.

That is reassuring to hear. This tight band feeling at 11 weeks is just as tight as it was in the beginning and is not lessening. I have some fluid around the knee which I wonder is causing the tight band feeling. The Dr does not want to aspirate for fear of introducing infection into the joint. I'm trying to stay positive, but it's difficult without any real answers.

I had my TKR on Jan.4th, 2019 and posted asking if anyone has experienced the rubber band tightness. You and I are just a few days apart so I am curious
as to your progress and treatment, etc. Please post what your surgeon suggests you do to alleviate the tight band. Do they think it's scar tissue? How is your ROM? Mine is very good, so I don't think it's due to that. My Dr. Says it will go away…but when? I see no improvement. I hope you get the answers and the solution you need soon.