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Has anyone had a tight band feeling after total knee replacement?
I am 8 weeks post TKR and have had this very tight band around my knee since week one. My Dr at 6 wks says it is normal and will go away. Has anyone else had this and did it go away and when?
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@artscaping -- What are your thoughts on Foam Rolling for self MFR? I think I may be able to do some of these (except the planking stuff). Today is my 1 year TKR anniversary and I do feel fortunate to not have any major issues. These exercises look really helpful. Thanks @colleenyoung!
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1 Reaction@colleenyoung Thanks, she really demonstrates the use of a foam roller well, I do wish she had specified what each of the various positions would be good for - I can be rather dense when it comes to that.
My knee and thighs have been bothering me from walking so I wonder which if any would help with knee pain. I’m not walking as much as I was doing on a treadmill before all of this but it’s hurting more, probably because there’s more impact. Treadmills are fairly low impact.
JK
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1 ReactionI have the same sensation on left lateral knee after replacement. Sometimes feels like it pulls my knee cap laterally. I am nearly 3.5 months and it never goes away. Even seem to tighten when I go for long walks. Very annoying. I was going to try medical message, but after one visits, they were all cancelled due to COVID 19. Some thought it was tight IT band, however I don’t have the symptoms associated with that. My Dr. Didn’t name it but said it will go way but could be months. I was off Meloxicam post op but asked to add it back, can’t say this helped much. Let me know if you have a cure. Ellenka
Well this is discouraging. I have this tightness as well, 3.5 months post bilateral knee replacement Its only in my left knee. I’m looking for a cure. My surgeon thinks it will go away. It never gets better although sometimes it can get tighter. I tried medical message, one session, she thinks it is IT band. However my symptoms don’t fit the profile for what people report with tight IT band such as pain when heel strikes ground and pain at lateral knee. THis is a persistent disco for that makes bending a bit harder but I would nnot call it painful, just feels Very thought and nothing seems to make it better. I will pursue medical message when the corona virus lifts as the therapist cancelled all my appointments. Ellenka
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1 ReactionSo, I had 2 TKR. One in 2015 that was PERFECT. Never any trouble or serious pain and still good. The other was 16 months ago by a different surgeon (both had good reputations). This one is also good, BUT NOT AS GOOD IN MANY WAYS as #1. Good news: The tight band across the knee has improved. It took 6 months for some small change; maybe a year for even more change. I have never had "real pain" with either knee surgery or recovery. But, again, I have high expectations due to my prep etc. Two things bother me now: I think one leg is a tad shorter than the other (although I can play racquet sports!!) and I still have numbness in many parts of my leg. I do not think that is good and it has not really changed at all. I keep thinking I wonder if I will lose my leg? Crazy, I know. That is why I was thinking that continual massage maybe for a year might help? I cannot get detailed explanation from this "successful" surgeon on why it is - but think it must be nerve damage??? So, then the question is WHY and WHAT CAN BE DONE??!! So, based on my experience, maybe your tightness will decrease, as you are only 3.5 months. That is really a short time. Interesting you had bilateral (brave of you) and that results of each knee is different. I assume you had the same device used in each knee? I have 2 different devices. If only the professionals would be more forthcoming with info, it would help. BEST WISHES TO YOU. (Also, I use stationary bike several times a week and also elliptical. I do think they helped.)
Take care.
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1 ReactionCurious, what do you consider good ROM?
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1 ReactionIm at 0 for full extension and although I haven’t had it measured in a while,my flexion
is almost what my good knee is
So my TKR was 6 mos ago and I have ITBand problems ,what exercises or stretching
has anyone found really helpful.I wasn’t crazy about foam rollers but have found biking at a low gear for 8 Miles helpful
Also new sneakers may be helping
I am your age and 3.5 months out bilat knee replacement. I have tight band over left lateral knee and feels like knee cap gets pulled to the left with bending. It’s always there and while I can walk 2.5 miles near the end the band sensation is worse and have to increase effort and push with my hands on upper knee area to get it to bend to get in a car. I can get 123 for bend on that side with effort and stretching. Still do daily exercises by PT was going to try massage but canceled after 1 session due to COVID. PT told me to bend it and massage-above knee from knee to thigh to try and stretch the fascia. Can’t say anything has worked. Surgeon says it will go away. I’m beginning to think nerve damage. I hope it goes away but hearing from you and others not sure I trust that it will go away. Happy I can walk though and I can garden but not the way I used to. Takes more effort to find a position to do things and then getting up is very difficult. On the plus side I have built up my arm strength. Very disappointed that surgeon is not more up front about this type of outcome for some patients and is not aware that this problem doesn’t go away for some as I learned on this site. I wonder if the nerve block or the tourniquet used during surgery caused permanent damage.
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1 ReactionEllen’s , I had the tourniquet and block also .I am six and a half mos.post TKR .I don’t think it’s that. I’ve done all the reading I can on I T Band and I really believe it’s tension on the ITBand which is a ligament running from hip to beyond the knee.I don’t like foam rollers but do recommended stretching esp. for the quadriceps. I have also found biking in a lower gear helps .I do 7-8 Miles ,flat surface. I think it’s getting better. At night I put 1% diclofenac
gel liberally on my knee.Then wrap it in Saran Wrap and put an ace bandage around that.
In the AM it feels great which tells me it’s probably still inflammation. I do a few quads strengthening exercises too . I think as time goes on and ALL swelling resolves we’ll get better. Lot’s of articles on IT Band post TKR
surgery. Good Luck. Ralph
I had surgery 15 months ago with a nerve block but no tourniquet use. I still have a really tight, uncomfortable, gripping feeling especially on the inside of my knee and around the back. My doctor still thinks it will get better, that it’s due to the severe valgus correction he had to make, but I’m not so sure. It’s not exactly painful but it’s uncomfortable enough that I think about it every step I take.