Has anyone had a tight band feeling after total knee replacement?

I'm a year out and I always feel like there is a band around my knee. It hurts over the top of the knee and my upper thigh and it pulls. I've done PT for 3 months, went back about 4 months later for another 3 months of PT, stretch, water aerobics etc... nothing. It still remains and the more I do the worse it gets. I feel best wearing jeans as they have some compression so during the day I'm getting used to it but as soon as they come off at night it's really sore and stiff. I'm tired of it as well. However I do everything I did prior to surgery, my ROM is 120 or so, Dr. says all looks good yet the stiffness, soreness and band feeling remain. No clue why and I feel like there is something over the knee that I can feel pulling when I bend it and as I said gets worse the longer the day goes on. I wish it felt like it did when I first woke up.

Hello,
I have the exact same feeling I'm 7 months out of the right tkr and 5 months out of the left tkr. Now that I'm reading your story I don't feel that my knees may ever get rid of this feeling. I also have great ROM,I stretch and walk a lot at work. I wonder why we have this feeling, I just hope eventually it goes away for us both.

I am 5 months out from total knee replacement on my right knee. I have that tight band around my knee which makes it uncomfortable but since I started pool walking, it seems to be getting better. My problem is I have a lot of numbness and burning at night making it hard to sleep.

I would imagine everyone who has a knee replacement feels that tight band feeling. With a great physical therapist and dedication to exercises should be the key. Also as soon as you are allowed find a water aerobics class. Let your therapist know issues you have, if they are good they will get you where you need and know when and if you need to return to surgeon. I was fortunate to have an awesome surgeon and awesome therapist that I saw one on one the same therapist each and every visit. Best of luck. 2 years post op and still do my leg exercise regimen. My new knee has been awesome

Yes. I have had both knees replaced and it does feel like a tight band is around your knee but as you heal and go through your post op therapy, this will go away. I found that getting into the pool for therapy and ultimately aqua aerobic classes, all of this resolves.

I’m 11 months post knee replacement. They did not replace my patella. I still have stiffness & tightness

I had TKR on my left side in mid July. I still have a very tight band stiffness. I work on stretching every day and it might have gotten a bit better but not much. My PT kept telling me that I wasn't feeling pain, just pressure and stiffness. I kept telling him No, it's pain, and also pressure and stiffness. And Pain.

malo

I am almost 5 months out from my TKR, and until two weeks ago I also had a tight band. I was told that it was my IT band. What I wasn't told was what was causing it. I finally met a wonderful and knowledgeable therapist/personal trainer who explained that I was causing the pain and tightness because I was limping. My gait was so off it was causing inflamation in my IT band. She put me back on my cane corrected my gait, improved my extension with passive motion, and improved my flexion from 90 degrees to 115 degrees all in less than 4 weeks! And miracles of miracles, the pain and tightness around my knee is now almost nonexistent! All of this with passive motion exercises so I didn't create more inflammation that caused the pain and scar tissue.

Great Story! Never give up and try a different sort of treatment. Thanks for sharing.
malo

That's amazing! Good for you. I'm learning through my 2nd procedure after TKR on my left knee that it's all about the stretch. I know we all know that everything is connected but it really is : ) It's not just getting the knee to bend but stretching the muscles from the hip to the toes. With that being said I better go exercise and stretch!