Pain In the Back of My Surgical Knee

Posted by tamryk @tamryk, Dec 27, 2020

My TKR was 7 wks ago. After original discomfort I do pretty well and don’t have much pain during the day at all. I’ve been released from physical therapy and have no problem getting around except for doing stairs are still very difficult. But, I am having excruciating pain in the inside of the back of my knee when I lay down at night. Have any of you experienced this and have any indication to what causes it or how to stop it.

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@bobmac

Anyone out there having back of knee and calf pain? Feels like it’s in tendon/muscle not the joint. Also stiffness after standing or sitting. 1 yr Tkr. Truly believe it is hampering my recovery. First noticed it 6 months Tkr . Ortho has checked the Tkr results and that all looks great.

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@bobmac, welcome. I moved your question about pain after surgery, particularly back of knee and calf pain to this existing disucssion:
- Pain In the Back of My Surgical Knee https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/knee-pain-post-surgery/

I did this so you can connect easily with members like @tamryk @wojo @jewlz1 @pgcdds @painfree1 @ezas123 @suecutuli @marged and others.

You may also appreciate this helpful discussion that @artscaping started:
- TKR #2.....Lessons I am learning. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tkr-2-lessons-i-am-learning/

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@colleenyoung

@bobmac, welcome. I moved your question about pain after surgery, particularly back of knee and calf pain to this existing disucssion:
- Pain In the Back of My Surgical Knee https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/knee-pain-post-surgery/

I did this so you can connect easily with members like @tamryk @wojo @jewlz1 @pgcdds @painfree1 @ezas123 @suecutuli @marged and others.

You may also appreciate this helpful discussion that @artscaping started:
- TKR #2.....Lessons I am learning. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/tkr-2-lessons-i-am-learning/

Jump to this post

Yes. I'm 63 and had two TKRs last year, the first on my right knee in August, the second on my left knee four weeks later in September. My surgeries as of this writing were 5-1/2 and 4-1/2 months ago, respectively. I have had throughout my recovery and STILL have posterior lateral pain on BOTH knees, meaning the pain is located BEHIND and toward the OUTER/OUTWARD side of leg (away from inner side of leg, away from center of body).

This posterolateral pain, however, is quite different on either side. On the right knee, it is as it seems you've described: NOT the joint itself, but something very dull and diffuse, radiating linearly, as I imagine a muscle, tendon, ligament, or nerve might, down into my calf. It's a pain I NEVER had prior to surgery, and altogether it's worse than the pain behind the other (left) knee, which began only after that knee's surgery, and that manifests as a very sharp, highly localized, highly defined, easy to pinpoint snapping or popping tendon or ligament. That left knee pain lasts only lasts for the moment the tendon or ligament snaps or pops, like with the the intentional cracking of one's knuckles. The right knee pain, on the other hand, lingers unabated.

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I have the same issues. My surgeon did an ultrasound and it turns out I have a Baker’s cyst behind the knee.
I am currently wearing a compression stocking which is helping.

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@bobmac

Anyone out there having back of knee and calf pain? Feels like it’s in tendon/muscle not the joint. Also stiffness after standing or sitting. 1 yr Tkr. Truly believe it is hampering my recovery. First noticed it 6 months Tkr . Ortho has checked the Tkr results and that all looks great.

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I have a burning pain goes down both of my legs and I had partial knee replacement in both knees And it hurts in my calf and my calf be so tender and my surgery was in 2010 I think, in the middle of the night it hard to sleep and I been taking Lyrica 25 mg and it just help me to sleep for 4 hours maybe, also try Voltaren cream it helps also.

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For me I am little over 5 months out of revision …. I still at times have more pain behind my knee … I increase stretching that seems to help……right now I am on vacation been walking a lot behind my knee and tension going up on inside is painful….I use massager on my leg and do it stretches … does not take all the pain away but is helpful…. Good luck

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I had a knee replacement 2015 wished I hadn't. Sounds similar I still have pain in replaced knee and calf also. Now It looks larger that the normal one. He said the replacement was some what larger than my good knee. It has effected my walking gate so everything is tilted SI joint fusion at Mayo last year. Beware of your body is telling you. Keep on them maybe you have one leg longer 😉 they can give you something in you shoe. I loved PT in a nice warm pool.

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@oceanspruce

Yes. I'm 63 and had two TKRs last year, the first on my right knee in August, the second on my left knee four weeks later in September. My surgeries as of this writing were 5-1/2 and 4-1/2 months ago, respectively. I have had throughout my recovery and STILL have posterior lateral pain on BOTH knees, meaning the pain is located BEHIND and toward the OUTER/OUTWARD side of leg (away from inner side of leg, away from center of body).

This posterolateral pain, however, is quite different on either side. On the right knee, it is as it seems you've described: NOT the joint itself, but something very dull and diffuse, radiating linearly, as I imagine a muscle, tendon, ligament, or nerve might, down into my calf. It's a pain I NEVER had prior to surgery, and altogether it's worse than the pain behind the other (left) knee, which began only after that knee's surgery, and that manifests as a very sharp, highly localized, highly defined, easy to pinpoint snapping or popping tendon or ligament. That left knee pain lasts only lasts for the moment the tendon or ligament snaps or pops, like with the the intentional cracking of one's knuckles. The right knee pain, on the other hand, lingers unabated.

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Sounds like your right leg is most like my issue. I work every weekday morning from 430 to 11. Almost all standing and some walking. Just this morning My leg and knee felt good but after a couple hours the soreness behind the knee began and during the rest of my shift I experienced swelling behind the knee and on/off pain in outer calf and even bottom of heel. I been suspecting a nerve problem. Thanks for your reply…not sure what my next step will be. I do have the clicking too but that seems to be deminishing.

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