Scar tissue after knee replacement

Vicodin initially and then gabapentin afterwards. I don’t really take anything anymore for the last year. I had a double TKR. My right knee is awesome. Left knee has been an issue. I’m going To an orthopedic next week to see if it’s just a scar tissue issue or some thing bigger

Hi! I want to share what I have learned about my own scar tissue issue. I had a TKR 7 months ago; an MUA 5 months ago. This was accompanied by aggressive ROM work in PT. For more than 5 months my knee was totally inflamed and swollen and not functional. My quads totally shut down. Still, my PT tried to force it to move. There was NO progress in ROM but constant pain, inflammation and swelling and little sleep until I was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and stopped this treatment. A subsequent MRI showed that the whole joint was full of inflamed/infected scar tissue and the synovial membrane was thickened and inflamed as well. A biopsy showed no bacterial infection as a cause.
I have since learned that the untreated inflammation combined with the aggressive PT was at least part of the cause! A soon as I stopped this treatment and got help from acupuncture the inflammation, pain and swelling began to go down.
Now, two months later, I am pain free; my knee does hardly swell anymore; the knee is more functional in its ROM; and more resilient: I can do my daily exercises without pain; my extension is almost at 0 degrees ( it had been -15); my flexion is still at the 105 degrees I had achieved after the MUA probably due to the amount of scar tissue still inside the joint; but the scar tissue is actually slowly getting less.
This is what worked for me so far: I started (at first twice weekly now once weekly) acupuncture treatments; several times a day I elevate my leg by resting it vertically against the wall as close as possible and rolling a rolling pin down my thigh at intervals; I started to massage the knee and thigh in this vertical position and as often as I can remember to and that brings instant relief; I started to take Arnica 30c homeopathic pellets because by now I was seriously traumatized by the maltreatment I had been subjected to; I changed my orthopedic surgeon and PT; my new doctor is much more knowledgeable and engaged with my rehab and gave me clear goals and exercises to pursue as well as an appropriate time table to work with; my new PT is performing ASTYM treatments, a tool based treatment method that helps the scar tissue to be re absorbed over time; she also employs two different taping techniques that work wonders to keep the swelling down; she has me do very gentle exercises which already have brought more improvements within weeks than the months of aggressive PT had done; I stopped icing and purchased a far infrared (FIR) knee device which supports deep healing; (my husband loves it too; he says it was the only thing that took his pain away after badly bruising a rib.) I really recommend it! It also helps with sleeping : ).
Being a German native I also learned a lot from German online sites about scar tissue issues with TKR and how they treat it; they recommend only gentle PT; they see the excessive scar tissue formation as a result of stress (from the surgery and pain alone but also emotional and circumstantial stress), overexercise, and too much pressure to perform as well as a psychological sense that the knee is in an unprotected (!) vulnerable position which as a result sends it into overdrive to try and heal itself by forming excessive scar tissue. They have good results with early detection, gentle PT, far infrared treatments; lymph draining methods; different massaging techniques; PEMF; and general relaxation techniques. With early detection they claim to have gotten rid of excessive scar tissue issues in TKR within 6 to 8 weeks. No MUA needed.
I am 7 months out from surgery and still have a lot of scar tissue in my knee; however with the above treatments I have no pain, no swelling, less stiffness and better mobility and I am gaining trust and confidence in my knee to heal. I now hope to slowly gain a functional knee without further surgery that will allow me to do what I aim for: ease of walking; no pain or swelling when not overly straining it; gentle hiking; biking; swimming. I will continue my treatment plan until then and hope not to have to have another knee surgery ever again! Already after 5 weeks I can walk stairs and my quad strength is improving. I feel very encouraged. I know it will take time and a lot of discipline and patience but I really sense it will get me what I need! Good luck to all of you who are struggling. Keep on working at it. You and your knee deserve it!

This all terrifies me. I thought I’d get a TkR and have my life back and it’s not going well. I’m at week 9 Tuesday and my knee bend is 104 degrees. The knee cap itself has a tight band feeling and nothing is helping. The therapist had worked me to the point of my back injury from many years ago is back and feels worse. I have had back and neck spasms and can’t sleep from pain. She has worked me very hard and now Tomorrow I must tell her I can’t do those new things anymore it hurt my back to the point I can’t sleep and my knee is worse than 2 weeks ago . I see the surgeon next week unless I can move the appt up. Just feeling frustrated and very sad that so many people are still suffering after going through such a hard surgery. I don’t know what I’ll do about my other knee .

Hi janete,
I am Lori (irol), just two years from RTKR. I worked it really hard, determined to get 100% ROM, alrhough the surgeon said I woykd not be able to get it as good as my regular knee. I pulled it up with incredible pain for months to tear down the constantly building scar tissue. It was difficult and slow going. I got great Rom finally, but I pulled my IT band and had lower back and hip pain. I kept going to my chiropractor to keep it under control until he finally found outvwhat Ineas doing and told me to take it more easy, etc. Being more gentle and considerate of my body really helped. Now I have 130-135 degree ROM, and my back pain is only intermittent if I overdue it with other exercise (like 105 pound squats). So I think it is good to work the knee hard yet be careful and try to work both sides evenly. I was only flexing on the right side and then when I stretched the IT band on the left, also, it all worked out better. Also, the tight band feeling eventually went away. Week 9 is nothing! Wait a few months! Good luck!

Thank you for the information . I feel better and will work both sides and not push myself so hard that I can’t take the pain .

<p>Clicking and Crunching following TKR</p><p>I am seven months post-op. A few months after replacement, knee clicking started when walking. The TKR was my fourth surgery on my right knee including an ACL reconstruction 25 years ago. My knee also makes a crunching noise when I stand from a seated position. MD said noise might be from scar tissue and will not go away but clicking should.</p>

Hello @mr11344, I've had TKR in my right knee about 20 months ago or so but I've not had any problems with a clicking sound. @ellerbracke @marield65 @nancylh and @rmeddings have mentioned clicking or crunching noises in a few other discussions on knee replacements and may be able to share their experience with you.

Here's an explanation of what's going on by two physical therapists that put it in layman's terms - Why is your Knee Replacement Clicking, Popping, or Clunking?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WnJ-1EdjuA

@mr11344 Four surgeries seems like a lot but it is over the span of 25 years. It must be disconcerting to hear crunching and clicking when you. It does make sense that you'd have scar tissue

You'll notice that I moved your question to a previous discussion related scar tissue after knee replacement. I did this so you connect with members like @golfshrink @wildebjef @acamel @janete718 @irol that have had similar issues in a central location.

May I ask if there are ever times that you do not hear crunching and clicking and if so, what is different at those times?

I live in Scotland. First TKR January 2016. Dreadful pain. MUA July 2016 did not work. Kept at physio which made pain 100% worse. I was referred to another consultant and had my knee done again August 2018. Ended up with multiple clots on my lungs and bleeding wound. I was immobilised in a brace for two days. No exercise set me back and now February 2021 two and a half years later my knee feels like it is in a vice, sore to touch and still swollen and my balance is dreadful with multiple falls. The only answer I have been given is that I now have been diagnosed with Arthofibrosis (excessive scarring) and since the medical profession don’t know enough about this I have been told there is no cure. I am in limbo. GP has referred me back to consultant re an MRI. scan. With the COVID situation I can’t see this taking place in the near future. If I had the money I would go private and request another Consultant.

Yes agree with Lori!
It takes time, l went on the same path intense exercising over did it, first l had to reduce swelling elevation less exercising, worked gained better range.
7mths later still trying to get there Pool daily, PT exercises & 3klm walks. Range is now 115
It takes time & definitely patients.
My leg still burns or swells if l over do it.
Pool is gentle best best & gentle.
All the best with your journey & recovery Janette definitely keep both side equal strength = good balance too.