Is this normal post-TKR pain?

Mart16

I'm about 3 months post TKR and still have a painful scar. So think what you are feeling is normal. It's a numb pain if that is possible on the outside of the knee and a normal pain on the inside of the knee. If I sit for a long time with my leg straight I get a stinging, stretching pain along the scar. PT also told me to rub vitamin E into the scar daily while massaging it. Keep moving the scar around to help scar tissue from forming. Knee is starting to feel like a normal knee a little more each week. Some parts of the day I don't even think about it! It's been years since that has happened. Hope you are doing well and everyone says to give it a year before it is all normal.
Martha

Mother Hubble

Thanks so much for the encouragement! I do try to rub it a lot. Just knowing what to expect helps a lot. It's better than worrying that something might be wrong.

irena

irena

Hi,
I too have had TKR about seven weeks ago, and doing quite well (i think) climbing stairs several times a day, using a stationary byke twice a day for 30 min, along with aqua therapy twice a week, which is wonderful, as it's therapy with half the pain. I am going to attempt to drive this week, as it is my right knee, and you have to wait longer.
Everyone seems to have different problem, mine is swelling which then makes the scar (about eight inches) very tight and feels like it will burst open when excercising... I have been massaging oil into it several times a day, and that really helps, as sometimes it is tighter than a drum, and stops me from moving, I also have that surface pain, which feels like the nerve endings are sitting on top of my knee, cant stand a sheet on it, but does seem to be getting less each week. I elevate and jel pack several times a day...... By the way i found a recipe for a jel pack from the Berkely Wellness Centre.,works much better than the ice cubes I was using, as it moulds to the knee. If you cant find it I will post it... it sounds like oiling is helpful to a lot of people..... so I hope that you do as well as you sound to be doing. From what I gather it's a long haul of several months, but I figure if I know what I'm up against I can cope. This site is great for help and support. So thank you everyone and good luck.

Irena

irena

jennybyc

I've had bi-lateral TKR's 10 years ago. One of my knees was a "staged TKR" where they go in and do the skin flap first, staple it up and the then allow 8 weeks for the blood vessels to find a new route around the incision. It's for people who have had multiple previous surgeries(6 previous on that knee). Then they re-open the knee along the same incision and do the TKR. So I can personally assure you that the incision is VERY painful for a long period of time. It hurt almost as much as the actual surgery. They are still cutting nerves and when nerves heal, they hurt.

My doc told me to expect a full year for recovery and than at 1 year, told it was really more like 2. And it took a full 2 years for my anemia to disappear and my body to fully recover from the stress of the surgery.

So allow your body to heal. In a TKR they are basically breaking your leg above and below the knee. It's a real trauma to the whole body and there is a lot of blood loss.

Give it a year and you'll feel great. Give it 2 years and you'll forget you even have it in. It took a long time to wear out your knee. Give it some time to get used to the new one.

gentle hugs.............Jenny

Mother Hubble

Thanks so much for the encouragement. The joint itself feels fabulous, but the incision still often stings. It's been 5 months now and I guess the pain in the incision just isn't what I expected. Not everyone I've talked to have had it, so that discouraged me too. I do seem to do better when I'm rubbing Vitamin E into the scar at least twice daily. I don't envy what you're going through!

Madonna1958

Hi Mother Hubble. I feel your "bee" stings often also. It will be seven months on the 3rd of May. I get pains sometimes that make me jump to the other leg. I often find myself rubbing my scare also when it is feeling tender. I started rubbing Vitamin E on it on my 4th day. However, I seemed to have stopped now.

I am having difficulty in areas. I have good days where I could walk a mile easily but ice it afterwards. I cherish those days. I won’t give you a list of the issues I have with my right knee. I am 50 and "went" and "did" before my injury that led to this replacement. Now I have to think twice because "everything" in this world revolves around walking somehow someway. I live in Maryland and commute to DC for work. The drive is a killer. Opps, that is starting a list. I will stop now.

I wish you the best luck. It is good to be able to talk to people who relate.

And Jenny, I will hold you to the year and the two-year part.

Have a great weekend, Madonna