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Arthritis (Expert Forum)
Knee pain following total knee replacement
Answered by
Dr Vinod - Exercise & Fitness, Orthopedics
General Physician
Gurgaon - India
This forum is for questions and support regarding arthritis issues such as: Arthritis, Autoimmune Disease, Bursitis, Fibromyalgia, Gout, Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Myositis, Neuralgia, Osteoarthritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Sciatica, Tendinitis, Vasculitis.
Doctor's Answer
by Dr Vinod, Sep 02, 2009 08:18PM
, Sep 02, 2009 08:18PMTo: DenDep
Hello!
If your pain has decreased and is in decreasing trend you should continue physiotherapy for complete recovery. Do not worry about some amount of pain, swelling, discomfort and stiffness; you can take occasional anti inflammatory drugs. Ice packs are always good for relieving pain.
Knee replacement surgery is very successful, but the success of the procedure is partly due to the rehabilitation period that follows the surgery. I suppose that you had undergone the full therapy to expect a good result from knee replacement surgery, you must have been on active rehabilitation participation.
Patients typically undergo several weeks of physical therapy to restore motion, strength and function.
The emphasis in the early stages of rehab is to maintain motion of the knee replacement and to ensure that you can walk safely. The body reacts to surgery by making scar tissue, and you may never recover normal motion if you do not focus on bending and straightening the knee replacement. You need to continue the therapy in an aggressive way for 3 months, and progressive way till the end of the year. The pain decreases in a decreasing trend and if it has decreased since the post operative pain of 12 weeks it is fine. As you have to understand that complete recovery from the operation involving return to full normal function may take three months and some patients notice a gradual improvement lasting many months longer than that.
Take care!
If your pain has decreased and is in decreasing trend you should continue physiotherapy for complete recovery. Do not worry about some amount of pain, swelling, discomfort and stiffness; you can take occasional anti inflammatory drugs. Ice packs are always good for relieving pain.
Knee replacement surgery is very successful, but the success of the procedure is partly due to the rehabilitation period that follows the surgery. I suppose that you had undergone the full therapy to expect a good result from knee replacement surgery, you must have been on active rehabilitation participation.
Patients typically undergo several weeks of physical therapy to restore motion, strength and function.
The emphasis in the early stages of rehab is to maintain motion of the knee replacement and to ensure that you can walk safely. The body reacts to surgery by making scar tissue, and you may never recover normal motion if you do not focus on bending and straightening the knee replacement. You need to continue the therapy in an aggressive way for 3 months, and progressive way till the end of the year. The pain decreases in a decreasing trend and if it has decreased since the post operative pain of 12 weeks it is fine. As you have to understand that complete recovery from the operation involving return to full normal function may take three months and some patients notice a gradual improvement lasting many months longer than that.
Take care!
