pain in replaced knee 5 years after TKR

[ashok330]

I am 67 years old.My right knee was replaced 5 years back. I used to feel some  tightness and slight discomfort in right upper part of knee, but it did not bother me much and i continued to do lot of walking and playing Golf. For last few months the pain and discomfort has increased and it feels as if there is some torrn ligament. The joint feels stiff, almost wooden.It is restricting but not so painful so as to need medication. X ray shows joint to be normal. Doctors say that i just need to take it easy to prolong the life of the joint. I wonder if the problem is with the knee cap and what can be done to give me complete relief and make it feel normal.

[ashok330]

Thanks a lot for your advice.I did consult a orthopedic surgeon. He only suggested some exercises which I am doing but there is no change. It feels as if there is some tear in the flesh or some ligament.Will a CT scan be able to diagnose the exact problem.The pain/discomfort only happens when I am walking or going down/up the stairs.It is not so much as to require any pain killer.

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include hardware issues/ issues with prosthesis, inflammation/ degeneration, fractures, injuries to muscles/ ligaments/ tendons etc. X-ray may not be too detailed one would have to rely on a physical examination or consider detailed imaging such as the CT. You could try resting the knee for a few days, followed with physiotherapy or exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee. Tylenol/ OTC NSAIDS may be helpful for pain relief. If the symptoms continue, I would suggest a review with your orthopedician.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!