6 months post op 40% bend extreme pain total knee replacement

[Cakeladywales]

Hi I had a total knee replacement March 2017 i have been in extreme pain of varying degrees ever since. I am stuck at 40% bend but can straighten totally and have been able to since day one of the op. I have had physio twice a week for an hour until they couldn't think of anything else to help it bend other than forcing it. Today I had hydrotherapy and will do once a week for 6 weeks by which time I will be going in for a manipulation. I have just given up on getting any sleep tonight I'm in so much pain after the hydrotherapy. Everything I do to try and get it to bend just leaves me in more and more pain. I have tried everything I can't work i cant drive and i have had no quality of life since I had it done. The pain of this far outweighs the arthritis pain I wish I never had it done. What I'm really really concerned about is that the manipulation won't work and I will be like this forever. I have had numerous x rays and ultrasound and apart from showing a small amount of fluid I'm told everything is OK. Ludicrous how can everything be ok

[crpsSucks]

I'm not qualified (although I have done quite a bit of research over the years, the knee has incredible biomechanics!). Plus, it's hard to make a diagnosis on such little information, but I can see some parallels to my experience after knee surgery. Have your doctors spoke to you about the possibility of CRPS (chronic regional pain syndrome)? It maybe something to look into.

I had a tough time going through physio, when it felt like I was only making it worse, doctors telling me I shouldn't be in so much pain, tests came back negative.. I was actually glad for my condition to deteriorate to physical symptoms so when I had an MRI and the doctor (who barely looked me) said I was fine, you could clearly see my knee was far from fine.

I've had way too many visits to physio and orthopaedics, meeting people how have had many problems with knee replacements. Yet, I've got an uncle who had one 15+ years ago and is doing great, even doing marshal arts - so result do vary greatly!

[Cmh59 in reply to crpsSucks]

Cakeladywales. I had my knee replaced 10/4/16. I was in the hospital 9 days; having 7 days on inpatient therapy a total of 3 hours a day. I was then released. I had 2 months of physical therapy. My bend never got more than 85% or so. They discharged me saying I knew what I needed to do and I do. I can tell In the last several months that my bend has improved on its own gradually. I rode my exercise bike tonight with no trouble. My seat was high. The last time I tried I was on my tip toe and it hurt. It does bother me to walk very far and I get hip pain from that. It also bothers me to drive. Feels like my hardware is going to poke thru the skin. I have my 1 year check up soon. I am not sure what the outcome will be as he says it had to be better than it was with it being bone on bone. Now when I walk I can feel the clunk of the hardware in my new knee. He did tell me that manipulation has to be in the very beginning. Good luck to you. The most helpful thing I learned was in Bonesmart and that was your knee will heal at its own pace. We are all different. If you are tired and hurting don't push it, rest. God Bless