Partial Knee Replacement

[Gimpy9]

I had a partial knee replacement on Oct 25th, everything seemed to be going well. Physical therapy was going good, was taking longer and longer walks, then on Dec 5th, the pain started. With every step I take now I can feel where the bone meets the replacement. The pain is unbearable at times. This was my 9th knee surgery. Has anyone experienced this type of problem and if so any solutions? I am still going to physical therapy, but not taking my walks. A total knee replacement was not an option due to the damage and age of 43.

[Josephine]

Hello, Gimpy, and welcome!

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "where the bone meets the replacement". Are you telling me that you only had one surface replaced? http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b286/flagady15/smilies/scratch.gif

Does the pain ever come and go? Would you ever liken it to have a piece of grit on your shoe? What surgeries did you have before?

[Gimpy9]

Veritically I can feel where the replacement meets the bone. Went to the Doctor yesterday, I have small stress fracture that he thinks is causing the pain when I walk. 7 of the surgeries before the partial replacement were for medial menisectomy, lysis resection, arthritis buildup, etc. The first surgery was a result of a fall, had to remove part of the patella.

[Josephine]

Stress fracture was my first thought but I was loath to say as much. Still, rest is the cure for that and they do generally heal without too much trouble. Puts the PT on hold for a bit though. Hope it goes ok for you.

[Bev55]

Any idea how the stress fracture was caused? I'm 4 and a bit weeks post op of a HKR.... is there anything I should avoid so as to prevent this happening?

I'm walking more and more each day having progressed from two crutches to one just a few days ago. Now that I am moving round more, swelling seems to have increased - though its really not swelling all that much thank goodness. Guess swelling is par for the cause?

Am hoping to be fit for return to work 5 weeks from now....

[Josephine]

Stress fractures are a bit of a mystery, Bev. It's only known that they can occur where there is repeated activity or loading on a bone but then bones are supposed to take that kind of stress anyway, so what makes a particular bit of bone cope with 999 movements but the 1,000th one cause a fracture is beyond us. Usually they are only tiny cracks and do heal eventually so long as the weight bearing is minimalised. IOW, the leg is rested.

The most common bones for this to occur in are the long bones in the foot, the metatarsals - remember the famous Beckham metatarsal?!! That was a stress fracture.

[Gimpy9]

I'm not sure how the stress fracture occured. It may have happened at physical therapy during the flex portion. I felt it "give" just a bit too much and had more pain than normal. I am still using crutches when shopping and at work, we have a raised floor, sort of like a drop ceiling, so it moves now and again, more for safety. I am still going to PT, range of motion is not progressing as quickly as I would like, I am trying to be patient. Swelling has not been an issue for me with this surgery. Pain is a constant factor which can go away anytime!!!

[Josephine]

Aaww, Gimpy! Hope 2008 is a much better year for you!

[sore knee]

I have that pain when I walk, although mine has been there all along. I think I feel better than before my pkr, but sometimes I am not sure. the doctor tried Celebrex again last month, it didn't help, yesterday I started predisone for two weeks. The doctor seems to think I over did it, but I stayed home 8 weeks after surgery. Next he wants to do a bone scan. Steps are really bad too.