What Helps Pain After Total Knee Replacement?

Knee pain after a total knee replacement surgery is a matter of concern for many. Some amount of pain, swelling, and bruising at the surgical site is normal after knee surgery. However, it is nothing to dwell on. Before you are discharged, your doctor will give you the necessary instructions to manage the pain and discomfort during the recovery period and will also prescribe pain medications. Before discussing pain management techniques, let’s understand what TKR surgery is.

What Is a Total Knee Replacement?

Total knee replacement (TKR) is a surgical procedure where the damaged parts knee joint is replaced with an artificial implant (prosthesis). It is known to be one of the most successful orthopedic procedures in India. It relieves pain and stiffness resulting from age-related wear and tear or an injury and improves mobility. 

The normal knee consists of three components, namely, the thigh bone (femur), the upper end of the shinbone (tibia), and the kneecap (patella). Any damage to these components leads to knee pain and reduced mobility. This hinders your daily routine activities such as walking, standing, getting up from the chair, running, or climbing the stairs. Pain and reduced mobility are mainly due to arthritis (inflammation of the joint), trauma or injury, blood disorders that lead to issues in blood clot formation (hemophilia), etc.

Total knee replacement is recommended when other conventional treatments (anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, walking aids, steroid injections) fail to provide relief and improve mobility.

How Do You Manage Pain After a TKR Surgery?

Experiencing moderate to severe pain during the first few days of the surgery is expected. This will drastically reduce over the next 3 to 6 months. The following measures will help you have a smooth and fast recovery;

Prescribed Medications

• Before you are discharged from the hospital, your doctor will prescribe pain medications for the next few weeks.
• These medications will help you manage pain and swelling at the surgical site. 
• These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are prescription medicines.

Proper Rest

• Make sure that you get adequate rest during the initial days after surgery.
• As your knee joint bears most of your body weight, it is essential that you give adequate time to your knees to heal after the surgery.

Elevation

• You can elevate your legs higher than your hips;, this helps reduce pain.
• The gravity will help pull up the built-up in fluid towards your heart and reduce the swelling and pain faster.

Ice Packs

• Applying ice to the operated knee joint is one of the best and most natural ways to reduce swelling and pain.
• Ice packs minimize the discomfort which is caused post-surgery.
• Your orthopedic surgeon will recommend a block of ice with a  compression bag carefully wrapped around the knee.

Physiotherapy

• Your physical therapist (PT) may use a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) unit (it is a unit that helps stimulate blood flow and reduce pain in the knee and the surrounding tissues).
• Follow the exercise recommended by your PT, which helps strengthen your muscles around the knee. This increases the range of motion and blood flow around your knee, promotes healing and drains the fluid away.

What Can Lead to Chronic Pain After Total Knee Replacement?

Here are some scenarios that may lead to chronic pain  after a TKR surgery.

• Swelling at the surgical site: Fluid accumulation at the surgical site leads to pain due to increased pressure.
• Loosening of the implant: This is the most common cause of pain after TKR surgery.
• Kneecap problems: These are another important cause of post-surgery pain. Even normal activities (like walking, or getting up from a chair) will put pressure on the operated knee’s kneecap. This might lead to mild to moderate pain.
• Alignment problems: A poorly aligned implant may not function well, irrespective of the brand of the implant. Currently, computer navigation is under investigation, as it may help surgeons to improve the alignment.
• Infection: This is a serious cause of pain following a total knee replacement surgery, which requires immediate medical attention.

If you are experiencing chronic pain or pain that does not subside with medications, make sure that you consult your doctor without any further delay. 

Takeaway

As said, experiencing some amount of pain, swelling or bruising at the surgical site is normal for any surgery. With the right management techniques, it is possible to manage these signs effectively. Total knee replacement has high success rates and individuals who have undergone the procedure are leading an active and healthy life. For any assistance on TKR surgery, you can consult the expert team of doctors at Medfin.

Disclaimer: The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/surgery performed. Please seek professional help regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.