I had my total left knee replacement a month ago. The quad/hamstring pain due to tourniquet was more intense than the knee replacement.

I'll give this a shot. TKR takes its toll on you mentally as well as physically with all the disappointments during rehabilitation. I am just starting the 6th week and it's been full of ups and downs. Sleep has been a thing of the past.

Thank you for sharing this valuable information. I’m 2 weeks post TKR, and have not been sleeping well due to thigh discomfort. I did this last night, and a couple times during the night when awake, and slept so much better. I found I did have a huge knot in my thigh, and have been able to work it out. I completely agree that patients are not provided with enough info on what to expect. As a recovery room nurse, I hope I can apply my personal experience with TKR to better improve patient education.

Soft tissue trauma is way under-emphasized by most ortho programs, surgeons and physical therapists. Having spent forty years in healthcare myself, I find this extremely difficult to explain. It's pretty obvious from the visual evidence, i.e., bruising and swelling, that the soft tissues surrounding the joint take an extremely hard hit during the replacement surgery. OF COURSE, those tissues are going to hurt post- operatively, and hinder recovery of gait and ROM. Yet, most caregivers involved in total joint replacements pay this aspect very little attention, and give patients almost no warning about what to expect in this regard. After my TKR, I had to discover these issues for myself, and Tony is the only therapist I've found who gives them adequate attention. I still wonder why only manual massage techniques are mentioned, however. There safe and effective powered massage units that are available, and it seems that if these are used intelligently, they could be of value.

My husband had total knee replacement and has been experiencing severe thigh pain. We are both sl glad of your video explaining why. Know he knows what caused it. No one said anything to him about how intense this pain would be. He said if wasn’t for his thigh pain the knee itself is doing ok just after 10 days. Thank you greatly

That makes sense. 10 days post surgery and this is the main problem stopping me from sleeping. It is so painful especially as I’m forced to lie on my back

I am 4 months into a wonderful knee replacement but my pain in the back of my leg was bad the back of my thigh and calf gave me more pain than my knee...but all is better now...

This thigh pain is ridiculous! Day 6 and it’s brutal.

Tony is the TKR physio guru that got me through the months immediately after my procedure in May 2020. I had thigh and calf pain. The calf pain felt like an intense knot or pulled calf and in some ways getting over that was harder than other aspects of recovery. Follow your PT but listen to Tony also. He added valuable info and techniques to my recovery. It gets better. By Nov 2020, I had what I would describe as a full recovery. Now there isn’t anything I can’t do.

I had a total knee replacement on June 29, I had an at home physical therapist for three weeks, and now I’m kind of on my own so I have been watching your videos and following what you are saying to do and I can’t tell you how grateful I am that you put these videos up. At six weeks I went to see my doctor and I was already at 126 flexion and that’s because I have followed all your methods so thank you again.

I am 9 days out from TKR and the most pain was on my thigh from the tourniquet pressure. I had black and blue from the knee to my butt check and it hurt more than the knee surgery. Thanks for the video

I had a knee replacement Friday I had lotta bruising in the back of my calf and my thigh stiffness soreness just like what you’re saying was scared to death so I called the nurse assistant They came to the house the day before she told me to call the doctors office so I did I haven’t heard from them yet and I said to myself let me go on KZfaq and Shkernoff there you were Thank you you calm my fears. I’ve been doing things for myself and I’m doing much better now I know what’s going on with my body.

I had bi- lateral knee replacement on February 6th. The first ten days were absolutely miserable. The pain was around a 9 out of 10 and the side effects of the opioids they gave me made me feel loopy, constipated, and just not myself. They did help some with my pain but I stopped taking them after ten days. I don’t have pain in my calves but my thighs are still tender and I’m 3 weeks post op today. The amount of trauma from knee replacement is really a lot. More than i anticipated.

Thank you. It helped. I've had so many weird pains and I am scared. The thigh and calf are where some of those weird pains are. I'm 2.5 weeks out front surgery and the pain makes me want to give up.

I started watching your videos one year before my TKR. I wasn’t nervous about the surgery because of all the valuable info you gave me. Thank you for all the time you put into making wonderful videos. I’m almost 4 weeks post-op and doing well. My surgeon and his P.A. are great also the therapists at Physio. My therapist has worked on the calf and thigh since the beginning. I’m so blessed to have all of you in my corner. Thanks!

My upper and lower leg pain was a lot worse than my knee. It's helpful to hear about the tourniquet as a possible source of thigh pain. My housemate had to learn how to massage my leg to help me tolerate the pain. My surgeon's PA thought it might be due to the bruising that covered the entire back half of my leg, but the pain lasted for months, well after bruising was gone. Also lost about 2 pints of blood, so maybe they cranked the tourniquet down to control it.

Thank you!!! This explains a lot! I’ve been so frustrated. I have never heard any of this from my therapists!

This was super helpful. I’m one month out of total knee replacement tomorrow. The back of my calf is screaming.

tony you have given me such hope, ive started doing everything that you advocate, i had given up physio after 4 tries as i was almost crippled afterwards, and the pain each time was excruciating. thank you so much , even my knee has started straitening.

Tony I agree with you! My calf is not that painful BUT my ankle, Achilles?, pain does "restrict" me! The doctor & PT could not come up with a reason. You are helpful Tony! God bless you!😇

My calf pain was horrible until I discovered that stretching it relieved it.

I agree ! Damage from tourniquet during sleep is miserable. Just relocate to other positions, move around or walk a bit. No amount of pain medication will phase it when it starts throbbing so do not attempt to take on your pain meds for this . Moving about helps better .

Thank goodness I found this. I thought I was going crazy

This is amazingly valuable information for post-op. Thx for making the explanation so clear.

Very knowledgeable! Good video, Anthony! These people are so lucky to have your videos as a physical therapist. I hope everyone eats this stuff up!!

I had a total knee replacement six days ago and the swelling and pain is terrible at night I won’t take opiates so thank you very very much you are a guru! I didn’t even think of a tourniquet why it would be like that, you explain things so wonderfully!

I had my left knee replaced two days ago. I found your video. On the thigh pain. What a God send. I’m a totally different person today. Thank you.

I'm 4 weeks post total hip anterior replacement and I went from day 4 to now with swollen, bruised leg. The pain was so intense with throbbing and burning 24/7 that went all the way to my toes. Painkillers did not work at all. I'm 72 in excellent health and 3 solid weeks of this made me physically weak. No one would listen or help me. Finally, I dug out my rollers and balls that I used for years before surgery, and this started to help. I'm just starting to be able to walk and breathe. Thanks for helping people with this. I got no help from my surgeon or PT. They kept saying everyone recovers at a different rate. Never again will I put myself through this journey.

I have had exactly this type of pain. I am at 9 weeks and frustrated. I'm wishing I had never had this surgery.

OMG! I thought it was something wrong with me. I am just s few days with my left leg tkr. I told the nurses my thigh is what really hurts. I have been massaging my thigh and it feel a lot better. Thank you so very much for this informational video.

Very helpful to understand why my thigh hurts worse than my knee. Will be doing the rolling therapy ASAP. Makes total sense. Thank you!

you answered a lot of questions we had. I had watched a vedio of a PT messaging the leg and how the range of motion was improved. So I started the second day after surgery. Thank you

The information on the tourniquet is excellent. I had a Shwanoma removed from behind my knee and it went really well. 9 months later, I had the total knee replacement. I have good range of motion and strength 8 months later but persistent swelling every time I do anything. I just got back from seeing my surgeon and a Physio Therapist and neither could explain swell just above my knee that no amount of ice, elevation or compression seems to eliminate. Thank you so much. I do believe it was the tourniquet. Now I know what to do.

I researched this because the pain in my back thigh and calf are causing me intense pain. I'm 5 months post op and it's so awful. It's worse when I sit for a while and then get up. The pain is super intense as the muscle weight happens when I stand. Then it takes awhile in order to get the pain to subside and I am able to walk again.

Thank you so much for this information! At week 5 of my partial knee replacement recovery, my thigh hurt so bad that I had to go back to using a walker. The pain was like having a constant Charliehorse. I had been doing great in my recovery, up to that point. I called my doctor about it and he only recommended that I reduce my activity. Your explanation of the damage caused from tourniquet makes perfect sense. I also have muscle discomfort on my upper calf, too. I’m going to start doing the soft tissue massage too, thanks to your video. 👍

Just saw this video and it was spot on. Had my TKR on 12/5/23. I was worried and nervous that something was terribly wrong. This is my second knee replacement of the opposite knee( left). Done by the same surgeon in which he did an excellent job. This one knee is a little more challenging than the right knee and the thigh and hip pain is excruciating. My two week post op is Monday12/18. I will let you know what happens. Great video to help me understand my pain at this point because the right leg replacement was much easier than this one.

Hi I had my right knee replaced on May 18th stayed overnight in the Hosp things seemed to go well. walked around hours after the surgery. in the Hosp felt fine . The nurse said to me your a great patient but I'm not going to lie to you . when the nerve blockers wear off the pain isn't going to come on slow it will hit you like a freight train. Well I would say it took about 50 hours after the surgery but the train showed up and her description was accurate. Believe me when I say I'm no drama queen and I have had several surgery's in my past and always handled pain well. This is totally different I'm ok with most of the pain people describe but after sitting for awhile with leg raised iced etc. Every time When I begin to get up while lowering my leg there is a rush of pain concertation on the side of my knee meaning the left side of my right knee that had the surgery. the pain is off the chart. It feels like someone is crushing the flesh in a vise. takes about 10 minutes to go away or until I put my leg back up. This has been going about 5 days and the pain killers are not helping I would like to know the reason for the intense rush of pain while lowering my leg. I have an appointment to see my surgeon tomorrow. Thanks for your time

Add total knee replacement a little over 3 weeks ago. My surgeon and physical therapist never talked about thigh and calf muscle. They also didn't offer advice. It seems like most physical therapists are in such a hurry to document everything in their laptop and get to the next patient they don't have time to look at the comprehensive big picture

Bingo! Thank you. I thought it was due to the PT. I know many of the exercises focus on the thigh. The sensitivity on my thigh is on the center . I do know that the ligaments were repaired due to prior to surgery I was severely knock kneed. Again thanks SO much.

I had calf, hamstring and quadriceps pain. Also had complications after surgery and couldn’t begin aggressive ROM therapy for 9 days post op. Scar tissue and pain in muscles limited my progress so an MUA at 8 weeks was recommended. After MUA quad, hamstrings and calf muscles were affected by hematomas effusion. MRI , CT and X rays do not show tendon tears or any fractures in hip or leg bones. Again, am losing valuable time to achieve recovery of ROM. Surgeon has never seen a case as bad as mine.

Good morning Tony..... Happy 2021! thanks for this video..... I have been unable to sleep for a month while I endure this awful pain on my calf.... every night! I will definetely do the massages after watching your video....also, I found that heat helps too.... Thanks again...for ALL your good tips!

Thanks for the info. Learning more from you online than my live PT guy

Well now i feel so much better i thought after 7 months there was something seriously wrong but now i know what to do and it feels so much better

Mid Thigh pain was significant at day 3-4 then slowly subsided slowly, while the calf pain and upper thigh pain showed up day 7-8. Today is Day 8. I knew about the tourniquet pain but the calf pain made me think of thrombosis. I needed this video today. Thank you.

Good evening Tony and happy new year. First I want to thank you for your videos. The desire to share your professional tips with your subscribers is so greatly appreciated. Can you discuss femoral nerve pain.Im 5 months out and have good flexion and extension. I worked very hard to achieve it as you well know. The current issue is persistent burning,tingling pain in my knee,thigh,and down to my ankle. I'm having an EMG this week and under the care of pain management at my request. I'm back on gabapentin and grateful to get some relief. Can you share your experience with this issue? Thank you very much

These are great comments, and concur with my experience of forty years of riding all types of frames. I want my frame to talk to me, closer to a calm conversation than a shout. Aluminum shouts at me, carbon whispers a little too softly, titanium is mute, and steel simply sings its songs all day long, not intrusively, but almost like a sixth sense.

Your explanation makes total sense because I use foam rolling my surgical leg behind my thigh and my calf towards the outside part and I have instant relief every time. I didn't know the logic behind I did it just because it feels good and have relief. I will keep it as a habit and massage few times a week. Thank you for your video.

You are truly the best!!! THANKYOU for your commitment to all of us❤️

I am at 9 weeks. Everything great but I am now startin g to go backwards because I can't walk more than a few hundred meters without my legs muscles ceasing up. I am trying massage but only getting temp relief. Will keep trying. But my walking is down to nearly zero. It is not a pain you can push through. I stop and stretch and massage and still sometime can barely make it home. 😢 Very frustrating when everything else is doing so well. Thank you for this video and others. ❤ At least I now know I am not crazy

Thanks for the video now I understand why my Thigh is hurting

My left TKR was in June. Now I am ten days into the processes for the right knee. Both have had extreme pain in the thigh.. Also IT band and Ciatic nerve issues. These seem harder to manage than the knee pain. Everyone says it’s tourniquet pain. I did some research and it turns out the tourniquet helps the surgeon see what he needs to see better. if that’s the case then the pain is worth it if it leaves eventually. The good news is that I am taking the therapy very seriouly and things are improving on the left finally. This is a long process so we need to have faith and patience while working toward recovery. I have a great PT people helping me, but I am also learning a lot with all these videos. I figure if I can’t sleep I might as well learn something. My hope is to help people in the future who go through this and after this experience I’ll have ideas of how I can help them. I am saving a lot of the links for your videos to share with others. Thank you!

Man I’m a month post op. I thought I was the only one🥲🥲 this helps a lot!!! Sleeping has been tough. Getting out of bed because of the quad pain is so tough!! Thanks this vid help me get some sort of relief and understanding.

Hi Tony! Thanks so so much for the advice. Just had a TKR on Wednesday. As I was watching this, my son had given a family member a little rolling ball. For like 2 years it was seating there in out bedroom. As I watched and got up to go get my rolling pin, I saw it, had NO CLUE how it worked but it’s like a little green ball and I was able to hold it perfectly to mesage. I havr no idea what brand this is, it just has a K and it reads “Triggerpoint”? No sure where my son got it! But wow I immediately started feel the blood flow, feels a little warm, so I will just ice after? Found you because I’ve the the most horrible 3 days. I am on zero sleep! And it’s true this pain is way worse than the one I feel on my new knee. Thank Thank You!

Doc you hit the nail right on the head. It makes sense to me that they would use a tourniquet on me I haven't asked my doctor yet but I have all the symptoms with the muscles and the bands on the side of the thighs and in front of the thigh being extremely tight and painful and so I self massage and found your video and will continue to do so

8 weeks after tkr I still had excruciating calf pain. I was struggling to walk from sitting Friend is a retired acupuncturist. He showed me a couple of pressure points relief was almost instant. Then made an appointment with a practising acupuncturist he stuck m with needles which I didn't even feel 2 days later almost totally gone. Allowed me to then stretch and move more freely.

This video was very helpful. I have had problems with my thigh muscle. It was painful early on, but now it is just very knotted up. I'll try massage. BTW, I am using headphones, and your podcast is only coming in on one side today. Usually it is fine. Thanks for all you do.

Thank you for sharing this Tony and all your videos. I had my Tkr 3 weeks ago

Thanks Tony every time I check out you're video's it helps me at P.T I wasn't getting all this information that's why every time I come across I share with others and tell them to check you out you help me and others keep going strong thanks again...

Sounds good but Friday we found a blood clot but no one me where it is. I’d love to get my right to relax. I notice that my leg muscles tighten up a lot no matter what I’m doing.

Just had full knee replacement information a great help understanding what is happening first class video

Great information there i have learnt alot from you and many questions after my TNR 20days ago. Thanks

My husband has a torn meniscus but he was advised he doesn’t need surgery and to wear a brace, ice it, take meds and do PT. He starts PT this week but he is in more pain from his thigh and calf than from his knee! His calf and ankle are very swollen - his calf is an inch bigger around than his good knee. It’s much worse when he lies down to sleep! I can’t find any information at all on this. We went to the emergency room to see if he had a blood clot and it was clear. So frustrating.

Extremely informative….thanks for giving me the tools and knowledge to deal with my thigh and calf pain. The pain is excruciating….never felt pain like this before. And I have high tolerance

I am three days post op LTKR and my left gluteus maximus muscle is hurting worse than anything else. I'm going to try some massage. Will report back with results.

I appreciate your videos. I am happy to learn after months of suffering, my problem of night pain was actually a sciatia nerve issue. I am to stop P.T. for a few week to give it a break. I took only three doses of gabapentin and is resolved. I don't know when to stop the gabapentin though. I subscribe to all your videos because they're so informative.

It is helpful blees u

When I had my hip replacement, my rehab person actually pulled out a toilet plunger and used it on my incision, and believe it or not, it helped so much...

SO helpful.

Just found this video three weeks out from my knee surgery. Total knee replacement of my right knee. You are right the pain in the calf muscles and my quadriceps on top. Lock my phone muscles. My thigh muscles aren’t really sore at all but my top I guess they’re called quadriceps in front of the knee? They’re still sore. I asked my doctor if I can use the electric massager and he told me it was OK. I am also on Eliquis blood thinner. The massager does not seem to help a whole lot. I’ve been using at three days and I’m not noticing a whole lot of difference. But I would guess nobody knows what the calf muscle pain is but I think I have an idea. When they separate all of those ligaments and tendons from both sides of the knee, it probably pulls on those calf muscles really bad and that’s my only guess as to what that could be, thanks again for the great informational video

This is exactly what I was looking for. Been massaging and I got the cryo-therapy product... Thank you...

Spot on. Voltaren Gel. Arnica ice and so massaging does wonders

Love all your videos I've seen so far. Thanks for sharing your professional advice.

Very grateful for this additional info, I had not considered thigh/calf as separate to actual knee healing process. Makes sense, Thankyou.

I had a knee replacement 11 months ago I’m still in so much pain

I had a TKR 7 1/2 weeks ago. My Dr. Did not like my ROM so last week I had a manipulation done under anesthesia, now I am in TKR bootcamp. 13 days straight of intense PT. I feel like I'm dying they are pressing on my knee t h en bending and leaning on my knee until tears are in my eyes. I feel like such a failure my knee does not want to accept this new knee. I do my exercises all the time help!!!!❤

Thank you! Anyone have ankle and heel pain along w total knee?

Thank you for the info. I just had my second knee replacement within 3 months and the calf pain is definitely the worst part so far. I'm going to try some of the tricks that you mentioned and see if that doesn't help. I also purchased a massage type gun that I will try in those areas too. It seems like when I do exercises to stretch my calf It almost hurts worse. Maybe I'm overdoing it?

I have the same problem. After 8 weeks I have more pain in my lower leg than my knee. I just keep using ice, massage, and stretches.

YES! my ankle and thigh hurt more! So its expected. Thank you.

3 mo post op TKR, doing great. But....6 weeks post op, started getting SI joint area pain on surgical side. Happened after my last visit with ortho. Bothers me 24/7. Doing strengthening exercises for back, buttocks. Lying on side helps, ice helps.

Had modified tkr, muscle tight in cald..muscle is pulled over during this surgery rather than cutting

I worked my but off prior to my surgery, i did both my knees in the same surgery. My Dr said I was in good enough shape to be a candidate. Only two days post op. Thighs above my knees are really sore, almost like after an intense workout, its hard to get out of this recliner I slept in last night. I spent first night at hospital. Start PT this afternoon. Osteoarthritis wasted my cartilage away, was bone to bone on medial sides. Im hoping the exercises i did 3 months pre op makes a difference in my recovery.

The intense pain I'm experiencing right now is my hip joint, I feel unbalanced , I feel that when I try and stand with my feet together I'm taller on my replaced knee, I'm also experiencing a lot of sciatic pain, it won't go away, I can't sleep due to my pain, the thigh and calf muscle pain I can manage with my massager,but I also have a lot of pain in back of my knee like a ligament pain and my groin muscle

Very helpful video. Thank you!

I am on my 11th day post op. This was so very helpful, Question: the top of my calf hurts a lot too: it feels like shin splints!

I had my first TKR (left) done Feb 17th. My little PT (God love her, she is the sweetest little thing) makes me feel like an alien bc of the severe pain I am having. And I have to go for my third session tomorrow and can guarantee you she will be disappointed in me. Once I got past the the full-on leg pain that ended me in the er two days post-op, I thought could see the light, until the calf thing hit me. Like, sore even to glancing in it’s direction, much less trying to gingerly pet on it and cry like a baby. I’m supposed to have my right TKR done in five weeks :( And let me conclude that I no stranger to discomfort and pain. We have a long history together. I am multiple time Ironman Triathlete l, and I would do another one again with zero training before I would do this survey again lol. I’m desperate for support here :(

Great stuff. Thanks very much.

Excellent information

What is a realistic time frame for the thigh to heal? I'm struggling with excruciating pain in my thigh.

Hi Tony. I just found you on KZfaq. I had my total knee replacement 18 months ago. I still suffer from calf pain and frontal thigh pain. I will try the rolling pin exercise that you suggested. I will say I could not finish my rehab following the knee replacement because it exacerbated the hip pain on the same side. Now I wonder if this is the cause of my continuing pain. I am waiting for a hip replacement now and nervous these other pains will get worse after surgery. Anything you can suggest?

Mate, you are a legend!

Thank you . Would the use of the Dr. Ho’s electrical pads on the valves and thighs be good to use in addition to the rolling pin?

I had my left knee replacement 6/24/22 and have only gotten to 87⁰ of motion...extension is 0⁰ and fine! My knee couldn't bend before surgery...it was bone on bone osteoarthritis, so I don't know if I'll ever get to 90⁰ or better. My PT Therapist wants it to get to 90⁰...but I don't know. I still use a rollator walker to walk.

Tony your videos have been a Godsend to me. I'm 4 weeks out of TKR on my right leg. I have great motion in the leg and knee. 120 degree flexion and 100% straight. My problem is with the other leg and knee joint. It's at a 25* bend and no way to straighten it. This is causing pain in Left hip and spasms in the left quad. I'm going to order the small roller from Amazon for the smaller spaces and easier for me to do myself. All of this has aggravated an old surgical area in my lower back. It's fused between L4 and L5. I have a rod and pins there. It hasn't hurt in years now but is now flaring up to the point If I bend over to relieve back pain, I'm stuck in that position until someone physically can straighten me upright.So, question is how do I address these other issues. I was supposed to have the left knee replaced at this time but due to complications with medications I've post poned it until the right knee has fully healed. Thank you and looking forward to a response.

I was told I have a small blood clot from my knee replacement.the top of my thighs hurt when I walk one knee 2 years ago other knee 5 months ago

Thank you

Don’t forget femoral nerve damage. Thigh is sore painful. My thigh and calf have atrophied and are not recovering. Six months post op. This surgery was a big mistake.

It sounds like dry brushing would be good on the legs ( not near the incision of course) but to move body fluids through the lymphatic system to kidneys and out...drinking water is important too for this, right?

I’m at 2 days out from my TKR. I had an in-home PT on day 1 who said not to do the rolling pin massage yet - give it a few days. But I have thigh and calf pain and swelling- when do you think it’s safe to start self massage with the rolling pin?

Please demonstrate how thigh and calf muscle are massage by rolling pin Thanks