Research suggests that nearly 800,000 people receive knee replacements in the U.S. every year. It can take, at best, almost six months to recover from this type of surgery, but it could take a full 12 months to get to a state where you can fully return to previous physical capabilities. If you experience complications during the recovery process, your healing time can, unfortunately, become extended. Pain can sometimes be an indicator of a complication or perhaps a normal part of the process. If you feel pain in your shin after a knee replacement, you should know why you may be experiencing this and how physical therapy can help ease this pain.
What factors might put you at risk of getting shin pain after a knee replacement?
- Postoperative inflammation and swelling ” Inflammation and swelling after a surgery like this are common. When swelling occurs, there is more likely going to be symptoms of pain around the knee area and neighboring regions, like the shin.
- Muscle or joint sprain ” For those who have recently undergone a knee replacement and quickly returned to an excessive amount of physical activity, they may experience muscle or joint sprains. If an individual neglects to follow a recovery plan, they may be more at risk of getting an injury from overuse.
- Nerve damage ” If your pain is accompanied by numbness or tingling, you could be experiencing nerve damage. Damage to the nerves can leave patients with pain in their shins after knee replacement surgery.
How can physical therapy help ease shin pain after a knee replacement?
Physical therapy can be effective at treating shin pain after a knee replacement for several reasons ” particularly through the use of strength-building exercises, mobility exercises and minimizing stressful factors that can aggravate pain. Physical therapists will implement special postoperative treatment programs with your shin pain in mind.
Alliance PTP is ready to help you find top-notch PT for shin pain after a knee replacement
At Alliance Physical Therapy Partners, we're proudly bringing together physical therapy practices across the country to help people get the high-quality PT they need. Want to see a physical therapist in person? We can put you in touch with an Alliance PTP partner that's close to you and that can help you address shin pain if you've recently had knee replacement surgery.
Not keen on in-person PT sessions or not close to an Alliance PTP partner? No worries. We also offer effective and affordable virtual physical therapy through our Agile Virtual Physical Therapy platform.
Contact our team today so we can help you find the most effective physical therapy services for your injury or condition.
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