Leg Bruising After Knee Surgery

Bruising around your knee may last 1 to 2 weeks following surgery. Bruising is a purplish discoloration that indicates blood gathering under the skin. In the hospital, the healthcare team may give you a blood thinner to prevent deep vein thrombosis, which may add to the bruising.

Swelling after knee replacement surgery can happen in your knees, legs, ankles and toes. Blood clots in your leg vein after joint replacement surgery is the primary cause of swelling.

If you’re familiar with deep vein thrombosis, you already know that a classic sign is swelling of the leg – a key symptom noted by Mayoclinic.com. The site says that knee replacement surgery can cause a DVT because of debris that forms during the procedure that can get into the venous system.

Unfortunately, most patients experience severe pain after total knee replacement surgery. The pain could last anywhere between 48 and 72 hours. Your doctor can give you medication to minimize it. If there is considerable progress in around three to four days, you may be allowed to go home.

Swimming , or even just floating, in water can really help to relieve those swollen legs. The pressure from the water gets the circulation moving, but it also gives your body a break from the constant pull of gravity. If you don’t have access to a pool, check out local gymnasiums or swimming classes to see if there are rental hours available.

Swelling in the leg is normal after surgery and can last for up to three to six months. However, swelling after knee replacement can also indicate that an infection is present.

It can be caused by a problem with the circulatory system, the lymphatic system or the kidneys. Leg swelling isn’t always a sign of a heart or circulation problem. You may often experience swelling due to fluid buildup from being overweight, being inactive, after sitting or standing for a long time, or wearing tight stockings.

WebMD.com lists the following as DVT symptoms: swelling in the leg; tenderness or pain in the leg (may occur only when standing or walking); excessive warmth in the leg; red or discolored skin in the area; visible veins; undue fatigue. If your non-surgical leg is swelling after knee replacement…

The swelling may also be caused as a result of deep vein thrombosis. Deep thrombosis occurs as a result of the formation of a blood clot inside the veins of the legs. Major surgery such as knee replacement is a significant risk factor for deep vein thrombosis.

Patients who comply with their surgeon’s DVT prophylaxis regimen have approximately a 4% chance of developing a blood clot in the leg following knee replacement surgery.

Joint replacement surgery is a major risk factor for a deep vein thrombosis. But a knee or hip replacement will also cause par-for-the-course swelling.

General pain may occur for up to several weeks following a total knee replacement. Swelling typically lasts for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, but may persist for as long as 3 to 6 months . Bruising may last for 1 to 2 weeks following surgery.

Recovery Time. The recovery time from a knee replacement surgery varies from one patient to the other; though, most normal healthy people see a considerable improvement of range and mobility within 6 to 12 weeks of the surgery. On average, recovery from full knee replacement surgery may take approximately 8 to 12 weeks.

Stick with sleeping on your back or non-operative side for the duration of your recovery. The major recovery time after a knee replacement is 3 to 6 weeks , although it may take several months to heal entirely. After 3 weeks, you can start resuming most of your daily activities if you can walk well enough.

Make sure you know when you should come back for a checkup. Pain from knee bursitis usually goes away within a few weeks. You need to stop doing the activities that cause pain until your knee has healed. If you continue doing activities that cause pain, your symptoms will return and it will take longer to recover.