Patient question

My knee is still stiff months after a knee replacement. What can be done?

Dr. Pablo GelberOrthopaedic Knee Surgeon

Quick answer

Some tightness for several months after a knee replacement is common, but movement should keep improving. If bending or straightening has stalled, causes such as scar tissue, swelling, implant position or low-grade infection need checking, explains Dr. Pablo Gelber, knee surgeon at Aman Hospital in Doha, Qatar.

What is usual after a replacement

Most patients feel a tight, warm knee for the first few months, and swelling can take longer to settle fully. Movement usually improves most quickly in the first six to twelve weeks with daily exercises, and more slowly after that. Many patients reach enough bending for stairs, getting out of a car and sitting comfortably in a chair.

What is not usual is a knee that stops improving early, or loses movement it had gained.

Why a replaced knee can stay stiff

Excess scar tissue inside the joint (arthrofibrosis)
Ongoing swelling and pain that make exercises hard to do
Limited movement before surgery, which tends to carry over
The size or position of the implant, or a tight soft-tissue balance
Low-grade infection, which can present as stiffness and persistent pain
Pain from the hip or back affecting how you move

What you can do now

Keep doing your exercises daily, even when progress feels slow: heel slides, seated bending, the stationary bike and straightening with the heel propped up. Use ice and pain relief before sessions so that you can work properly. Short, frequent sessions are more effective than one long, painful one.

Keep a note of your bending and straightening each week if your physiotherapist measures it, so that you and your surgeon can see the trend.

When to see a knee surgeon in Doha

Seek urgent care for fever, wound redness or discharge, or a sudden increase in pain and swelling
Seek urgent care for calf swelling or breathlessness
Book a review if movement has not improved for several weeks, or you cannot do daily tasks such as stairs

At Aman Hospital, Dr. Gelber examines the knee, reviews X-rays of the implant and arranges blood tests or joint fluid tests when infection is possible. Options include intensified physiotherapy, manipulation under anaesthetic, which tends to work better within the first few months, and in selected cases keyhole or open release of scar tissue, or revision surgery when an implant problem is found.

Frequently asked questions

Is it too late to improve stiffness a year after my replacement?

Improvement becomes harder with time, but it is still worth an assessment, especially to rule out a correctable cause such as infection or an implant issue.

Should my knee replacement feel normal?

Many people describe a replaced knee as better than before but not exactly like a natural knee. Some awareness of the knee, especially kneeling, is common.

I had my knee replaced abroad. Can I be assessed in Doha?

Yes. Bring your operation notes, implant details and X-rays if you have them, which help the assessment.