POST-SURGICAL PAIN

Post-Surgical knee pain is a normal part of the recovery process and normally results in post-op swelling and bruising in the area. This type of pain is most common after knee replacement surgeries..  
Serious conditions of Meniscus tears and severe ligament injuries that can not be repaired on their own are often treated with surgery that can lead to post surgical pain.
Bursitis, or inflammation of the bursa, a small sac filled with fluid that is located near the knee joint can be treated with surgery if all of the non-surgical treatments fail to succeed. 

TYPES OF POST SURGICAL PAIN

Nociceptive pain is acute discomfort caused by damage or trauma to the organs, muscles, skin and bones. This type of pain can be:

  • Pain that is related to the injury and gets better with the healing processes, also called Superficial Somatic pain
  • Pain that comes from the deep tissues in the body, called Deep Somatic Pain
  • Pain coming from the internal organs, called Visceral pain.

Other types of pain are:

  • Neuropathic pain which usually occurs when there are damaged or compressed nerves.
  • Referred pain that develops when the brain is not able to identify the precise origin of the pain. 

SYMPTOMS

Pain is the most common symptom after surgery. Other symptoms include:

  • Bruising 
  • Swelling 

TREATMENT

  • Pain relieving medications for the first few days are recommended for the first days after the surgery
  • Physical therapy to restore strength and gain flexibility
  • Nerve blocks and Spinal injections are mostly used to reduce the risk of dependence on pain medications

TENDONITIS 

Tendonitis in the knee is an injury that occurs around the knee to the tendons connecting the shinbone to the kneecap. The tendons have a function to transmit the pull of the muscles to the bones and enable movement. This condition makes these tendons inflamed and any activity related with tendon movement becomes painful and uncomfortable. 

BURSITIS

Bursitis is a painful condition affecting the joints. Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs near the joints that serve as cushions between the muscles, tendons and bones. There are more than 150 bursae sacs in the human body and when one of more get inflamed, the condition is called bursitis. 
Bursitis is a very common condition and many people treat it at home without seeing a doctor. The inflammation is usually found near joints and commonly appears in the bursae of the shoulders, hips and elbows. Sometimes is possible to develop bursitis in the heels, knees or the base of the big toe. 

MENISCUS AND LIGAMENT INJURY 

Ligaments are very strong and thick bands of tissue with a purpose of providing stability to the knee and making it susceptible to injury. Because of the location of particular ligaments, some of them are prone to injury and direct trauma. 
The medial collateral ligament (MCL) is a thin band of ligament passing over the knee along the inside of the leg, found opposite the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) that runs along the outside of the knee. These two ligaments provide support to the knee, preventing the joint from moving  in abnormal angles. 
Ligament injuries and meniscal tears are results of force trauma and repeated stress. They are most common with players in contact sports like basketball, soccer, football and rugby.