Knee joint injection - recovery

[BasketzatDawn]

I am due to have an arthritic knee injected with steroid in a couple of weeks, I know you have to rest/be careful for about a week afterwards, but what after that? I can find no info about it but, after a week, can I assume - assuming all goes well - I can use it as much as I like again? Obviously I may have to build up exercising gradually as the pain has made me exercise less in recent months.

I usually only rest for 24 hours, you will want to not rest, these are, for me, the best thing ever.

I have slightly different injections in my knees, Ostenil, which is an artificial lubricant. It has gone out of fashion unfortunately which means it is always a performance to get it prescribed but works extremely well on my arthritic knees I'm a wreck. I have each knee injected on three consecutive weeks and have done for several years so have had a few experiences.

I have been repeatedly told by the surgeons that I need a patella replacement but whilst the injections help I am refusing and will do for as long as humanly possible. Ostenil can be used repeatedly unlike steroids so I feel really cross that it is no longer recommended and surgeons would rather replace the knee of a 49 year old .

What I would say is that the experience and skill of the person doing the injections is vital. You haven't actually asked about the procedure but I will warn you that it can hurt, sometimes a little and sometimes a lot but it only takes a matter of about thirty seconds. The injector should spend some time positioning your knee in a bent position, supported by a pillow, then feel for the correct point ( inner aspect of the patella for me).

Afterwards move the joint gently up and down to allow the injection to settle in. I have had times when I've needed to rest and felt sore all day but mostly I just have it and forget about it I had my last one yesterday so very fresh in my mind. By the next day you should be fine. Rarely I have had some bruising or swelling but it has always improved quite quickly.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, both, for the information. It's reassuring to know recovery is quicker than I was told. I've found lots on the actual procedure but very little on the 'after'. I expect it to be not exactly pleasant at the time. Painful even. But I want to try it to see if I can reduce the God-awful pain. It is a physio who is doing it. I feel quite confident in him.

I want to go away for a wee trip cum holiday in December and was trying to assess how fit I would be - I usually traipse about a lot on those trips. I feel more reassured now as I was told I wouldn't be able to walk far for up to a week.

It's really not that bad. I can't say whether your knee will be better in December but you should be fine regarding the injection very quickly, maybe even the same day. I have been known to go swimming the same day although it's not really allowed.

I've been on my feet most of the day after injections yesterday and hadn't event thought about it until I saw your post.

The important thing about not using it much in the first 24 hours is that the injection site might not have fully healed over and some of the steroid might escape when you compress the joint. Therefore the shot won't be as effective or long lasting. It isn't particularly painful unless you need the joint drained and they are wonderful in how much change they make so quickly. Good luck and have a lovely holiday.

Yes, that does make sense and is maybe why they have emphasised it as my healing is quite slow due to immunosuppressant meds. I'm almost looking forward to it now - to see if it helps the pain. I do need to get moving though as I need to lose weight (2 stones maybe) and that will help the joint pain too obviously.