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day after MUA

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not again

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Well got the MUA yesterday. The OS got it to 130 but said that probably won't be able to keep. Went to therapy today when I walked in the door they measured me at 78 (was upset but was told when I walk out the door the number will be better) he was right I got it to 91. He said I only have a small window to get the benefit, I am going to therapy four days this week and I am to do all the excercises he gave me. I sure hope this works because after I got home and started to walk around if is very stiff again. I went to the bed and iced and took a pain pill.
 
Not again...we have not met before...so welcome and I am pleased you have found BoneSmart.

You are correct. To keep the ROM you will need to work with your therapist and keep moving. This is not the time to skimp on the pain meds. Take them before therapy...get someone to dirve you if you must! Take them as they are prescribed you will make better progress...also do not forget to ice and elevate. YOu are going to experience swelling just because you have challenged the soft tissues!
 
Not again...
When was your TKR surgery and what was your ROM before the MUA? I am 11 weeks post op and have 115 ROM. I fully intended to be at 120 or more by now but came down with a horrid case of tendinitis which has slowed down my work in PT and thus further progress. My OS tells me he is not worried about it, my PT says he cannot detect ant scar tissue holding me back, but I have always had this worry from about 2 weeks post op about never being able to bend my knee enough, so I am interested in your ROM/MUA situation.

Bonnie
RTKR 3/28/11
 
While you do need to keep moving your knee and do gentle stretches and exercises, there really is no "window" for ROM. You have the potential to gain movement for quite some time. So please don't let this therapist try to hurry you to get to a certain point. All that will do is cause more swelling which will inhibit your ROM.

Be sure and take your pain meds on a schedule for a while. This was an assault to your system and you will benefit from having that medicine in your body constantly round the clock. Ice like crazy and elevate (toes above your nose). Don't try to do much other activity other than your stretches, maybe some gentle squats and some turns on an exercise bike. You need time to recover from the MUA.
 
I agree with Jamie. Be gentle but be faithful to your daily stretching. My therapists has me stretching with a warm-up 3 times a day and my MUA was 5 weeks ago.

Donna
LTKR 12/02010
Left knee manipulated 05/13/2011
 
Keep up the exercises it keeps the knees strong. As for the rom window that's rubbish i still have improvement one and half year after op. It took me a while to find the right balance between resting and exercise, if i did too much i lost rom because of swelling if i did too little it got stiff, you will learn how much to do xx
 
Well second day of therapy after MUA. Got another 2 degrees today. Up to 93. The therapist said that is good since we just started after 3 months of not having the numbers to anything. If hurts but he said it is very important to work hard at home too.
 
Just so long as "working hard" doesn't mean excessive exercising (more than 15 minutes twice a day or pushing to the point that you are really in pain. Your body needs a day of rest in between your therapy sessions where you probably do work a little harder.
 
Went to special therapy session on Sat. The Theripist forgot his key to the office so after I suggested we just do the session in the hall, that is what we did. He stretched the knee, then did some wall slides, walking, and some other stuff he wanted to measure. I ask how was he going to do that without the ruler thing. Well he got an apt on his phone that acts live a level and measured it resting then told me to walk the leg down the wall. Well guess what I was in the triple digets. 100:snork::snork:. So when I went to therapy on Monday he said since I am progressing we now have to concentrate on strength. Is there never an end. So now I guess I will get a bunch of new things to do. I guess this is what goes with TKR.
 
Well, it's what goes with a TKR in the US because it's in their interests to keep clients coming back for as long as possible! ($$$$$$)
Doesn't 'go with it' in the UK, not no how!
(sorry - just cynical!)
 
You could have him show you the strength training exercises. Just about anything he would do, you can do at home on your own if you prefer. Most therapists have computer programs for these exercises where they can print out the instructions for you.

So if you prefer not to keep going, just tell him you want him to provide a home program for you.
 
Hi Not Again,

I'm glad you are happy with your progress. I have to agree with a cautious approach to PT. Everyone is SO individual. Only you really know you're body. I think the best physical therapists pay attention to their client's individual response to PT. That is their only rule.

I'm saying this because physical therapy totally backfired for me. I was with two different ones, and their approach resulted in a net loss in ROM. That's because they were not paying attention to the way my body was responding to their ideas (rebellion!).

Know and honor your body (our bodies don't care about the rules!), and you will do fine.
 
Hi NotAgain,

Everyone has provided great advice. I am 6 months post-op and stopped regular PT after 2.5 months. I really was not getting much out of it that I could not do at home under my own terms. As Joe says about $$$, I did have that feeling as well. I had one PT session at 5 months post op just to check in and get some more stuff printed out (as Jamie mentioned). Here is how I progressed at my own pace:
At the end of 2.5 months of 3 x week PT my ROM was 105 flex. Extension -5
At the 5 month post op single visit to the PT my ROM was 148 flex Extension 0.

It was a matter of determination on my part. I have not been beyond 80 flex for about 10 years so my improvements were in my heart to gain. Keep on a schedule for home stretching, med and ice/elevate. Thins will work out nicely I think.

Best of luck.
 
Well I am almost two weeks from the MUA have achived a ROM of 102. Not great for some people but for me I will take any little bit I can get. Went to the OS on Friday and he said I am doing fine. I guess I will just plug along and see what happens. I have lived for a long time with limits on what I do that I will be grateful for whatever the outcome is. I am trying to take one day at a time. I am a little down with some news I had on a very good friend. She has done everything right, lost weight, excerised, got a personal trainer to get in shape and out of the blue she comes down with Guillain Barre Sydrome. It is a viruse that leaves you weak, and loss of movement. They say she will recover but they don't know to what extent. That is why I will take one day at a time.
 
Oh my gosh! That's a horrible thing to have. But it's also pretty uncommon so she's had really bad luck.

And please folks, I'm a girl, so "Jo" if you please.
'Joe' is a feller!
 
An exercise I use to gain ROM is use a rolling stool or even a rolling chair. Pull yourself around using your hamstrings. When you are using just your hamstrings, the quads relax. I also don't use a great amount of force when stretching the quad. Try not to anger the tissues. I would put a goal of 110 to 115 for your knee flex. That is plenty of motion to do anything you want. You are really close, hang in there.
Best of Luck,
David
 
I went to water arobics for the first times since my operation in March. Could not do all the excercises but did most and improvised on the rest. When I went to therapy the next day I did my heel slides and he measured it at 107. That is very good for me. I came home and tried getting in the back seat of the car. And I could do it, so that means if I have to fly anywhere I can go. I didn't think 3 1/2 months ago that I would be happy that I had the operation. But I kind of am. I still have a way to go with being able to do stairs and I walk pretty slow but at least I have hope that day will come. I am still very stiff after sitting for awile and have to take a few moments to get going. Just wonder if that will pass?
 
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