TKR 2 weeks post op

[mfb]

I'm on my third day with a dyna splint set at "6". This used 3x daily 1/2 hour per session. It's fine the first 10 minutes then it stinks for 20. Anybody ever use? The guy that came to the house was the first person that talked optimistically. Sure we'll gain 5-7 degrees per week. Currently at 83 with pressure after 6 weeks, 5 days.
In order to fight the straight issue which is really not bad, they have me on a piece of equipment at PT where you sit on a chair and your leg extends from the chair to a bench. You wear a contraption where he tightens it from the top in order to straighten your leg, sit for ten minutes. Torture #2! Along with my regular PT my wife Bends my knee as I lie on my stomach until I cry uncle 5x, 10x daily. All of this to fight scar tissue and avoid MUA. I'm praying it's all worth it. Hopefully someone out there has fought the scar tissue wall and won. It will kill me if this is for naught.

 

[daughter stalker]

Hi @mfb ...when you pressure your knee to do more than it is ready to do then the scar tissue builds up. I pushed until I got to 90 in two weeks because the PT that came to the house stated that this is what the OS wanted. I was still quite swollen, but by goodness I could bend my knee to 90 degrees before my two week visit. Now I have scar tissue in my knee around the button under my knee cap that makes a horrible velcro ripping sound every time I sit down. Please don't do too much. I hope your knee swelling is reducing. Take care!

 

[mfb]

Ouch! Hope yours goes away! The diagnosis of scar tissue came 5 weeks post op. "Some people heal quickly and develope scar tissue. Some people do very little therapy and breeze through recovery. Everyone is different". I'm sure we've all heard this. We are treating current scar tissue which the Dr. says is quite obvious. The wall won't come down unless we break through apparently. You'd think there'd be better science, yes?

 

[mfb]

3 months post op with 90 degree ROM, pain, stiffness. Doctor took a little fluid out, and injected steroid directly into knee. Wants to do an MUA this Tuesday which will be 3½ months post op. The steroid has alleviated 90% of the pain. I can ride my stationary bike. I use a Dynasplint.

If I was in a the bottom 95% of successful recovery from the TKR (per my surgeon) why wouldn't I be in the bottom with MUA? FYI this is all due to scar tissue. I have no PT insurance left.

Do the MUA or continue at home with exercises and Dynasplint?

This Doctor cannot commit to any positive outcome. He did say that I could recover without the MUA in 6 months. I assume the injection will wear off though...what to do??

 

[spinnerdiva]

I just had an MUA last Wed due to only 87 on my flex. A good deal of adhesion stopping my progression in PT. I had a large area behind my knee that couldn't be worked out. I was at a point of pain and lack of motion getting better. For me it has been a huge help. I am now on a PCM machine 6hrs a day for 2 weeks to prevent it coming right back but my pain level is almost zero and my range has improved greatly. Everyone is different,but for me it was the right choice.

 

[mfb]

Thanks! Can u tell me how long since the knee replacement?

 

[newlybionic]

I feel a little uninformed but what is MUA? Is that manipulation of the knee to help to break up scar tissue?

 

[spinnerdiva]

My surgery date was August 13th.

Newlybionic , MUA is manipulation under anesthesia. Breaks up adhesions and scar tissue that formed stopping the movement. I was under less than 5 mins. Surgeon moved my knee to break it up. I believe there is a description here on BoneSmart if you use the search box

 

[newlybionic]

Thanks for the info. I thought that was what it meant. I had a physical therapist do that to my knee. I was really crying with pain but I let him do it. The change was remarkable!! Immediately after I had gained enough ROM to pedal a bike and walk up stairs step over step!! I would recommend doing it. I still had a little bit of scar tissue but it is decreasing as I increase my activity.

 

[Celle]

@mfb
Well, they've threatened you with a MUA almost from the word "go".

I'm going to ask @Josephine to advise you.

What was your surgery date? Please will you make a signature, in which you put your knee surgery and its date, writing the month in full? that way, we can see when and what surgery you had, which makes it easier to advise you appropriately. Here's how to do it:
How to create a signature
Thank you.

 

[Josephine]

I'd say 3½ months is a good time to have an MUA - can't do any harm.

MUA (Manipulation under Anaesthetic) and Adhesions

 

[Josephine]

@mfb, I have merged your threads as per this request One thread for your recovery please?

It is so much easier to be able to help you and give you the advice you need when we are able to easily see when your surgery was, what other issues you may have had, and what has been going on in your recovery just by looking at one thread instead of bouncing back and forth between two or more other threads.

 

[mfb]

I use an iPad so I can't use a mouse as described in making a signature. Anyway July 13, 2015 was surgery date.
I also started a new thread because "2 weeks post op" doesn't represent where I'm at and I don't know how to change the subject?