MUA 5 week failure<

[Josephine]

@Robinmhs88 I cannot do your answers yet because you have missed out a few details. Please supply them so I can advise you.

2. My pain meds ended my first week, doc never refilled. Been taking Advil.

I did ask how much and how often.

6. Elevate when I ice. Was still elevating at bed until it started causing pain about a week ago. Now I just use 1 pillow at night

I did ask how often and for how long?

7. I work during week and only do light housework on weekends

Including what?

 

[Robinmhs88]

Sorry I thought I got them all...

I take Advil at 6:30 am, 11, 4pm and 9 pm. 2 tablets each time

I elevate whenever I ice except when I sleep, I was elevating sonetimes with ice under my leg, but now I ice right before I sleep because I get too cold at bedtime. I also elevate when watching tv but it has been causes some pain.

My work is mainly sitting. Housework is laundry and sometimes I make dinner both done at my leisure

 

[Josephine]

I elevate whenever I ice except when I sleep, I was elevating sonetimes with ice under my leg, but now I ice right before I sleep because I get too cold at bedtime. I also elevate when watching tv but it has been causes some pain.

Sorry, you still haven't told me how often and for how long?

am very low on a hamstring curl

And what does this mean? Are you using the curl machine in the gym?

 

[Robinmhs88]

Sorry I elevate when I ice & watch tv
Weekdays- i would say 4-4½ hrs (after work, before bed) and if I can I do an addition 6 hours while I sleep. Weekends probably 7 hours day and if I can at night while I sleep

No machine I try standing hamstring curls

 

[jakeleg]

Robin, I like to check in on you because we have things in common. Hope this week is a little better. I know it's tough to be back at work. You've got your support team on Bonesmart!

 

[funkymuse]

Hi @Robinmhs88: I was wondering how you are doing back at work now? I may have to start back next week and I'm deathly afraid of the mental adjustment this is going to be, including the physical adjustment. I'm going in Sat to see how I can adjust my desk and surrounding area so I can elevate my leg, etc. I tried sitting at my desk here and home and my leg was ok.. but my low back is whacked! LOL It's always some little additional ache or pain that seems to push me over the edge these days!

 

[Robinmhs88]

Jakeleg I have been working for weeks but my biggest issue is I swell up within the first hour of being up, work or not. I feel so discouraged like I will never bend :(

Wenfaith- I have been advised to do the MUA but I worry about the muscles. Every muscle hurts in my thigh & behind my knee. Do you think it was the right choice for you?

Funky muse- if has been okay back at work but not being able to elevate probably doesn't help so if you can... please do, find a way

I haven't advanced at all and feel concerned and frustrated but I got to figure out this swelling. I have two squishing spots on my knee by my scar... wondering if I have trapped fluid??? I don't know - I just want to advance. I can't drive, can peddle a bike. Wondering what my next step is.

Thanks all for your post they truly mean the world to me as my family is losing patience with me :(

 

[Jockette]

You are still early in your recovery, you are still going to have swelling. Being back at work means you have less time to rest, ice, and elevate. At this rate it will take longer for your swelling to go down. That’s why you haven’t advanced at all.

I’ve learned 2 things in life:

1. One can’t have everything.
2. If you want this, you have to give up that.
My husband hears me say these all the time!

 

[Robinmhs88]

If I didn't have to work I wouldn't but I don't have a choice. I accepted this new job a week before surgery. I offered to put the surgery off till Christmas break but they encouraged me to do it as scheduled for insurance reasons. So now what do I do? It's the famous " woulda shoulda coulda" thing

 

[Jockette]

I understand that, so try to rest as much as you can when you’re not working, and cut yourself some slack about the bend. It will happen when it’s ready.

 

[jakeleg]

Robin, I hurt for you. Thank goodness we have bonesmart. It is one of the few things I look forward to in the day. All of this is so tedious. Can you pedal a bike? I cannot do full revolution on bikes at PT so you're ahead of me there. I'm 7 weeks tomorrow and it comes down to - we have no choice. We have to keep doing what all the kind Bonesmarties tell us. I think I have done too much so I'm trying to be more gentle, ice and rest. Is there any way you could use an ice machine at your office? Your family are probably frustrated because they can't make it better. I hope they are doing all the work at home. Have you read all the info on MUA? My home health PT brought it up a lot. I think that's why I waited so long to say no to the forcing of my bend. I am hanging on the hope that Josephine and others give when they say they did no PT and little or no exercise. I have been doing my walking in my apartment and when I do errands on PT days. I guess what I'm trying to say is that none of us know for sure and we are muddling through as best we can. I don't have an answer to any of it. I just want you to know my thoughts are with you.

 

[kmak81230]

I also went back to work pretty early after TKR (4 weeks) and my leg stayed swollen despite my best efforts to elevate and ice at work as I could. I think you will get better and it may go more slowly than you like since you have to be on your leg more due to work. As you can, spend as much time as you can icing and elevating in the evenings.

 

[liam2015]

Robin...did you mean that you can pedal a bike as in your post and @jakeleg, i'm 7 months and 1 week post op and just pedalled a full revolution on my bike today for the first time. i hadn't tried for a couple weeks because i just knew i couldn't but today walking up and down the stairs i noticed my knee wasn't as tight so decided to try the bike and i could do it. you are both so early in your recovery and we all recover at different times. i'm one that did little or no exercises and didn't start physio until 6 weeks post op. it's been slow getting my r.o.m., but i haven't injured myself doing strenuous exercise, which in some people will cause swelling and pain. i don't have any answers either and i agree we muddle through as best we can. be patient a little longer ~ things will get better.

 

[Robinmhs88]

No I can not pedal a bike, the pulling my leg back, heel slides and hamstrings curls are not good. I have very little in that area. The muscles in my knee & thigh are not cooperating. I practice everyday and I don't give up, just except what I can do at this point. I am approaching my 8th week this Thursday and reading everything I can. All of these post encourage me. I think my family is not use to me not being able to do everything but they don't realize I just can't right now and it's not that I don't want to I just can't. I have read up on the mua but not wanting to anger my leg off any more than I have to. I am here for anyone who wants to chat. You all have been a God send to me. Without these post I would just be crying alone hugs to you all

 

[liam2015]

Robinmhs88...i was the same as you with all those things at that point in recovery. just bend your knee as much as you can naturally and not to the point of pain. i know it's terribly frustrating, each week and no improvement, but gradually you will see small improvements. you just can't rush recovery. i hope you have your immediate family supporting you and that you don't have to defend yourself about not being able to do all the things you could before. as for outside of your immediate family, i wouldn't bother explaining yourself if they pester you. i had random people telling me i had to work really hard at physio ~ i just nodded my head and said "yep" and didn't give them details about how i wasn't working hard at all at physio.

being as you're back to work, you have to take it easy when you get home and not overdo it. some things will have to slide. be good to yourself. it does get better.

 

[Tanya76]

I feel your pain Robinmhs88. I'm almost 4 weeks in and have about 30 degree bend. Knee so swollen and sore. I keep getting told by physio to try harder and 'threatened' with MUA. I sit and cry every day about the lack of bend. In England the Physio's and consultants heavily focus on 90 degrees prior to leaving hospital and I'm being made to feel like failure. I'm seeing physio tomorrow and am going to tell her that I want to go at my bodies pace. Hope you feel better soon

 

[Robinmhs88]

i am sad that you all are struggling like I am but it's nice to know I am not the only one. We can support each other cause we are at the same point. I keep questioning if only I pushed harder, didn't refuse to let my PT push my bend again- it's a mind game and I have to learn to except where I am and move forward from here.
Tanya76 hang in there and keep reading the material on here. We will get through this together
Liam2015 I have the support from you and everyone who has responded and it is what gets me through each day. When I feel down I re-read all the prior post and I feel a boost of positivity.
Thank you all who have given me words of encouragement, I hope in some way I encourage you.

 

[Polkadot]

It is certainly a mind game. Hang in there. Things do get better! I’m one who faithfully did hundreds of reps per day of all the exercises I was given. Not until I let up on these did I start to see the swelling go down.

 

[jakeleg]

Robin, I had a good talk with PT people. have you looked at my recent lengthy posts. I think I am writing for my own encouragement as well as others. I did a little better on the bike today, some reasonably ok ( painwise) slides . Now I'm home and my knee is stiff and aching.I don't feel like I was pushed I think for a worrier like me, go at your own pace is best. Otherwise I think I'm not doing enough.over doing is what put me down for 2 days straight. My mind is my biggest obstacle. Thinking of you, make leg

 

[Josephine]

1. I have more discomfort than pain, except when I bend and have then to stand, elevate my leg or do some exercises than pain would be around 7. Every muscle hurts in my thigh & behind my knee

Okay, I understand all that.

2. My pain meds ended my first week, doc never refilled. Been taking Advil at 6:30 am, 11, 4pm and 9 pm. 2 tablets each time

Advil is ibuprofen and a very poor pain med. Besides which it has some rather serious side effects Medications: acetaminophen (Tylenol, paracetamol) and NSAIDs, differences and dangers. At 8 weeks, it's obvious you still need better pain meds.

So I suggest you try one of these two things:
1. if your surgeon has cut you off, ask your GP if s/he will prescribe some Tramadol
2. or try Tylenol 1,000mg 4 times a day.

3. Close to huge.
My leg is swollen behind the knee on the right side. And my knee cap looks like it wants to pop off. I will post a picture in a little while

This is all additional pain. Did you factor this in when deciding on your pain score? If not, I would imagine your pain score is actually 8-10.

4. I think my bend is around 80 but I am very low on a hamstring curl. I am straight

Forget the hamstring curl! Your flexion of 80 could be better but I think that's as a result of the exercising - more on that later. Your extension is obviously good.

5. I ice/elevate for an hour when I get home from work and then for 1-1½hrs right before bed. I also elevate when I ice & watch tv.
Weekdays- I would say 4-4½ hrs (after work, before bed) and if I can I do an addition 6 hours while I sleep. Weekends probably 7 hours day and if I can at night while I sleep

All good.

6. Elevate when I ice. Was still elevating at bed until it started causing pain about a week ago. Now I just use 1 pillow at night

Good

7. I work during week and only do light housework on weekends

Okay


Ankle pumps - you no longer need to do these, they are anti-clot exercises and you are mobile enough not to need them
thigh squeeze x15 - these will cause pain in your thigh muscles
butt squeeze x15 - same here
Side lifts x5 - these are also bad for your thigh muscles and the IT band
Straight leg lifts x5 - once you can do an SLR, you no longer need to do them!
Hamstring curls - No machine I try standing hamstring curls x5 - don't do these - they cause muscle pain
Straight lifts sitting x10 - again, you don't need to do these
Knee bends standing x10 - never do these, you'll not get better flexion doing them because they cause swelling
Heel slides x10 - don't do these either - quite unnecessary.

Even if you are doing these once a day, you're still doing 70 reps at a time so it's little wonder you have such a plethora of pain symptoms!

Did PT twice a week for four weeks then insurance switched. Don't want to go back because she called my doc and told him I wasn't working hard enough because I wouldn't let her force my bend again.

Well now do yourself a favour and stop ALL the exercising and allow you knee - all of you in fact - to rest and recover. It will probably take about 6-8 weeks before you notice any improvement. But also get your pain meds sorted. They are woefully inadequate at the moment.