MUA 5 weeks Post op TKR

[Jaycey]

@mxmotomom381 I am afraid there are no time lines for this recovery. Your knee is in charge now. Are you taking your pain medication at night? Is that op leg elevated?

 

[mxmotomom381]

I am taking my pain meds and I’m elevating and tossing side to side. And yes, it is in charge at the moment for sure!!

 

[mxmotomom381]

Update--I had the robotic tkr so for some unknown reason I have an excessive amount of scar tissue and the movement is not going as planned. I seem to be stuck in a rut. My PT says its probably looking like I will be needing "manipulation under anesthesia"! I am scared to death for this procedure because I know the pain that I am in now and don't want anymore added to it! Time will see---I have until July 19. Fingers crossed!!

 

[sistersinhim]

You are only 6 weeks into this year-long healing. It's too early for adhesions. You are the one in control of everything that happens to your knee. If you don't want a MUA, then don't have one. I think it's swelling that's keeping your bend from improving right now, but as you heal, your swelling will go down and your bend will improve. Just give it time. That's all everyone needs. The knee needs to heal, not go through more trauma on your knee right now.

Increase your resting, icing, and elevating, not your activities or exercises. This should help to bring down that swelling, bettering your bend!

 

[Jockette]

so for some unknown reason I have an excessive amount of scar tissue and the movement is not going as planned.

6 weeks is early in this 52 week recovery. We all regain our ROM at different rates. As sistersinhim said, swelling is the most likely reason that things ”are not going as planned.”

We cannot “plan” this recovery, we are all different. There is no timeline.

Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR

If you don’t want an MUA, just say no.
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?

This is what one of our members, TortiTabby, experienced:

(Just so you know, ADL means Activities of Daily Living.)

“At my six week appointment this is what my OS wrote in my visit summary: "She reads an online website called Bone Smart which states to not push through pain following knee replacement. If she were to follow this direction, she will have to learn to live with a knee that only reaches to 85 degrees of flexion. I believe this website is very misleading."

It has now been 20 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks (where I am today): 110
I am so thrilled it keeps improving and improving and I know now that I will get to my goal of 120 (or even better, dare I say!)
So, if a OS or PT bullies you into thinking your ROM will not improve over time they are wrong. By the way, I haven't been back to see the OS since that horrible appointment at 6 weeks, but I sure am going back when I reach 120 just to say, "Ha! You were wrong, BoneSmart was right!" “

And,

“Just an update for those who are apprehensive about gaining ROM:
It has now been 26 weeks and all I do is ADL and this is what my ROM has done:
3.5 wks: 75
6 wks: 85
7 wks: 90
10.5 wks: 95
14 wks: 100
17 wks: 105
20 weeks: 110
26 weeks (where I am today): 120!!!
I did it! My goal of 120! No "pushing through pain", no PT after the first 3 visits, and most importantly to me: No MUA! My surgeon who said I would never get beyond 85 ROM without pushing through pain was wrong, wrong, wrong. I'm excited to see if it gets even better. “

 

[benne68]

My PT says its probably looking like I will be needing "manipulation under anesthesia"!

Your PT should NOT be diagnosing you! As Sister said, it's much too early for you to have adhesions.

Very few PTs are trained in how to help patients recover from joint replacement surgery so they use the same approach as they would for someone recovering from an athletic injury. It doesn't work. In fact, it often makes us worse.

In all likelihood, the only thing inhibiting your bend is inflammation inside the knee. You might want to back off the exercises and focus on icing to reduce the swelling. I know it seems scary to do so but ... as it goes down, your bend with increase.

Your bend will get better. It just takes time.

 

[Layla]

Hello, I hope you had a good day!

Time will see---I have until July 19.

No, you have as long as you want. Please don't allow anyone to hold you to a timeline.
While your range of motion is currently limited, it will naturally increase as the swelling subsides and the pain eases. Give it time.

A current member, JusticeRider, posted this on her thread not long ago -

"I just want to add, for all those coming along, a note on ROM. I want to share this because nearly all of us have a tremendous amount pressure put on us to increase our ROM by certain deadlines, or else.

Mine has been extremely slow coming. First I had to wait out the swelling, which in my case took more than 5 months. Yes, months. At that point I began to see real progress. It has continued to this day. I have seen improvement in the last 2 weeks. It’s still going. A this point I think the limiting factor is tight muscles, ligaments, and tendons from 3 yrs of very limited ROM and actually about 25 yrs of somewhat limited ROM. Those tissues are slowly stretching.

I have had to be willing to let my flexion improve at a glacial pace, be very patient, and tune out the dire warnings of my surgeon, PA, previous PT, and some well meaning acquaintances. I refused painful PT and refused a MUA. I have absolutely no regrets. I know my body, and I believe those things would have caused a domino effect of swelling and pain that may have derailed my recovery long term and even possibly have torn soft tissue, etc. I now know I have the added challenges of hypermobility and an immune condition that causes an inflammatory reaction. I think a MUA would have been very harmful to me.

Instead of forcing it, I have relied on weekly massage and using my stationary bike as a stretching aid every single day. I have been very active, but I have ramped up really, really gradually. I have not measured my flexion, because honestly I feel almost a PTSD type of reaction around it. All I care about is function and what I can do. My knee is very functional now, and still improving. I love my new knee. I’m glad I let it heal on its own timeline even though it was so much longer than everyone (most of all me!) would have liked."

Please relax and allow yourself the TLC you deserve as your body is healing.

 

[mxmotomom381]

Wow!!! I am so thankful to have found this blog!!! Such amazing advice from everyone! Definitely giving me hope and inspiration!!!! Thank you so much to everyone that took the time to respond!!!! Big hugs to all!!! Now onto the healing process!!!

 

[dep1975]

My issue is every morning I get up is awful. It feels like I am back at day 1. My stiffness and lack of motion is making me wish I would have never had this done! I'm stuck at around 85-90 degrees. I HATE sitting around doing nothing. Although, I am icing and elevating frequently as they had requested. I'm just ready to see some definite improvements!

This is all very normal for 5 weeks post op in a recovery that takes an average of 52 weeks (one year) Try to keep in mind that this recovery is temporary.

I am nine month post op I find that I’d I do my excercises first it loosens my knee up and allows me to move better
I now have the problem of my knee and ankle being out of line and had to add excercises to correct it. Still in pain although no where near what it was at the start. Swelling going down but still limping. Been nine months of ups and downs but just have to stick with it
Still sleeping with a pillow at night on the days I do too much. I manage a good nights sleep now which I thought I’d never do
It does get better but it takes time.
Good luck and hopefully it will be easier soon

 

[mxmotomom381]

Tuesday will be 8 weeks post-op and I am just feeling really down and out! I have no energy and the energy I do have goes out the door with little at all of doing anything! I was very active pre-surgery! Didn’t like “idle” time and definitely wasn’t..and still not one to rely on anyone waiting on me and doing everything for me! I do have an amazing support crew though that would love to do it all but I’m just not that way!! My knee feels like there’s a large steel ball in it that just hates to budge at all! My extension is good by my flexion is only at 85-90 so I go back to my doctor on Wednesday and I’m terrified he’s going to want to do the manipulation! I don’t want to revert back to square one!!! But…at this point it may be my only option. I get up at least 4x a night having to walk around because my knee is throbbing and makes me sick to stomach. Honestly, I don’t have ANY time that my knee isn’t hurting and aching! If I could’ve foreseen this, I would’ve never had this surgery. I have NEVER been a complainer but good lord it seems that’s all I do!! I do not like this “thing” I’ve turned into!!! UGH!!!!!!!

 

[mendogal]

@mxmotomom381 I hear the fear and anxiety and want to honor the reality of that.
Please please please don't feel you're in an unusual situation.
If your knee is still swollen and sometimes warm, that's probably the reason your flexion isn't where your surgeon wants it, but as long as you have that swelling, the thing is getting that knee elevated to be higher than any other body parts (well except your foot) for long periods of time and ice.
As I noted earlier, after my January LTKR at 8 and at 12 weeks I was going nuts overnight needing to physically move my L leg with my R leg and my hands to be able to get up and move about - it tightened so badly and hurt like mad - fortunately the bad pain only lasted a few minutes until I could get moving.
If it's actual pain, like 5/10 or more, more than for a couple of minutes, you could discuss pain med regimen options with your surgeon (are you medicating with anything at bedtime?)
If you're experiencing anxiety about your inactivity, your pain, your flexion, your surgeon.... anxiety makes our pain perception incredibly more acute, and the pain-anxiety-pain vicious cycle can take on a life of its own. So consider what tools might work for you (distraction, meditation, progressive relaxation technique, cognitive behavioral therapy, anti anxiety meds, whatever).

 

[EalingGran]

. I get up at least 4x a night having to walk around because my knee is throbbing and makes me sick to stomach. Honestly, I don’t have ANY time

Are you icing enough?
I slept with my knee resting on my Aircast Cryocuff water jacket and replaced the water during the night if I woke. That really helped me sleep more.
I also got some prescription sleep medication from my GP ( zopiclone) which definitely helped.

 

[mxmotomom381]

I wam taking my pain meds before I go to sleep but will ask about trying to get some sleep meds as well! Thank you

 

[Axx72]

Stay the course…if you believe it, it will get better. You just had a car wreck if a surgery! Joint, muscles, tendons, bursa….it’s all recovering at the same time. Enjoy the small advances and little victories over where you were the day before. This is a marathon, not a sprint. I am a year and three months post surgery on my knee is still recovering. I stick to your routine, do your stretches, and your knee will tell you how much you can do. If you overdo it, your knee, will let you know that as well. I may be a permanent member of the ODIC(overdoit club)

Recovery is definitely two steps forward, one step back for the entirety of the marathon. Trust me when I tell you, it gets much much better.Chin up! You are not alone.

 

[benne68]

Honestly, I don’t have ANY time that my knee isn’t hurting and aching!

Are you taking your pain meds on a regular schedule throughout the day, or only when it hurts? Staying ahead of the pain is really important. As a reminder, here is a link to the pain management chart https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads...ing-pain-after-a-tkr-and-the-pain-chart.7969/

And, as others have said, icing and elevating can also help.

I have no energy and the energy I do have goes out the door with little at all of doing anything!

This is a normal part of recovery. Most of your energy is going to heal all of the trauma from your surgery. We have an article in the library that illustrates why post-op fatigue is overwhelming:
https://bonesmart.org/forum/threads/energy-drain-for-tkrs.11953/. (scroll down to the second post in this thread)

Try to be patient. You are still in the early days of this year-long recovery. It will get better; it just takes time.

Sending hugs

 

[mxmotomom381]

thank you

 

[mxmotomom381]

I’m trying to space my pain meds out as best I can so I don’t run out! I only have a few left then I’m gonna be doomed!

 

[Layla]

Talk to your OS tomorrow if you need more. Don’t forget about ice. It’s not too late to be icing which also helps with pain. Wishing you comfort and good luck for your appointment tomorrow.
@mxmotomom381

 

[mxmotomom381]

My appt is Wednesday and thank you! I am icing several times a day.

 

[sistersinhim]

If your OS won't give you a refill on your pain meds, then talk to your PCP. Many times they will prescribe them when the OS won't. It's worth a try! I can not imagine not having adequate pain relief after this surgery.