Thank you @funkymuse but visit to OS on Thursday morning. How are you today?
Hinged Joint 8 month regression^
- Thread starter Tanya76
- Start date
funkymuse
senior
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2017
- Messages
- 464
- Age
- 67
- Gender
- Female
- Country
United States
Just got back from work... I used ice packs all day and it makes it much easier to survive! Other than that, I'm not sure. I have a call into my PT but he has not called me back and I see him tomorrow. I really don't want to go if he's going to push. If he does not call me back, I'll have to address it with him tomorrow. How are you doing today?
Having first physio today after a break. I have been told that I have to have it before I see OS. I will remain strong and will not allow any touching. I know we should. To get hung up on numbers but am hoping that the rest, elevating and icing that I have undertaken will have had some impact and improvement.
Tanya, let's get one thing clear: It is your knee and you are the only one who has the right to say what will happen to it.
Even if your surgeon says you need an MUA (in his opinion) you don't have to have it.
Your mother doesn't get to choose for you, either!
The choice is yours. Your surgeon can't do anything without your consent. Just tell him you want to wait a bit longer.
CONSENT: what it means and how it can be used
Saying no to therapy - am I allowed to?
In any case, there is little virtue in having an MUA so early in recovery:
MUA: the ineffectiveness of early MUA (JBJS)
It's swelling that's stopping your knee from bending. Concentrate on reducing your exercise, and increase the amount of time you spend resting, icing and elevating your knee. As the swelling goes down, your ROM will increase, as if by magic. Don't expect immediate results - this is a slow process.
It sounds to me as if much of your PT therapy has been aimed at increasing ROM fast - and that has probably increased the stress on your knee. Give it a break from all that measuring. The numbers are far less important than what you can do with your knee.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Have a look at this post from bertschb, to see how his ROM continued to increase, after a slow start:
I'm 12 months out from my surgery and have some advice based on my experience:
1- Stop going to PT (all it will do is make your knee swell and reduce ROM)
2- Don't worry about your ROM
3- Be patient - VERY patient!!!
Here is my ROM history (more or less):
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees
I spent waaaaay too much time worrying about ROM. I thought I'd be riding my bike a couple months after surgery but it took SIX months! Looking back on my surgery, if I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't have wasted my time with PT and I wouldn't have worried about ROM.
Thank you @Celle I was relaxed prior to appointment. I have been adopting bonesnart way. I have made progress albeit very slow. It frustrates me that everyone including OS have acknowledged the swelling but still expect bend. When I pointed this out, I was told that everyone can bend with swelling. How come a majority of people can bend well after surgery as they must have swelling too? I'm sorry, as I must sound like the most negative person going and I'm not normally like this.
Here is my ROM history (more or less):
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees[/QUOTE]
That's reassuring thank you. That's how I think I will be.
1 month - 60 degrees
2 months - 80 degrees
3 months - 85 degrees
4 months - 90 degrees
5 months - 90 degrees
6 months - 110 degrees
7 months - 120 degrees
8 months - 125 degrees
9 months - 130 degrees
10 months - 135 degrees
11 months - 140 degrees
12 months - 140 degrees[/QUOTE]
That's reassuring thank you. That's how I think I will be.
Some lucky people seem to be able to bend while they still have swelling, but some can't. Just luck, I think!
MY last TKR was very swollen and it didn't bend at all, not one little bit, for 5 days. Then it just started to bend a little.
I didn't do any PT, but just walked around the house a bit. I did rest, elevate and ice almost constantly. One day, about 2 weeks post-op, I was sitting up at the dining table and I discovered, by chance, that my knee was starting to bend. From then on, my bend progressed slowly.
I was fortunate, because my surgeon doesn't allow any PT at all for the first month after a knee replacement. He says your knee needs that time, to start on its journey of healing. For that month, we rest, ice and elevate our leg, and walk around the house.
After that month, we just go to PT once every 2 weeks, where we are shown a few new exercises to do at home.
His patients all do well and achieve good ROM, as I did, and he hasn't had to do a manipulation to help with ROM for the past 4 years. I think that speaks for itself.
My surgeon doesn't ask about ROM numbers. He just looks at my knee and says "show me what you can do." I show him my straight leg and then my bend and he says "Great!"
He always says that function is more important than the numbers.
One thing I'm sure of is that your knee is stiff because of swelling, not because you have bad scar tissue (adhesions). Your wounded knee tissues are upset and inflamed and they need time and gentle treatment, so they can settle down. If you have an MUA, your knee will be bent forcibly. That will cause some tearing of soft tissue, which will cause more inflammation and swelling. Having an MUA virtually sets your recovery clock back to zero.
Hello @Tanya76
I have learned from having 3 procedures on the same leg in less then 2 yrs that you have to be your own judge!! Your body knows when it has had too much. I remember I was told I wasn't doing enough, accussed of not doing my exercises at home, etc. PT told me to exercise 5-6x a day. After a couple of days of doing that, my knee was so swollen I could barely walk and finally I said to heck with PT!! So I stopped going for a little while and focused on getting the swelling down and occassionally doing gentle stretches. So it's okay to say" wait this doesn't feel right or this is too much", just trust your instinct.
And to be honest, family may seem frustrated about the situation sometimes but remember they love you, Good Luck!!
I have learned from having 3 procedures on the same leg in less then 2 yrs that you have to be your own judge!! Your body knows when it has had too much. I remember I was told I wasn't doing enough, accussed of not doing my exercises at home, etc. PT told me to exercise 5-6x a day. After a couple of days of doing that, my knee was so swollen I could barely walk and finally I said to heck with PT!! So I stopped going for a little while and focused on getting the swelling down and occassionally doing gentle stretches. So it's okay to say" wait this doesn't feel right or this is too much", just trust your instinct.
And to be honest, family may seem frustrated about the situation sometimes but remember they love you, Good Luck!!
Thank you @MyTest It’s feeling little more comfortable. I think it’s bending little more but have no way of telling. I think I’m automatically keeping it straight as to protect it which does worry me.
I’m resting lots but it’s still very swollen. I hate to think what the swelling would be like if I was doing all the exercises the PT suggested!!
I’m resting lots but it’s still very swollen. I hate to think what the swelling would be like if I was doing all the exercises the PT suggested!!
Some of us do swell more than others. It just happens and we don't know why. Once that settles down, you will be bending much easier. Keeping it protected is a natural thing to do. As time goes on, that will lessen, too!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
It’s natural for the body to guard painful movements. You just need to make sure you get up for the necessary daily activities, even if it hurts a bit, and take care of yourself. You’ll gain confidence in your knee and the guarding will become less, then less, until it stops.
That's good progress!
SusieShoes
Former BoneSmart staff member
I'm so happy you're seeing good results! :santaclap:
