MUA Done in Time for the Carolina Basketball Game!

[Celle]

Stairs are so hard, and so mundane. It seems like a cruel joke to put stairs and knees in the same world.

It's normal to still have difficulty with stairs at 2 months post-op. Many people take about 4 months before they can do downstairs one foot at a time.

You see, it's not just a matter of ROM. It's strength and balance as well.
Going downstairs, you have to do something similar to a one-legged squat - balancing on one leg, while bearing all your weight and bending your knee far enough to step down. That's quite an ask for a relatively new knee.

Going upstairs is usually easier.

What is your ROM now?

 

[Helizabug]

My ROM is still around 87 flexion and 10 extension, give or take a couple of degrees. My comment about stairs was a response to LD of Michigan’s comment. As you can imagine from that epic poem of a history of mine, I harbor no misconceptions about stairs. I don’t expect going downstairs to be easy for quite a while.

But I do find it funny that such an integral part of modern life, stairs, can be so darn challenging, especially on the descent. Someone made a serious design flaw in either our knees or our stairs, if you ask me . . . Which you didn’t, but I’m not so good at keeping my thoughts to myself.

 

[jaybird]

I hope the MUA can resolve your ROM issues, Helizabug.

 

[Celle]

I hope the MUA does help. You can but try. And you've been patient for a while.

Someone made a serious design flaw in either our knees or our stairs, if you ask me .

This is off-topic, I know, but it reminds me of the joke about Area51:
When scientists were doing an autopsy on one of the aliens allegedly there, one of them commented, "They have the same crappy knees as we do!"

 

[Helizabug]

Can I add my MUA to my signature or do I let a forum administrator do it.

 

[loneshark64]

Has anyone tackled this kind of problem successfully?

Yes. I have the same compulsion. Earlier a piece came off and it bled a little. Now every time I touch it now my wife yells at me. So that is the answer, get a wife to yell at you when you begin stupidly poking about. This has gotten me out of many a jam in life

 

[Helizabug]

Funny thing, @loneshark64, I’ve got a husband to do that, but it’s not working. My husband is always right, but I don’t always agree with him. What can I say!?

 

[loneshark64]

Husbands are not always right. There, I said it.

 

[sondrals]

I actually surprised myself with leaving my incision alone. I’m normally one to pick at things and mess with them. I think they so badly put the fear of infection in my head that I was terrified to even touch it before all the scabs fell off. So not much help but I do understand the compulsion

 

[sondrals]

Good luck on the MUA! I hope it gives you better ROM.

 

[Helizabug]

As I’ve been reading other, recent threads for folks whose surgeons are suggesting MUAs, I realize what might be two differences in my case.

First, my slow ROM is my only ongoing complaint. My pain is well managed; my activity level is satisfying for now; my swelling is moderate to minimal, externally, at least; and my sleep is good, maybe enviable compared to others’.

Second, my surgeon doesn’t force my joint when he checks the ROM. He lets gravity accomplish the flexion and extension, which seems like a more functional measure of ROM than just trying to push the joint until it screams (or I do).

Because I’m trying to feel secure in my choice to have the MUA, I find these two factors to be good reasons for my decision. Maybe I’m fooling myself, but I’m feeling pretty good about the MUA. I wonder how I’ll feel about this decision day after tomorrow or next week.

 

[flacie1]

@Helizabug, first I will be thinking of you tomorrow during your procedure. After freaking out about my ROM I found your recovery thread and read all about your journey. Your decision for MUA makes complete sense to me, if you are unable to do all the things you love to do because you don’t have the ROM necessary then I think you should do what you need to do. After all, the whole reason for the TKR is to be able to do the things we want to do. I will be anxiously waiting for your post MUA postings. Good luck tomorrow.

 

[Helizabug]

Thanks @flacie1. The procedure is early, early, early!

 

[Love2cycle]

Thoughts and prayers for a quick and easy procedure that gets you back to the things you want to do. You got this!!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Good ROM tomorrow!

 

[caredFL]

Good luck tomorrow and wishing you a successful procedure!

 

[ginr]

Hope your MUA goes well tomorrow. Be thinking good thoughts.

 

[pamsknees]

Praying for all to go well with your MUA today.

 

[Macknit]

You've probably had the MUA now since I think you're east coast, I'm not remembering and don't have the time to do a search of your thread???? Off for my morning commute.

Prayers that all went well and you are well on your way to an improved ROM!

Blessings @Helizabug!

 

[Helizabug]

Home from MUA. Quite achy in that poor joint, but I already have more flexion! I think I told everyone in the hospital how exciting it was to bend more!

Extension is still painful, the same way it was, but I think I’ve gained there too. PT this afternoon. I bet I can do the bike!