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MUA Festina lente -Hastening slowly

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@Spex10 I have been reading your thread. Haven't been reading or posting for a while. Am approaching my 1 year anniversary from surgery on January 4th. But I also had an MUA right before my 6 month anniversary. Please give your knee more time to heal. I am not trying to tell you not to have an MUA done...ever...I am just saying to try to be patient. I did all that I could, gave it time, did aggressive exercising at first (before I came upon Bone Smart) doing exactly what PT was telling me to do and still I was unable to bend my knee more than 80-85 degrees. I finally gave in and had MUA done and am so happy I did. My bend is much better and I don't have means to measure it but I would guess I am able to bend it at about 120 degrees on good days. I have been told it will now take a full year or more from my manipulation for full recovery. What I am trying to say is that you have plenty of time yet and I would like to encourage you to give your knee more time as you are still very early in this long process of recovery. I understand the frustration and that you just want to move on and get back to a normal life but I really feel your knee needs to have more time. Do keep icing and elevate...toes above nose several times a day. MUA did work for me and my doctor did say when he did my MUA that he could hear the scar tissue/adhesions breaking but he also told me the percentage of people that develop this complication is very low and I really think it is much too early for you to have MUA done. This is just my opinion and it is certainly not my decision to make...just remember it will cause soft tissue damage...it is probably going to extend your recovery time. I just don't want you to have to go through an MUA if you don't have to. Hope this helps and best of luck to you!
 
Hi
I'm glad your doing great. I have no plans of doing a MUA. Even though my surgeon might think so. I will be 8 weeks on Jan 1,2017. I do ice elevate and rest. I quit pt just caused me more pain and grief. Since that was Dec 7. I feel better my swelling is going down and I can bend more. My surgeon did his job let me do mine. A MUA will just set me back. Not move me further. I just don't understand why he is in such a rush to have me at 120 on jan12???? I will tell him I refuse. Its my knee. He also 3 weeks ago cut off my pain killers. He said you don't need them..
 
Thanks for info re your MUA. Its good to hear about it from someone who's had it. My knee is absolutely stuck and even seems to be reducing in ROM. Its 50 or, if I try hard, maybe 60. Not great. I can't drive, can't walk far and am effectively disabled. My appt with the OS is on 6th Jan. I have so many questions and concerns to voice there and I'm really unsure what I'll decide. I've asked my husband to come with me so we'll both be able to compare notes and cover all possibilities. I assure you that I'm absolutely not blindly agreeing to an MUA!
 
@Spex10, I believe if you just let your knee go and not do any exercises for a few months you'll see much improvement. Your knee is less that 1/4 of the way through it's healing process. Things improve slowly. I was one of those that was really concerned with my bend, then I just forgot about it and used it in my daily living. When not thinking about it for a while I suddenly noticed that I could bend better. I measured only once every few months. Now, without ever having pt, I bend from 120 to 130 depending on how active I've been. So yes, some days my ROM is less. It's because I have swelling and it restricts my bending. If a have a few slow days, I'm back to 130. Please don't obsess about your bend. Just wait and don't think about it anymore. Don't exercise, just use your knee as you normally would. Give yourself at least 6 months before even considering a MUA. There's no rush. We all care about you!
 
It's a bit of a trial to have no independence isn't it? It's one thing for us to say wait..it will improve and another to put aside a chunk of life..

Write down your concerns on paper. That way you wont miss anything and you will be able to write down what was said.. Yes I said write down what your surgeon says. We found that during six months of chemo it was essential for a second party to be secretary. I see you will be bringing hubby.. Good.

You have been through the pain of TKR once and understandably don't want to go back there but from what I read the pain of MUA is somewhat less.

You gotta do what you gotta do.. I used to be afraid of any medical procedure but after cancer treatments I know I want my life and want to live it the way I want.
 
@Spex10 I know what you mean about your knee is stuck. I get it! My knee was stuck too but at the point in recovery where you are I think it could very well be swelling causing it. And sometimes it doesn't even look swollen that much on the outside but can still be on the inside. Just take your questions and concerns with you to your next appointment and I am glad you will not agree to an MUA "blindly".
 
Well it's going to be 8 weeks for me. I'm still at 85 but I'm in no hurry. Now for pain I'm taking
Tramadol. I rest, ice, and elevate. I do walk around the house and go to Starbucks for coffee with my good friend who picks me up. I feel better each month that passes, can't wait for June.
 
Sounds like you're doing fine BC55. Little red canoe and sisters in him I do appreciate your input. I'll just have to wait and see what 6th Jan brings. Other knee is now complaining
 
Just venting I'm afraid. Please ignore me. Its so depressing reading about others talking about their ROM. I'm not obsessing its just that mine is absolutely static. My leg is just firmly clamped in place. It just wont bend enough for me do much at all. I'm being left far behind by people who had their ops after me. As I previously said I dream of the ability to bend my knee.
I can sleep. Pain is manageable but I'm just so stuck. Sigh.
 
Are you still exercises and taking pt?
 
No. All I'm doing is just walking about the house or short walks to the car or shops.
 
@Spex10 - can you remind me when you're seeing your surgeon again?
It may be that you are one of the few for whom an MUA is appropriate.

If you do decide to go for an MUA, ask your surgeon to let you know what degree of bend he/she achieved for your knee during the manipulation - and don't be persuaded into exercising madly afterwards. Your knee will be newly injured again, and will require gentle movement only, and lots of TLC.
 
Appt 6th Jan. Will be carefully reviewing all evidence and questioning the OS in detail. Meanwhile I plan to keep taking things easy.
 
I should say that the good physio (as opposed to the one I saw first!), said that PT couldn't offer me anything further. She thought MUA inevitable and was honest about it I felt.
 
Looking forward to hearing how you get on with your OS appointment.
 
hi, I've just read your posts and feel you mixed emotions to because I was threatened with mua and 3 wk checkup if not 100 by 6 weeks. am 7 weeks today and my rom is 100 finally after not doing pt for 10 days. My surgeon said last week at my 6 wk I could Choose to gain rom on my own or continue outside pt but the goal is 120 in 5 weeks by my 12 week checkup. I decided to try pt tomorrow and then decide if I think I can achieve 20'degrees on my own the next month. all the demands from pt and dr add so much additional stress. I wish u luck and will follow your thread on your progress.


Sent from my iPad using broken link removed: https://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=75543
 
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Why are these doctors such in a hurry for ROM? I don't do pt anymore I'm going at my own pace. My appt is on Jan 12. He expects me to be at 120. Well I'm not. And I'm not going for MUA.... Not starting over again. I'm at 90 and taking care of my knee. With ice, elevation and rest. I do walk around a little. My Rom will be here and I will wait for it to arrive. Good Luck to all who are in the same situation.
 
I do think I'm different from you others though in being so completely stuck at around 50. There has been absolutely no improvement over the weeks. I've tried physio, no physio, resting completely and being more active -no difference. I can feel the sheets of stuck tissue too.
MUA fills me with horror but might be a way to free my knee!
 
Thanks @littlered. I'm scared it might make things worse. Its sounds such a horrible thing to do. I'm scared the OS won't be able to do it. I'm horrified at the prospect of going back to square one etc etc. I'm an Olympic standard worrier! I'll read through the link you sent. Its kind of you to go to the trouble.
 
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