Guest viewing is limited

MUA Frustrated!!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Chris you need to fire your PT and get a new one! He should have stopped once you started crying. Your whole session sounds horrible! Start interviewing new ones next week. Please take care of yourself!
 
This is one of my readings, which was by Doctors Peter Millett and J. Richard Steadman, who are leaders in the field of arthrofibrosis.

"A rational approach that focuses on maintaining and regaining motion can be implemented. In the early postoperative period we stress ROM exercises and patellar mobility. We utilize the CPM machine, gentle manipulation, and the stationary bike as rehabilitative aids. We avoid stimulating inflammation and are careful to rest the “hot knee.” If increased swelling, inflammation, or pain occur, it is best to rest the knee and allow this phase to pass. Ice and anti-inflammatory agents are used liberally to prevent inflammation and to provide analgesia. Once motion is established, we slowly begin strengthening with elastic resistance exercises, aqua jogging, and the treadmill."
 
Josephine...so what should I do? I'm being told by the surgeon and PT that we need to do aggresive therapy but I don't feel it is benefiting me. I was wondering if I should call the surgeon to let him know about the pain on the right side of my knee or if this is just "normal healing pain"? Again, I feel like I want to avoid him like the plague because of the way he made me feel about the MUA.

I'm afraid if I don't follow through with therapy that the surgeon won't be happy and I'm worried because I'm scheduled to go back to work in 4 weeks. Although, I have NO clue how I'm going to do that at this rate.

Heck...maybe I'm just being way to sensitive!! Feel like my emotions are turned upside down at this point. I tried to tell my husband what happened over the phone with PT today and I started bawling like a baby again!!??!!

@mary052: I noticed that you had to have arthoscopic lysis of adhesions. Why was that? Did the adhesions come back after the MUA (I'm assuming that was the case). How soon after the arthoscopic did you start to "heal" and walk normally?
 
The surgeon won't be happy? What about you being happy? You are only 8 weeks out and no doubt are hugely swollen and in pain. You don't have adhesions but you do have an excess of 'aggressive pt' which is causing you problems. Remember both the surgeon and the PT are employed by you to do a job. You are in charge, not them. You have the right to choose not to comply with their every command, especially if your inner voice is telling you it's not right.

I suggest that you quit that PT and find one who is going to treat you with more respect, be kinder and more gentle. You will make a lot more progress that way. And if you don't feel like being made to be belittled and humiliated again, then don't go. What's he going to do, fire you?

As for work, what kind of job do you have? It's entirely possible you might well feel unable to do it at 12 weeks and perhaps need another couple of weeks off - provided you quit that PT, of course! And you also need to negotiate a Phased return to work when you do go back as you will not be fit to go straight back into full time work.
 
Chris---I think you need to start thinking in a different way here. You are not a victim---your pt is your employee. He is NOT in charge. He cannot do anything to you that you say not to do. IN fact, if you say stop and he does not--he if opening himself to a lawsuit. I think I might advise him of his rights as an EMPLOYEE of yours. In fact, YOU are the boss of this situation. If you don't want to find a more professional and better pt, then train this one to stop being such a sadist.

I think Jo is right. After my surgery for adhesions, my OS told me NOT to exercise to push on an inflamed and hot knee. In his opinion, that type of treatment fostered an environment where adhesions would form. So--Jo is right, what your PT is doing is dangerous--and you will have to accept the consequences of his behavior.

What are you afraid of? Of your OS not approving of another PT? Of not coming up to the expectations of the PT?

You know in your gut that he is hurting you and yet you keep going back for more. Either change pts or train this one to do what you want. Gentle stretches until you knee looses its swelling--then, you can begin to strengthen. Bending will come with the lack of swelling.

By the way---NO ONE in their right mind would "warm up" on a leg press!!!! You warm up your muscles on a bike, pedaling at Level one for ten or fifteen minutes. The leg press is for strengthening---which you are not ready to do right after a MUA. Are you sure he is a trained PT---have you seen his license?
 
Hi Chris,

From my personal experience I am feeling 100% better now I have a Physio knows her job and knows how to treat TKR.

There seems to be quite a few out there that don't have a clue but acted and talk as though they do. I have found a couple to be very negative which doesn't help. I also found my OS wasn't much help when my ROM dived after my MUA . Although now he is taking an interest after my current Physio had a chat to him.

I am now 6 months post TKR and 4 months post MUA. My poor experience with my past Physio's set my recovery back. I only wished I had found my latest Physio sooner. It has only been in the last month that I am now positive I will get a good knee. This Physio has brought me back from a ROM of under 80 to over 100 in the last month.

The advice on this forum has been so helpful and very supportive. Which as given me confidence to move away from these aggressive Physio's.
 
I think as women sometimes a part of us reverts to trying to be a "good girl" and please others.

That is not going to serve you well right now.

My MUA worked but my arthrofibrosis was very fast growing and re-adhered despite all the PT. This is a phenomenon that is hard to control. It is so so important to keep the knee quiet lest the inflammatory process stimulate further scarring. See Dr. Millett's comments which I posted.

BTW the arthroscopic removal of scar tissue was very successful but I had no progress for four weeks after and it was looking like failure. I'm living proof of the slow turtle persistent gentle course.
 
maryo52
My concern is if I quit PT, what will my surgeon say if I need more surgery or need him to write for more time off work? He wasn't too thrilled about having to do a MUA...or so he made me feel like he wasn't "pleased".

Your comment about trying to please everyone else is a perfect description of me! I have always tried to please people and you are right...it's not in the best interest of myself right now.

After I was crying, the PT did take it a little bit easier but still was pushing me to at least "try". While I was trying my best, the pain just got the best of me. I made an appointment to get a massage tomorrow before PT, my thigh is so sore...so I'm hoping she can work some of it out.

I am going back tomorrow but I'm with a female therapist who is much kinder and less "hands on". I'm going to ask her to keep it light tomorrow. I'll keep you updated and if it's another bad session...I'm going to make an appointment with the surgeon to see what he thinks.

Frustrated but not losing hope!!
 
skigirl
You are absolutely right!!!! I guess I am afraid of him and the surgeon. Seems so silly that I am afraid of them both and yes I do need to start standing up for myself.

Before I found all of you, I only had them to tell me what I should be doing and they both said I need aggressive therapy.

Again...I am going back tomorrow but it's to a different therapist who is more into mental guidance and meditation for healing (I think I need that)! She is definitely much more gentle.

Thanks for kicking my mind into gear! :happydance:
 
As long as you are worried about what the doctor and the PT YOU HIRED thinks, then you'll have to play by their rules.

Remember that there are many more orthos out there and probably if you had to, you could find one who didn't make you feel like a schmuck for being human. My god, the PT asked you to "try"??!! And you weren't??!! When the PT said "try," what was being asked was for you to endure more torture.

I think when I was 39 I would've felt pressured just as you do. By my age of 61, I've encountered scores of people who tended to obstruct my happiness or success; I waste less time trying to work with such people and instead try to diplomatically (or not) find a way around them.

Why don't you print out the Peter Millet material (which you can find on kneeguru) and show it to your doctor as rationale?

I think light massage and the light PT is a great idea. Why don't you stick with that therapist? And insist on light PT always? There is no need to have another bad session if you can find it in yourself to say that all-important two-letter word, NO! And why would you ask for appointment with the surgeon to see what he thinks -- you already know what he thinks, don't you?

Argh!!!

OK enough pushing from me!
 
Best wishes, Chris. You have been given a lot of good advice from some caring, knowledgable people. I hope you can follow through and in time have the results you desire.
 
maryo52 said:
OK enough pushing from me!
Click to expand...

I appreciate you pushing me!! Someone needs to kick my butt in gear and stand up for myself. You and Josephine are teaching me quite a bit.

Since I'm a nurse..I should know how these doctors work but I've never actually been the patient before. I just need to stand up for myself!
 
As I said before Chris, hang in there. You are in the process of listening to your body which is clearly telling you to slow down. Your gut is telling you the same. It's hard to go against the medical folk you have been working with, but it's clear the aggressive approach is not the right one for you. It may work for some people, but it's not the norm.

I remember one day at pt on my stomach and they started bending my heel back to my butt. My thigh went into a cramp like I have never felt before I a nearly came off the table. It hurt so much. I went to my car in the parking lot and just cried. It was so depressing.

Take two weeks off from everything. You don't need your OS or pt permission to do that. Ice, elevate and rest. Meditate, read, do whatever you can to relax and de-stress. Tell your family and friends their comments are not helping and that if they love you, to start by supporting you. Put your needs before all else. It's hard to do but for these next few weeks, you can do it. You are so young and have a whole career ahead of you. Invest in your healing today in a way that is not painful. You will truly see better results.

Be well,

Dawn
 
Chris, when you respond to a post, you type in the little box below the post --the one with your picture in it, then hit the black button below it which says "Post Reply". You don't need to quote the message to which you are replying.

Good for you, yes, I was much more of a people pleaser at your age myself. However, like Wheezie in Steel Magnolias, "I am not as sweet as I used to be." Good for you too for seeing it.

I think being a patient is the best lesson that a nurse can learn. You can see now why patients feel the need to assert themselves and speak up for themselves. It is also important to bring an advocate with you if that is difficult. I have attended a few pt sessions with shy friends and have spoken up for them. Once they see that speaking up works, they can do it for themselves afterwards.

Do not let anyone hurt you. Frankly, I speak up to my OS too. When he told me at three weeks, "you don't have any more pain now." I laughed out loud and asked him if that worked for him---telling me that I have no pain instead of asking me if I had pain!!! He told me later that he had never really looked at his statement that way before.

Remember this, we are all humans---Doctors, Nurses, Pts. We should be a team--an equal team. Each of us has a voice and the other two have to listen to the opinions of the third---BUT it is your knee and the other two were hired by you to help you---how could you be less important than they are???
 
Hi everyone,

Just wanted to let everyone know that PT was much better today. I told them that I didn't want to be so aggressive and we needed to take it easy.

I did go for a 60 minute massage and I had her do the whole 60 minutes on my thigh/knee...so I'm not sure if that helped also, along with taking 2 Oxycodones/2Tylenol before my PT appointment.

I am very sore after today, so I have my Polar Cube on my knee with elevation.

Felt good to tell them what I wanted today instead of the other way around. :thumb:

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! :flwrysmile:
 
That is a step in the right direction. Now that wasn't so hard, was it? You are your knee's advocate. Way to go!!

But it should not leave you sore!

Just thinking logically, I think those muscles are screaming for rest, and while a massage is normally a wonderful thing, massage on traumatized muscles sounds iffy. You know what I mean? Please be clear with your PT that gentle is the guiding principle. "Not so aggressive" doesn't cut it. And when you convey these concepts, try to do so with conviction.

Remember these are injured tissues!!!

Can we pretend to be a doctor and write orders? "Get plenty of rest. Elevate most of the time; ice often. Gentle PT only ~ Bone Smart, M.D."
 
I've been where you are. MUA at 2 months with the OS being upset about me needing it. My PT's were overly aggressive, but I thought they knew what was best. I wasn't an expert in what I should do with the stiff leg. I didn't stumble upon Bonesmart until 4 months later. It's not easy taking it at the pace your leg dictates, when your doctor and PT's want you to fit the bell curve better. It especially won't be easy if you have pressures to get back to work soon, too. It takes time - a slower pace - with small incremental gains not leaps and bounds of improvements. Ice, elevate, be gentle and stay ahead of the pain. Hang in there. You've got a bundle of good encouragers surrounding you now. :friends: hugs
 
Good first step in asserting what you and your knee needs to recover. Keep it up and strengthen it. It is your body and your knee. They do not have the right to dictate.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Members online

No members online now.
Total: 4,873 (members: 1, guests: 4,872)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom