OP
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onloanfromgodiam
new member
Hi Jamie, My Doctor IS Cris Barnthouse 
TKR Im feeling mighty low friends :*(
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onloanfromgodiam
new member
Twinkletoes, you always make me smile with your perfectly places little faces!! Thank you so much for your input!!!!
You are at a good point for MUA. But maybe have your wedding and some time in the afterglow first. MUAs usually work. It's certainly the next step to try. Probably you'll sail after that. If you don't gain ROM (as happened to me and others), then the second recourse is arthrolysis (arthroscopically removing scar tissue, which can form ligament-like bands tethering bone to muscle). Mine was very successful. You just have to work on faith and patience while this plays out.
Hi, for what it's worth, I too had the fear of God put into me about a MUA. My OS made a simple suggestion which did help me. You can give it a try. It might work and it might not work.
He had me sit on the edge of my bed with my leg hanging down. He suggested that I gently push it back and forth for several minutes and to do that a couple times a day until I was able to gain the momentum to do it by myself. It was slow going, but it worked. Also got a recumbent bike and used it daily. Then I went into the regular stretching and bending exercises. Have to be sure you're not suffering from swelling as nothing bends. I did a RTKR 4/18/12 and now have 135 degree bend.
Good luck.
He had me sit on the edge of my bed with my leg hanging down. He suggested that I gently push it back and forth for several minutes and to do that a couple times a day until I was able to gain the momentum to do it by myself. It was slow going, but it worked. Also got a recumbent bike and used it daily. Then I went into the regular stretching and bending exercises. Have to be sure you're not suffering from swelling as nothing bends. I did a RTKR 4/18/12 and now have 135 degree bend.
Good luck.
Lori
senior
Hi there Laurie...from Lori 
I too have had bending issues, with my knee being stuck at 90 degrees, despite aggressive (really bad) PT, biking on my recumbent bike, walking & exercises. My knee had a ROM of about 73 degrees prior to the TKR. My OS has a goal of 125-130. I have stopped PT about a month ago because they said there was nothing more they could do to get it past 90 degrees & boy, did they try,& that was many times all with a dose of 2 Percoset! Reminded me of labor with Pitocin. My MUA is scheduled for Wed. 9-12. PT later that day & then PT 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Ugh!
I'll let you know how that goes. I'm having it done because I want to be able to ride my road bike & that takes a ROM of 110 degrees.
I agree with you that all the information on this site has become so valuable.
I too have had bending issues, with my knee being stuck at 90 degrees, despite aggressive (really bad) PT, biking on my recumbent bike, walking & exercises. My knee had a ROM of about 73 degrees prior to the TKR. My OS has a goal of 125-130. I have stopped PT about a month ago because they said there was nothing more they could do to get it past 90 degrees & boy, did they try,& that was many times all with a dose of 2 Percoset! Reminded me of labor with Pitocin. My MUA is scheduled for Wed. 9-12. PT later that day & then PT 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Ugh!
I'll let you know how that goes. I'm having it done because I want to be able to ride my road bike & that takes a ROM of 110 degrees.
I agree with you that all the information on this site has become so valuable.
Titianlady
post-grad
I didn't use a CPMmachine at all. My surgeon did not believe they really did matter in the ultimate outcome. I was at 80 degrees the day after surgery. Now 9 weeks out, I am at between 130 and 140 unaided, and 0 extension. That being said, everyone recovers range of motion differently!!! You will continue to get ROM for an entire year as the knee and surrounding tendons and muscles heal. Don't lose heart, and don't let your PT push you or threaten you. If you had decent range of motion before the replacement, you will get it back with time. Hang in there my dear. This recovery takes time, time, time
AussieBill1962
member
I have a lump on the side of my knee which I believe was caused by my physio at 4 weeks when he pushed my ROM beyond what I could achieve this released scar tissue into my joint and I was in agony for a week, went back and again and another physio pushed it beyond what was comfortable. Pain again for a week or so. I decided to do my own Physio at home after that and while I can walk and do most things well this lump of scar tissue is effecting my joint now 5 months out. My son broke his elbow a month ago and we went to a different Physio for this last night to regain his range of movement. The Physio there said I should have had treatment for the adhesions months ago as it hardens up the longer it is untreated. He suggested trying to break it up with my fingers. I decided to do my own physio at week 4 as the ones I had seen seemed to cause more damage than good. NOW regretting this decision as I have scar tissue which could have been treated had I known better. I had hoped it would just heal on it's own. Maybe I need an MUA as well? Seeing my surgeon in a month or so. Have about 110 ROM and fairly good extension. mess joint for years prior to surgery (maybe 50 ROM), only 90 ROM on table day of operation.
Your 110 is great considering your poor ROM before surgery. "They" say that post-operative ROM is mostly determined by pre-surgery ROM. Plus, really, you don't know what's in your knee causing the lump. Sometimes time takes care of these things. But an attempt should be made for an ortho to examine you and make a determination. If you have 110 it's unlikely you need a MUA. But if there's scar tissue in there lousing things up, it can be scoped.
skigirl
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Bill, I went to a person who does "lymphatic massage". They do alot of work with fibrous tissue (scar tissue).
One of the things that she did was to press with her fingers at the bottom on my knee and then to move up it keeping the pressure constant. I have been using that on my knee every day. I would sure try someone to get rid of the scar tissue if you can. I had a lump on the side of my knee too and ignored it--but ended up with extensive scar tissue in my knee. If I were you, I would have that lump treated.
One of the things that she did was to press with her fingers at the bottom on my knee and then to move up it keeping the pressure constant. I have been using that on my knee every day. I would sure try someone to get rid of the scar tissue if you can. I had a lump on the side of my knee too and ignored it--but ended up with extensive scar tissue in my knee. If I were you, I would have that lump treated.
RestAssured
alpha
Lymphatic massage is great! It helps get rid of the internal swelling that is holding you back, and you will start to notice that the knee just wants to bend farther.
Lori, check in the yellow pages for someone who does lymphatic massage. I have been o fortunate, because my PT Katie has been trained in doing it, and so has Rick the other PT!
Lori, check in the yellow pages for someone who does lymphatic massage. I have been o fortunate, because my PT Katie has been trained in doing it, and so has Rick the other PT!
Debbie_joints
post-grad
Sonja, how long after surgery do you have to wait for doing that Lymphatic massage?
My PT did the massage for me 3 times a week and encouraged me to do it daily. Started at the bottom of the knee and worked up to above the surgical incision. She had a special cream she used, but I got vitamin E in a bottle...not capsules. It did wonders and the swelling gradually went down. She said the trick was to massage toward the heart, now toward the foot.
Josephine
NURSE DIRECTOR EMERITA
Folks, it's not necessary to use the "Reply" icon in someone's post to reply, specially when that post is going to be the one right before yours.
Just scoot on down to the bottom of the page and start writing in the window, okay?
![[Bonesmart.org] Im feeling mighty low friends :*(](https://bonesmart.org/forum/attachments/aflagsforworship-co-uk_jo_pic_images_quickrcfc-jpg.42908/ "[Bonesmart.org] Im feeling mighty low friends :*(")
Just scoot on down to the bottom of the page and start writing in the window, okay?
amf013
junior member
I started with lymphatic massage and it was a real life saver. Almost immediately my ROM improved, I unfortunately was a candidate for a MUA and I truly believe that the massage saved me. I also massage the scar area every time I am sitting in the Lazy boy! I really feel that it has made a difference. When I last saw my ortho, he told me I was out of the woods with the MUA, my ROM was around 115 or so and he was really pleased!
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