Some of our members found the DynaSplint very uncomfortable. Your extension will improve as you heal. Walking, though not to excess, will help. If it was me I’d wait before going that route.
TKR JeremiahD's Knee Recovery
- Thread starter JeremiahD
- Start date
My extension lagged behind, too. The easiest way I was able to improve it was to walk with a longer stride with a heel to toe stride. Just make sure that you have something close by that you can grab on to if you get unsteady. My extension didn't improve overnight, but it did eventually did get totally straight.
JeremiahD
new member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2020
- Messages
- 12
- Age
- 43
- Gender
- Male
- Country
United States
Afternoon! Looking for some feedback/advice…
I’m just a week away from my 12 month anniversary for my TKR. As I’ve mentioned, per the advice of this board, I stopped attending formal PT last November. Since then I have just been doing my normal activities. I play disc golf 1-2 a week, and also teach dance once a week. Other than doing items around the house, including playing with the kids,I have not been doing any specific training on/around my knee. I do light stretching each day.
Still frustrated however…
Knee flex is still at-around 95 degrees. Knee extension is still at/around 10 degrees. I don’t really have any swelling at all, other than after some long days playing golf.
Specifically I am worried about my lack of extension. Because I can’t straighten all the way, my gait is always off and with a noticeable limp. Really disheartening to hear people ask, why are you still limping, I thought you got that fixed :(
Im worried to go back to the doc. I suspect a MUA will be brought up, as will going back to PT.
Im just not sure what to do…
I’m just a week away from my 12 month anniversary for my TKR. As I’ve mentioned, per the advice of this board, I stopped attending formal PT last November. Since then I have just been doing my normal activities. I play disc golf 1-2 a week, and also teach dance once a week. Other than doing items around the house, including playing with the kids,I have not been doing any specific training on/around my knee. I do light stretching each day.
Still frustrated however…
Knee flex is still at-around 95 degrees. Knee extension is still at/around 10 degrees. I don’t really have any swelling at all, other than after some long days playing golf.
Specifically I am worried about my lack of extension. Because I can’t straighten all the way, my gait is always off and with a noticeable limp. Really disheartening to hear people ask, why are you still limping, I thought you got that fixed :(
Im worried to go back to the doc. I suspect a MUA will be brought up, as will going back to PT.
Im just not sure what to do…
At this point in your recovery, you really need to consider going back to your surgeon.
Do you know your ROM before surgery? Given the fact that you wrote about a large amount of scar tissue that was removed during your knee replacement, it is a good possibility this is what's holding you back. If that's the case and your surgeon is comfortable with the idea, an MUA probably would be helpful. There is another procedure, arthorscopic lysis of adhesions, that can be done if there is a buildup of scar tissue.
If you're limping, this is not good. With the range of motion you posted, you're going to always have trouble walking which will be hard on the rest of your body's alignment.
The only other thing I can suggest to you is to try some of the stretching exercises in this article:
Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it
Do you know your ROM before surgery? Given the fact that you wrote about a large amount of scar tissue that was removed during your knee replacement, it is a good possibility this is what's holding you back. If that's the case and your surgeon is comfortable with the idea, an MUA probably would be helpful. There is another procedure, arthorscopic lysis of adhesions, that can be done if there is a buildup of scar tissue.
If you're limping, this is not good. With the range of motion you posted, you're going to always have trouble walking which will be hard on the rest of your body's alignment.
The only other thing I can suggest to you is to try some of the stretching exercises in this article:
Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it
JeremiahD
new member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2020
- Messages
- 12
- Age
- 43
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
Well…shoot. That just sucks. I really appreciate the feedback and advice though. Thank you.
My ROM for extension, even before surgery was not great. I can’t remember for sure what the degree was, probably somewhere just a little better than now.
Could or should I have done anything different pre or post op? Just really defeated at the thought of going back to the doc. Feel like a puppy with my tail between my legs :(
My ROM for extension, even before surgery was not great. I can’t remember for sure what the degree was, probably somewhere just a little better than now.
Could or should I have done anything different pre or post op? Just really defeated at the thought of going back to the doc. Feel like a puppy with my tail between my legs :(
MerlinWizard
member
- Joined
- May 17, 2021
- Messages
- 142
- Age
- 58
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
The good news I guess is that the soft tissue can always be trained through stretching and exercise unless you have something medically preventing it. Your joint should never be the issue and sometimes it's just a matter of working at it. My right one is the one that lags behind the left. It's less ROM and positive Flexion. If I was at 95 a year out, I too would be worried.
While I cannot speak to what could have done differently, I can speak to what not to do
. I am a member of the ODIC and Bonehead clubs. I think I've done just about everything wrong and I am not worse for wear.
My advice is talk to your surgeon and see what's up and what can be done.
While I cannot speak to what could have done differently, I can speak to what not to do
. I am a member of the ODIC and Bonehead clubs. I think I've done just about everything wrong and I am not worse for wear.My advice is talk to your surgeon and see what's up and what can be done.
TRICKKNEEMCGEE
junior member
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2021
- Messages
- 24
- Age
- 59
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
I would ask you surgeon if getting a “JAS” splint would help. If it were me I would try it for extension first. I used one after elbow surgery when I couldn’t regain all my motion back. It isn’t fun but the results are amazing. You really don’t want to limp long term. It creates back, hip etc problems. Good luck.
beesknee
Insider
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2021
- Messages
- 193
- Age
- 66
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
I am surprised your surgeon did not discuss a possible MUA at your two month visit and schedule a four week follow up to see if you are still stuck.
Now that a year has passed and not any improvement using the bonesmart way or the PT way it is time to see the surgeon and discuss your options. Some of us have stubborn knees that create too much scar tissue.
My ROM is stuck at around 115 since week 6 I'm going on week 9 now. I am pretty confident in a MUA is in my future, when I do my ROM PT exercises it's like my knee is hitting a brick wall, not much or any pain just a hard stop. I'll try anything because I don't want to live with a peg leg much longer.
Now that a year has passed and not any improvement using the bonesmart way or the PT way it is time to see the surgeon and discuss your options. Some of us have stubborn knees that create too much scar tissue.
My ROM is stuck at around 115 since week 6 I'm going on week 9 now. I am pretty confident in a MUA is in my future, when I do my ROM PT exercises it's like my knee is hitting a brick wall, not much or any pain just a hard stop. I'll try anything because I don't want to live with a peg leg much longer.
JeremiahD
new member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2020
- Messages
- 12
- Age
- 43
- Gender
- Male
- Country
- United States
Afternoon...
Once again I appreciate the helpful comments/advice
Couple answers to questions that were asked...
My surgeon did bring up a MUA at/around 12 weeks. We decided that we would start with a DynaSplint and see how that went. I made some progress over the next 1-2 months, so we never revisited the MUA discussion.
I did see my surgeon on Monday. The conversation was not great. First, I have had some acute knee pain, on the inside for the past 30 days. X-rays looked fine, not showing anything lose, out of place...etc. Because my pain is acute, he suspects I may have strained my MCL. He gave me a cortisone shot, and I have a follow up in 30 days.
IMO more importantly for my extension/lack thereof, my surgeon does not recommend a MUA. At over 12 months post op I run a high risk of breaking my femur. He basically said, we can treat the MCL, but there's really nothing to do for the scar tissue that is limiting my extension. He did say he could go in artho and "clean up", but most times that creates as much scar tissue as it removes.
So once again, I'm disheartened. Wishing I could have done something differently earlier on to not have this extension issue. Wondering if I should take it upon myself to go back to formal PT? Maybe some type of sports therapy massage would help? Anyone have any luck with acupuncture...?..only slightly kidding.
Once again I appreciate the helpful comments/advice
Couple answers to questions that were asked...My surgeon did bring up a MUA at/around 12 weeks. We decided that we would start with a DynaSplint and see how that went. I made some progress over the next 1-2 months, so we never revisited the MUA discussion.
I did see my surgeon on Monday. The conversation was not great. First, I have had some acute knee pain, on the inside for the past 30 days. X-rays looked fine, not showing anything lose, out of place...etc. Because my pain is acute, he suspects I may have strained my MCL. He gave me a cortisone shot, and I have a follow up in 30 days.
IMO more importantly for my extension/lack thereof, my surgeon does not recommend a MUA. At over 12 months post op I run a high risk of breaking my femur. He basically said, we can treat the MCL, but there's really nothing to do for the scar tissue that is limiting my extension. He did say he could go in artho and "clean up", but most times that creates as much scar tissue as it removes.
So once again, I'm disheartened. Wishing I could have done something differently earlier on to not have this extension issue. Wondering if I should take it upon myself to go back to formal PT? Maybe some type of sports therapy massage would help? Anyone have any luck with acupuncture...?..only slightly kidding.
I truly empathize with you. in 2018, I had a knee replacement with a well-known surgeon in Scottsdale. I suffered from day one but my surgeon refused to acknowledge there was a problem. I was 15 degrees off extension and only 70 degrees flexion. At my one-year appointment, my surgeon told me the knee was perfect and he was tired of hearing I wasn’t happy. While my surgeon was supposed to be very experienced, his arrogance and ego took over. He was never going to help his patient.
Covid slowed me down but I found a highly- regarded surgeon who looked at my x-rays and told me the joint was too big. He performed a knee revision a few months later. During my knee revision, they also discovered I had a displaced kneecap, worn spacer, and major ligament imbalance. The day after my revision, I had less pain and better extension and flexion! I am currently six months post- surgery. I was so active before my first knee replacement and I am so excited to start doing the activities I thought I would never be able to do again: walk without a significant limp, bike, hike, get in and out of a kayak without help,play Golf and walk the course.
The message here: don’t give up, be your own advocate. i had a significant limp and the comments are correct: it will affect your other knee and your hips. If you have not talked to other surgeons, please start.
Covid slowed me down but I found a highly- regarded surgeon who looked at my x-rays and told me the joint was too big. He performed a knee revision a few months later. During my knee revision, they also discovered I had a displaced kneecap, worn spacer, and major ligament imbalance. The day after my revision, I had less pain and better extension and flexion! I am currently six months post- surgery. I was so active before my first knee replacement and I am so excited to start doing the activities I thought I would never be able to do again: walk without a significant limp, bike, hike, get in and out of a kayak without help,play Golf and walk the course.
The message here: don’t give up, be your own advocate. i had a significant limp and the comments are correct: it will affect your other knee and your hips. If you have not talked to other surgeons, please start.
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2017
- Messages
- 47,922
- Gender
- Female
- Country
- United States
@clallen
Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart! I’m sorry your journey has been so long, but it seems things are finally looking up for you. JeremiahD hasn’t been on the forum for several weeks, but hopefully he’ll see your supportive post.
Consider sharing your surgery dates and starting a thread of your own as your story may be beneficial to others as well as your recovery an encouragement to those following behind you. We’d also love to support you as you continue healing. Please join us!
Hello and Welcome to BoneSmart! I’m sorry your journey has been so long, but it seems things are finally looking up for you. JeremiahD hasn’t been on the forum for several weeks, but hopefully he’ll see your supportive post.
Consider sharing your surgery dates and starting a thread of your own as your story may be beneficial to others as well as your recovery an encouragement to those following behind you. We’d also love to support you as you continue healing. Please join us!
