MUA knee so stiff<<

I hope the MUA helps.
Do let us know how you get on.
 
Thank you all for your best wishes :flwrysmile:

Just home from hospital. Had my MUA which went ok. Experienced very little pain and on the CPM machine for 24 hours bending it to 85 degrees. Surgeon could only bend knee to 90 degrees and could straighten it out a little.

After all can now reach 90 degrees. Still experience pain in medial side of knee. Surgeon stated all is ok and don't worry about it. He also he mentioned I may have to live with pain and remain on pain tablets. Also stated I got to really work the knee to a point of pain and gave instruction to PT that they got to really work the knee if I am to walk properly again
 
-just home from hospital -had my MUA which went ok
Surgeon could only bend knee to 90 % and could straighten it out a little
also he mentioned I may have to live with pain and remain on pain tablets, also he stated I got to really work the knee to a point of pain and gave instruction to PT that they got to really work the knee if I am to walk properly again
@Josephine what do you think?

If your surgeon doesn’t think you will get any better, then what is the point of forcing your knee to a painful place? Common sense tells me this will only maintain your pain and swelling.
 
also he mentioned I may have to live with pain and remain on pain tablets, also he stated I got to really work the knee to a point of pain and gave instruction to PT that they got to really work the knee if I am to walk properly again
That's not a very cheerful prognosis and it seems to imply that he doesn't know what to do to help you. You might like to consider getting another opinion further down the track.

As for working your knee hard, I disagree. Doing that will only increase swelling and pain, and that seems counter-productive. If your surgeon couldn't bend your knee further than 90 degrees, why would he think that overworking it with PT would achieve any better results?

All your knee needs after an MUA is to be kept moving gently. Doing more will increase inflammation and swelling, both of which will slow down ROM development.
 
@Celle Working my knee hard Celle no-way and yes I agree Celle, no way am I going to work it hard, I'm doing it the bonesmart way ice, elevate and gentle exercises. Surgeon tells you one thing we do another :rotfl:

Must admit no swelling of leg or foot, just swollen stiff knee. That's all at moment. All I want is 95 degree bend and straight leg with little pain I don't ask for a lot.
Been through a lot with these darn knees:blackcloud: .
 
True, you have been through a lot with your knees :console2:
 
Hopefully, the MUA will give you the results that you want. It won't happen quickly though. It takes time.
 
@Josephine - thankyou for your support - reason why had MUA is my knee was so bent I had to walk on tip-toes. Impossible to fully straighten leg without horrendous pain. Also felt like it was stuck rigid. It was this I was most concerned with.

ROM remained stuck at 75 also felt rigid and also with severe pain on the medial side on right knee. Every time with any slight movement there is real sharp pain and I do mean sharp pain like a zinger and which caused swelling of knee just below right side of knee cap this also is still continuing even after MUA.

Surgeon dismissed this saying "all is ok " and I may have too live with this pain and take pain killers for a very long time, perhaps through duration of this knee replacement and try to forget the pain. Not to say to increase and instruction to PTS to point of pain if not I will never fully recover.

Walked around today, knee still bent and painful so no difference yet. The ROM slightly decreased even under MUA. Surgeon could not fully straighten knee. Could put his hand under knee and also he could only reach 90 ROM. Feel really disappointed that even under force it's only reach a very limited ROM. Don't hold out for long term outlook - is this due to too big a spacer in knee?​
 
I hope you get some answers and get some relief.
 
I have some questions:
1. did you have your surgery at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital?
2. what was the name of your surgeon?
3. if I suggested a second opinion, would you be prepared to travel outside Norfolk?
(PS I did my nurse training at the N&N but a looong time ago!)
 
Yes received you reply Josephine- don't want to seam rude etc but reluctant to enclose names etc, has explained.
 
Really frustrated and upset today and really wished I never had this knee replaced - CANNOT straighten knee - even after PT and now MUA. What the heck do I do. Knee has very little pain apart from when I walk with this bent leg. Swelling there around knee and leg but not has bad has it was. A revision until a year is all I can hope for if no other choice
 
Not much in this recovery happens fast. An MUA creates new swelling and tenderness due to the force used to bend the leg. That’s why you need anesthesia when it’s done.

Rest, ice and elevate your leg and don’t overdo your activities. Be very gentle with any PT.

Always have a cloth or towel between the ice and your leg when you are icing.

I think in time you should seriously consider a second opinion about both your knees.
 
@Jockette Thankyou for your wise words. It's just seems so frustrating. Very little pain now. I would be playing tennis by now if wasn't for this bent knee:rotfl:

Seriously, now using roll up towel under ankle trying to straighten. Even thought of adding a weight. That's how desperate I'm getting. Yes I do know that's not good, just gentle stretch is a way to go.
 
Oh please don’t put any weights on your knee. It definitely will not help and can be very bad. I do understand the temptation, though.

I’m so sorry you have not had the outcome you were expecting with your knees. I didn’t either, but I am managing well enough. I do expect a revision some time in my future. :yikes: I’m dreading that day, so not in any rush to hurry it along.
 
CANNOT straighten knee- even after PT and now MUA- what the heck do I do .
Don't despair.

When you have a knee that is hard to straighten, it's often because the large ligaments and muscles at the back of your knee have shortened., especially if your knee was bent before your TKR.

Doing something like an MUA isn't going to help with that, because it stretches everything too fast.
If you imagine your ligaments and muscles at the back of your leg as being like a piece of elastic, it is possible to straighten your leg using force, as was done during your MUA, but - like a piece of elastic - once they're stretched like that, they're going to go right back to their preferred length again.

The only way to achieve greater straightening is with slow, gentle stretching over a long period, sometimes several months. Trying to do it too fast, with weights or an MUA, doesn't work well.

It's only 3 months since you had your right TKR, so time is on your side - no matter what your PT says.
There's no need to rush to get ROM (Range of Motion) because it can continue to improve for a year, or even much longer, after a knee replacement. There isn't any deadline you have to meet:
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
 
It may take a while for your knee to recover from the trauma of the MUA and begin making extension progress. Extension can be the last thing to return when you're in recovery. Please give yourself at least a few weeks to see some progress. Take a look at this article from our BoneSmart Library to see an exercise you can do to work on extension:

Extension: how to estimate it and ways to improve it

upload_2019-7-24_15-49-13.png


For both my knees, I used the leg hang to help with extension and it worked for me. BUT....I did it differently than the photo above that shows a person with weights on their ankle. I recommend you not use any weights - they aren't needed to get results.

I did the exercise lying on my stomach on the bed with my knee just beyond the edge of the bed and nothing under my leg, I let my leg hang for periods of time until I felt some discomfort twice a day. I started at 2 minutes and was gradually able to work up to 15 minutes at a time.

Whether you use this leg hang or the stool exercise from our Library article, the goal is to do it only to the point of mild discomfort and realize it may take some time to get the muscles and ligaments stretched back out. Walking is also excellent to improve extension. Just be sure to follow the heel-toe gait shown in the video in our Library article.
 

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