Manipulation 1 week old

[Jennifer]

It's me again, that lucky girl who had the drill bit break in her bone during her TKR and complaining about still so much pain 9 weeks out. Well you all helped me to get something done about being undermedicated, and now I have another question for you. Last Thurs I had a manipulation done, and OS again didn't prescribe any pain killers as "I wouldn't need any", but this time was way ahead of him and got prescription from my Dr. My problem aside from a lot of swelling and pain, is that my lower back is killing me now. I honestly think it bothers me more than my knee at times. Is it normal that the back would get wrenched during the manipulation. The back pain didn't really hit until the second day and today it's horrendous. Can hardly walk and the oxy-contin i'm on for pain barely touches the back pain. Knee is actually doing much better. What the heck is going on???

 

[Josephine]

Hmm - did you ever have back pain before?

I know when they do an MUA, they can lean hard on the knee in flexion thus straining the sacro-iliac joint on that side as the other leg is still flat on the table which is unnatural. When a PT does this, you'd naturally bend your good leg a little to compensate. That's the only thing that comes to mind.

As for treatment, why not try some ice on it? Or heat if that feels more comforting. Of course, were you in the UK, I'd recommend a TENS machine - great for back pain - but you guys can't get hold of them without a doctors prescription, so I understand. Though you could get one off Ebay and bypass that, if you'd a mind to!

 

[beachcomber]

Jennifer,
This is what helps my chronic back pain and you can multi-task and help your knee at the same time:

Do you have a heating pad? I couldn't live without mine. ( I prefer heat over ice for my back, but alternating heat/cold can also be very helpful.) Hot baths or a hot tub soak are also wonderful and can loosen up your knee as well. I did a lot of ROM exercises in the tub.

My best relief comes from lying on my heating pad on my back with my knees elevated on a couple of king size pillows placed lengthwise under my legs. I also iced my knees at the same time.

You need to tighten your abs when you stand up, sit down, etc. That will take strain off your back. You also need to bend your other knee when doing exercises that have you lying on your back. Putting a pillow under the other knee helps too.

Muscle relaxers might also help. Talk to your primary care doctor about this.

Good luck and I hope this is a temporary set-back for you.

 

[Josephine]

I forgot - go see a chiropractor!

 

[AlaskanTKR]

Jennifer -

i always counted myself as the lucky one in my family - Yep - I have a cruddy knee but all else always seemed fine - HAHAHAh. After the knee replacement i started having awful hip (groin0 pain. Prior to my MUA I saw my OS' partner - younger guy - but extremely highly recommended. Anyway - Told him about my hip and how that was pulling my lower back. Hmmmm- he rotated my left leg (my problem was on the right though) and then sent me for xrays - long story short - xrays showed FAI (some ind of impingement on both hips - genetic) and extra bone or something ossified on the side with my RTKR - better yet my lower back has had arthiritic changes - HMMMM - News to me. Anyway - getting the hip thing cleared up in December and then will see what to do about the lower back if it still bothers!

Tell the OS or atleast or GP - Funny thing was before the knee I had never had problems with either - I have a feeling the TKR and the the MUA really just aggravated everything that was lying dormant! So I totally know how you feel. My lower back really responded to the muscle relaxers and ICE. Now that i can conqueer my jacuzzi tub I am in there every night b4 bed and that really helps to.

Get to someone who can look - i figure since I am techinically grounded from all my favorite winter sports this year - i am getting all this nonsense under control so I can enjoy next winter!!!! (We ski, snow machine and walk with our very large malamutes!)

Hang in there!

marianne