MUA Manipulation and stiff knee after TKR

[Suziepi]

Thank you for good advice. You are right I am trying my best to get the 'magic' ROM by pushing my knee too much once again. Looks like I need to back off and rest, ice and elevate. Patience is a virtue I need to work on. Wow this knee operation sure is teaching me to learn to relax more and smell the flowers.

Mind you there is a big push by the medical professionals i have encountered and have dealt with to improve the ROM ASAP. There is worry that if you don't have the 'magic' ROM that you will end up with a stiff knee for life. By the looks of it from this forum that idea is just wrong.
Thanks again Campervan and Jamie

 

[Roy Gardiner]

It is wrong. Unless you actually have adhesions, which is possible but quite unusual, then your knee will continue to react positively to stretching. But (as you have found) will react negatively to overdoing things. From the mantra:

- If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physiotherapist - to do it to you
- If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it.

And you shouldn't do any training (that involves the knee) at all until the knee doesn't swell or stiffen.

 

[bottomshollow]

Well, Suziepi, you need to find a gentler, kinder group of medical professionals or give then up all together. It is not necessary to have formal PT. You can do it yourself---which would assure that you don't and push too hard. And there is NO "magic" number. We have lots of members who are continuing to gain ROM beyond the initial 12 months of recovery.

Dig down deep---you'll find your patience---you have to anyway---knees won't heal any faster than they will heal. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[RestAssured]

Well, I finally found your thread! I have had 4 surgeries 1 left knee replacement, 2 right (1 replacement, 1 washout, debridement, spacer replacement, and then one revision!). After all that stuff that has been done to the right leg, I still have 130 ROM! You would think if anyone had the opportunity to build scar tissue, it would be me. I have a PT named Katie, that is terrific. When I went to see my friend last night from her surgery 4 months ago, I showed her some of the things we do in PT. She said that they helped a lot, and I told her to do them 10 times 3 times a day, to the point of discomfort, but never pain! When I left, she said that was the first time her knee had truly felt good since surgery! I showed her son how to help her and he is going to continue!

 

[Suziepi]

Thank you Roy, bottomshollo and Restassured for your input.

I have changed by Physio, and this one has a gentler approach and he is not concerned that I have only 75 ROM. He works with other OS and today he told me of one prominent OS who stated that ROM does improve beyond 12 months as this forum as often said. Unfortunately the OSs in my town are close knit, so changing my OS may be difficult. I did manage to phone my OS today and he seems to have backed of from pushing the knee. He is not suggesting a MUA as my GP did, just a follow up in 2 months time.

I did ask my PT 'why is it that a lot of PTs tell the patients that there is a short window of opportunity up to 8 weeks after the op?'. He jokingly responded that they say that to get patients to do their exercises . Lol

Well I know now what I need to do. That is to have patience and don't overdo things so that my knee gets its chance to repair. I will still, exercise, massage, get in the warm pool and see the PT once a week. And essentially, I will ice, rest and elevate more. Icing in bed works well for pain at night too. And most of all to relax, have fun and smell the roses.

RestAssured, you are amazing! All that work on your poor knees. Your story is very encouraging especially such great ROM. I'm not sure about dropping my PT to do the stretching myself though. I'd imagine you would need help. Are you able to tell me how to do these?

Suzie
.

 

[RestAssured]

Thank you Roy, bottomshollo and Restassured for your input.

RestAssured, you are amazing! All that work on your poor knees. Your story is very encouraging especially such great ROM. I'm not sure about dropping my PT to do the stretching myself though. I'd imagine you would need help. Are you able to tell me how to do these?

Suzie
.

Suzie,

Please don't drop your PT! My friend had too due to the fact that her insurance and job came to an end. She could not afford COBRA so I went and showed her some exercises. As long as you have a good PT that listens to you, and takes care of you, stick with them! Sounds like you are on your way and I am so glad!

 

[Suziepi]

Thanks RestAssured. No I won't drop my PT as he has faith in my knee eventually getting more ROM. Just that it will do it in its own time. And to me it seems to be a large amount of time.
But I won't worry any more as there are other things that are fun to do even with a stiff knee

Suziepi

 

[Buddhabear]

So, a little reassurance about the progress of ROM. I have shared here I have bursitis and tendonitis after severely overdoing in the past month in a half. My LTKR was 4.5 months ago and even before the pain returned my ROM was great. So I have done my best to do nothing but rest, elevate, ice for te last two weeks. Hasn't always been successful because I still work but no exercise, no PT, only the simplest of stretches. So the pain continues, swelling is down, stiffness seems almost worse. But my ROM continues to increase! How about that! Apparently at its own pace!

 

[Suziepi]

Hi Buddhabear
It's a mystery to me how ROM quickly increases for many and for others it's slow. Given we all have stiff knees. I get from you message the point that is best to just look after a painful knee as much as you can. And not stress it out too much.

Good luck with the pain and stuffiness in your knee.
Suziepi

 

[Josephine]

So the pain continues, swelling is down, stiffness seems almost worse. But my ROM continues to increase! How about that! Apparently at its own pace!

Awesome, isn't it?

 

[Suziepi]

Woooo whooo

I got 87 ROM today after being measured during my Physio session!!!!! Up from 75 two weeks ago.

I have changed my Physio to one that believes in really pushing the knee ( although not painfully so). She wants to build the my leg muscles up and my fitness level. She sees that pain management is important, put to also reduce the swelling by resting, icing , elevating and using the hydro pool.

I have also got a good Reiki practitioner working on me. I have found it has helped my knee. it has really settled down after the sessions.

Looks like I will be getting to ride a road bike real soon.

Cheers
Suziepi

 

[KathyH]

Woohoo, that is excellent, Suzie. I know how happy you will be with this increase in ROM. You seem to be turning that magical corner now. See, it does come and patience is the key. May we both continue to progress

 

[Suziepi]

Thanks KathyH, yes it does seem like we need to be patient and also have perseverance. I can't wait to get to 90 ROM. I'm so close I can smell it. Difficulties like this are teaching me to be grateful for what I have.
Good luck as well
Suzie

 

[Suziepi]

Hi all,
I can't wait to get back to riding a bike again. But my ROM is still too low for a normal bike. I still can't get a full rotation. But I was doing a little research on the Internet and found another forum where a German guy used a crank arm shortener on his bike because of his poor ROM of 60. He said he now rides 175 to 200 miles per week.
I found an Internet site that sold these crank-arm shortener and it just happened that their business site operated in my home town. So yesterday my hubby brought one and installed it on my mountain bike. I tried to use it with him holding the bike but got no where.
In a local bike shop I found they sold bike trainers. The trainer keeps the bike stable and in place whilst the biker is peddling the bike. We brought a trainer and installed my bike on it. I tried again to do a full rotation with the shortener and trainer but no luck.
I wasn't going to be defeated. I went back on the bike and worked on rotating the peddles as much as I could. My knees just needed to be warmed up because after a little time I was able to do full rotations both forward and backwards !!!
My knee is still a little stiff so I am still going to use the trainer until I feel confident to ride without it. Whooo pee, i cant wait now until i can get back on the bike paths, although I will take it slowly.
Has anyone else had any experience using these crank-arm shorteners ?

 

[bottomshollow]

Absolutely super, Suzipi!!!! A little internet research can bring amazing results. And pedaling is such a good way to exercise the knee and help increase ROM. Keep up the good work and you'll be riding away into the sunset sooner than you think.

Take care and keep us posted. We care.

 

[Roy Gardiner]

My knee is still a little stiff so I am still going to use the trainer until I feel confident to ride without it. Whooo pee, i cant wait now until i can get back on the bike paths, although I will take it slowly. Has anyone else had any experience using these crank-arm shorteners ?

I found just raising the saddle as high as possible had the desired effect. And rocking the pedals backwards and forwards will warm the knee until a full rotation is possible. Maybe not the first time, but fairly quickly.

 

[Suziepi]

Thanks Roy and Bottomshollo for you comments.
I woke up to a cuppa tea from husband this morning. He wanted me up and to get going today using the bike. He is keen for me to ride again as he likes to ride himself. Although he has a friend to ride with 3 times a week.
This operation has taught me to slow down and enjoy life. I haven't gone back to work now and it's been 5 months since I was there. So I have decided that I will retire. No more sitting down in an office all day. My knee is telling me it wants exercise too

 

[clovergirl59]

Hi Suzie!
Our surgery dates and MUA dates are very close, my surgery was Oct. 19 and my MUA Dec. 13. I have been very disapointed in my ROM. The os got it to 120, I got 105 that same afternoon in therapy and have been stuck there ever since, until tonight and I got 110!!! When the therapist told me that it was 110 I would have danced if I could have.
I was starting to think I would never get beyond 105. It seems like this is taking forever! I guess we just have to be patient. On the bright side my muscles are getting stronger, the pain level is getting better. Some days are better than others. This is a very tough and long journey. I am so glad that we have this forum. I have learned so much here.

 

[Titianlady]

I'm so happy for you Clovergirl!!! It's such a wonderful feeling when that number goes up. YOU GO GIRL!!!!!

 

[Suziepi]

Hi Clovergirl,
Wow we do have similar procedure dates and problems. I have often felt a little alone in my pain of having such as stiff knee and then losing or having poor ROM. But joining this forum has been so good. It is so comforting in being able to connect to people that are in similar circumstances. People like you.

Congratulations too on getting 110 (another similarity in increasing your ROM) at a similar time. My OS also got 120 ROM when doing the MAU. On discharge I was at 90, then it just got worse at home, down to 60 in January.

It is a long tough journey but one that I am learning from. I never thought it would take so long to recover. We are still not there yet but we will. I have learnt that I have to take matters into my own hands. I have changed PT to one that can help. I have used the information this forum has provided and I have tried other alternatives (like a body ecology healer) to try and get this knee working.

good luck and I hope your next improvement comes soon..

Suzie