Pamx2
member
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2013
- Messages
- 113
- Age
- 63
- Gender
- Female
Hello! It's been 7 years ago at the end of this month that I had both of my knees replaced. Basically, all went well with my surgery with the usual ups and downs. At the end of 4 months of physical therapy I was free to recover on my own. My left knee was making nice progress, and over the years it gained more and more ROM and healed nicely. But my right knee did not. I really hoped that in time I would gain more ROM, but my right knee has been stuck at about 85 degrees max ROM all these years. It's just enough stiffness to make it impossible to walk down a flight of stairs normally...I have to take a stair at a time. I trip easily because I don't lift my foot high enough when I walk. I can't squat down to pick things up...ect ect. Of course, my ortho wanted to do MUA years ago, but I refused and decided to try and just work my knee out on its own. I would probably continue to hobble around, but because my gait is off with my bad knee, I've started to have chronic pain in my lower back and right hip. I was worried my right hip needed replacing. I finally went back to my ortho fearing bad news about my right hip, but he said my hips (on x-ray) are just fine. But I've developed arthritis in my lumbar spine that has flared up because of my right knee. So I have finally agreed to MUA in a couple of weeks.
I have a few questions that I've not been able to find answers to online. My biggest question is what to expect after the procedure. I will return to see my doctor two weeks after the procedure, and then he will clear me for physical therapy. He said he would give me a few exercises to do during that time before PT. Will I need to (or want to) treat my knee like I did when it was first replaced...rest, ice, elevation, pain meds? Will my knee heal much more quickly than it did when it was first replaced, since it has been healed for so long? I'm just curious what the healing timeline will be...especially how long I may be incapacitated and possibly need help. I'm just praying MUA will help me gain more ROM with my right knee. At least I will only be dealing with one knee this time! Thanks.
I have a few questions that I've not been able to find answers to online. My biggest question is what to expect after the procedure. I will return to see my doctor two weeks after the procedure, and then he will clear me for physical therapy. He said he would give me a few exercises to do during that time before PT. Will I need to (or want to) treat my knee like I did when it was first replaced...rest, ice, elevation, pain meds? Will my knee heal much more quickly than it did when it was first replaced, since it has been healed for so long? I'm just curious what the healing timeline will be...especially how long I may be incapacitated and possibly need help. I'm just praying MUA will help me gain more ROM with my right knee. At least I will only be dealing with one knee this time! Thanks.
