MUA MUA set back

[Godbless]

Had RTKR 8/3/22 knee swelling stiff the usual. Did a MAU 8/31/22. Things went down hill from their. No rom, quad muscles are really sore to the point I can’t move my leg. I went all the way back to day one. I’m depressed and never get depressed. My doc says to go to pt pt says push push push. With no progress toward. Ice helps. Med work for about 2 hours. I feel I’m getting addicted to them. You guys say don’t do it if it hurts. Bone smart has a way different method than my doc and my pt. Who does a person listen to? So many different ideas. Sorry for ranting.

 

[Jockette]

Hi and Welcome!

I‘m sorry you’ve had such a rough start. And I’m sorry you have a medical team that believes in such an aggressive protocol.

You guys say don’t do it if it hurts. Bone smart has a way different method than my doc and my pt. Who does a person listen to? So many different ideas.

Yes, there are many ideas. That’s all they are. Different people’s opinions. Your opinion about how to rehab your knee is the most important. Do what your own commonsense feels is the right thing to do.

I will leave you our Recovery Guidelines. Each article is short but very informative. Following these guidelines will help you have a less painful recovery.

Just keep in mind all people are different, as are the approaches to this recovery and rehab. The key is, “Find what works for you.“ Your doctors, PTs and BoneSmart are available to help, but you are the final judge as to the recovery approach you choose.

Knee Recovery: The Guidelines
1. Don’t worry: Your body will heal all by itself. Relax, let it, don't try and hurry it, don’t worry about any symptoms now, they are almost certainly temporary
2. Control discomfort:

rest​

elevate​

ice​

take your pain meds by prescription schedule (not when pain starts!)​

don't overwork.​

3. Do what you want to do BUT

​

a. If it hurts, don't do it and don't allow anyone - especially a physical therapist - to do it to you​

b. If your leg swells more or gets stiffer in the 24 hours after doing it, don't do it again.​

4. PT or exercise can be useful BUT take note of these

​

the BoneSmart view on exercise​

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy​

5. At week 4 and after you should follow this

Activity Progression for TKRs​

6. Access to these pages on the website

​

Oral And Intravenous Pain Medications​

Wound Closure​

The Recovery articles:
The importance of managing pain after a TKR and the pain chart
Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?
Energy drain for TKRs
Elevation is the key
Ice to control pain and swelling
Heel slides and how to do them properly
Chart representation of TKR recovery
Healing: how long does it take?

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it
Sleep deprivation is pretty much inevitable - but what causes it?

There are also some cautionary articles here
Myth busting: no pain, no gain
Myth busting: the "window of opportunity" in TKR
Myth busting: on getting addicted to pain meds

We try to keep the forum a positive and safe place for our members to talk about their questions or concerns and to report successes with their joint replacement surgery.

While members may create as many threads as they like in the majority of BoneSmart’s forums, we ask that each member have only One Recovery Thread. This policy makes it easier to go back and review the member’s history before providing advice, so please post any updates or questions you have right here in this thread.

 

[Jockette]

Here a some highlights from the recovery guidelines:

BoneSmart philosophy for sensible post op therapy

You will have noticed there is a significant opinion here about the potential hazards of PT. You may feel that your therapists are experts and know what you should be doing. However, over the last several years I've been here, I have observed that the more intensive the regimen of exercising...

bonesmart.org

Post op blues is a reality - be prepared for it

Post op blues is feeling depressed, weepy, nervy, shaky, fearful of the future, anxious, overwhelmed by what is happening to you, convinced it's never going to get any better and finally, uttering that most intense of all cries "I wish I never had this done!" It arises out of a variety of...

bonesmart.org

 

[Godbless]

Thank you Jockette

 

[ski_bum]

Had RTKR 8/3/22 knee swelling stiff the usual. Did a MAU 8/31/22. Things went down hill from their. No rom, quad muscles are really sore to the point I can’t move my leg. I went all the way back to day one. I’m depressed and never get depressed. My doc says to go to pt pt says push push push. With no progress toward. Ice helps. Med work for about 2 hours. I feel I’m getting addicted to them. You guys say don’t do it if it hurts. Bone smart has a way different method than my doc and my pt. Who does a person listen to? So many different ideas. Sorry for ranting.

I would suggest you listen to Bonesmart.
I quit PT second visit on both legs.
I refuse to push into the pain. I push to the pain.
I found my Hot Tub was my best friend, then stationary bike.
First on the bike, rock the pedals, raise and lower seat as pain reduces.
I hate both knees, except walking, biking and best is hot tub.
Wish you quick recovery

 

[Godbless]

Thanks ski bum. My scar is still venerable. When it heals completely I’m definitely going in the hot tub. Definitely telling pt to cool down. I think that’s the best for me.

 

[Jockette]

Your knee has been through a lot of trauma. The surgery causes a lot, and so does an MUA, especially so soon after the original surgery, like yours was done. Painful PT will continue to keep your knee swollen and inflamed, which does not enhance healing. Treat your knee gently now so it can recover and heal.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Odieodell]

I’m really surprised your surgeon performed an MUA so soon on you. My surgeon wanted to do one on me at 8 weeks, but I declined. I also stopped PT after 7 weeks since I wasn’t making any gains from more aggressive PT beginning at around 4 weeks. Now I listen to my knee and do daily activities that don’t hurt me. My ROM is very slow in coming back, but I’m able to do many of the activities I love doing which makes me happy.

 

[Godbless]

I’m beginning to think the same thing about the early mua. At least I could bent 80/4 degrees before the mua. I’ll talk to the pt today. I left a message for my surgeon today about my depression and crying suddenly coming on. I’m usually a positive person. This knee replacement has me goin everywhere.

 

[Jockette]

and crying suddenly coming on.

This is typical after this surgery, I had it, too. That’s why we have the article about the post op blues.

 

[Odieodell]

@Godbless it will get better, but you need to give it time to heal. Your surgeon certainly didn’t give you enough time to heal. You are back to square one. I wouldn’t recommend any formal PT. Elevate, ice and rest it. As it begins to feel better do short walks in the house and heel slides. Swelling needs to go down before you will regain your range of motion.

 

[Godbless]

Thanks odieodell. I think you hit the nail on the head.

 

[Zanza]

I always took my son with me to the physical therapist. I don't think anyone should ever go alone, at least the first time, because if the physical therapist gets aggressive you might need some backup to get them to back off. The first physical therapist I went to tried to push my knee up to my chest and I told him to stop because it was too painful. He said if it didn't challenge me, it wouldn't change me. I told him getting around the house was challenging enough and I was about to call my son over, but the physical therapist did back down. He seemed really annoyed but I didn't care. Keep in mind it's your knee and you're the one who has to live with the pain if the doctor or the physical therapist hurts you. It's a shame you had an MUA, especially so soon after surgery. Your knee can't bend when it's all swollen from the surgery. You should just rest and ice and elevate your knee. The range of motion is there, you just need to heal and let the swelling go down.

 

[Godbless]

Your right Zanza. Talked to pt today and voiced my concerns. They are willing to slow down with me. Weren’t so aggressive today. Time will tell. Thanks for the post.

 

[Godbless]

Told pt today I didn’t like coming their. They said if I did nothing that I wouldn’t get my rom back. Is that true. I’ve seen people on here getting their rom back without pt.

 

[Jockette]

They said if I did nothing that I wouldn’t get my rom back. Is that true.

The only way that might be true is if you sat in one place and never moved your knee again, ever.

Regaining our ROM is more about Time than repetitions of a list of exercises.
Regaining our ROM does not require forceful bending or painful exercises.

Time to recover.
Time for pain and swelling to settle.
Time to heal.

Our range of motion is right there all
along just waiting for that to happen so it can show itself.

In the general run of things, it doesn't need to be fought for, worked hard for or worried about. It will happen. Normal activity is the key to success.

 

[Godbless]

I agree jockett. I don’t think I would just sit there. I think she was looking for something to scare me from not leaving.

 

[Jockette]

Isn’t it a shame that some of them spend so much time hurting us, and threatening us, when they have modalities that can address our swelling, and they could do some massage, and they could be encouraging, and we would therefore want to go to PT.

My PT experience was pretty bad and I won’t go again if I ever have to do another knee, or hip, or almost any other reason. One week post op my PT bent my knee so far that I was gripping the sides of the table so tightly that it caused me to be diagnosed with acute tendinitis in my shoulder, several days later, and the shoulder pain was a 10, and the dilaudud I was taking for the knee didn’t touch it.

 

[Godbless]

@Jockette. I think your right. Seems to me a little massage for sore muscles would do the trick. Right now if someone massaged my quad I would rip their face off. And definitely not go back. I’d take my chances on self pt. Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with your replacement.

 

[Sara61]

@Godbless I'm 8 months into my 2nd Knee recovery, intially I started off comparing my two knees, wondering why my 2nd was taking longer, I pushed instead of allowing it to just recover slowly, (a over zealous junior physiotherapist on one occassion 4 weeks after my surgery bent and pushed it and boom I was in so much pain that my recovery receeded.) I refused to do PT again, I've had my up and downs mainly from my own impatience, but I can honestly say, less is best and listen to your fellow Bonesmarties, my surgeon is one of the few who does not recommend any form of physiotherapy after a knee replacement he says 'time will heal and the knee will do what its intended for when it is ready."