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MUA Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Finally past 90!<

Hi there, hope things are getting better. Addressing the pain under kneecap. My PT taped (image below) my knee to help relieve the pain "AND IT WORKED", not much has actually worked as explained for me. I was very surprised.

[Bonesmart.org] Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Finally past 90!<
 
Hi, there,
I have the small size of The Stick massager. A PT recommended it when I was having issues with my IT Band. I giggle whenever I take it out of its tube--the tagline underneath its title says, "A toothbrush for muscles!" If you don't overdo it, I think it works well~:idea:

Also, regarding your knee getting stiff when you are "just" lying around, I agree with @sistersinhim. Let your knee be your guide. Unfortunately, MY knee curtailed my activities for quite a while! Sometimes rest IS what it needs. When I was under forced inactivity, I did a lot of chair stretches and muscle relaxation. These helped with the restlessness and also kept my knee from locking up with stiffness.

One stretch I did was to extend my leg and raise it as high as I could (while reclining in my recliner), then loop a towel under my foot and hold as long as it feels good. It seemed to help a little bit with extension, too. Of course, bending and flexing your knee while sitting helps with stiffness, also. Nothing strenuous--with leg elevated a bit off the chair, just bend gently and then straighten.

Regarding relaxing the muscles, there is a technique called Progressive Muscle Relaxation that is recommended on many wellness sites, including the Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic. Hopefully it's okay to post a couple of links. The first is a "how-to" description in PDF from Anxiety BC in Canada, and the second page, on Cleveland Clinic's website, has a link to guided audio instructions partway down the page. https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/MuscleRelaxation.pdf
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11887-stress-learning-to-relax

BoneSmart probably also has something on this. I tried the Search function but evidently wasn't putting in the right combination of terms. Personally, I think Search hates me. :dubious: (Just kidding!)
 
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By the way I'm still taped today. Its been on for a week. PT is going to change it today and retape the same way.
 
Well.. things were going pretty well up until bedtime last night. Somehow I irritated the muscle that runs from inside of my knee cap all the way up my thigh to the groin. All night long - awful pain. I ended up with another muscle relaxer and Dilaudid for a bit of relief but today I can't even bend my knee but a couple of inches or that muscle fires up and the pain is awful. I have to walk stiff legged in order not to aggravate it!

Is there a dark cloud hanging over my knee recovery or what?!!! Now I can't bend it at all even if I wanted to. sigh.

Today I took a warm epsom salt bath and I'm icing the entire muscle hoping to help it heal. It probably won't be ok for a few days. I hope so.. I've got to get better so I can be at work on Monday.

@rtkneeandy - thanks for the heads up on the being on the right track. It looked like something that would help my muscles release when the time comes for me to start with that. Your knee looks great! What is that taping technique supposed to accomplish?

@Polkadot - that extension stretch seems like it would feel good and at least provide some circulation since I cannot do anything else right now! I'm going to head over and check those links out. Thankyou for those!!
 
funkymuse said:
What is that taping technique supposed to accomplish?
Click to expand...
Its is supposed to keep the kneecap from slipping from side to side..It felt better immediately. I know everyone is different, but I wanted to share just in case.
 
Geez o Pete, FM! You really can't catch a break, can you? Your continuing woes remind me of when I was dealing with recurring episodes of acute lower-back pain from an old injury. You just get a bit comfortable one moment, and the next there's a new pain or problem with which to contend! I'm sure you just want to scream!!!!! :hairpulling::censored: Baby yourself, and try not to worry too much about Monday. It is what it is. The baths sound soothing! Do more of those! :bath:

I had some taping that looked a bit like @rtkneeandy's. It seemed to help a lot--like magic, I thought. Whoever would think that a little bit of tape could take away quite a lot of discomfort? Unfortunately, I had a skin reaction--probably to the adhesive--and had to pull it off early. :shrug::bored: Might be worth trying, if you get in to PT. It won't solve all your pain problems, but it is an intriguing possibility for around-or-under-the-kneecap pain.

Hang in there, Friend! Things will get better!
 
Polkadot said:
https://www.anxietybc.com/sites/default/files/MuscleRelaxation.pdf
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/11887-stress-learning-to-relax
Click to expand...
I've been using these techniques since 1980 as part of a system I call self-hypnosis. Very quickly after starting this process, I could get so relaxed I ceased to be concious of my body. I just existed in my mind! And once, when I was so totally relaxed like this, my cat decided to jump up on my lap and I was taken from total, deep relaxation to a state of extreme tension as I jumped in surprise! NOT an experience to be recommended!

But not only could I relax at home, I could also snatch "catnaps" at work in the staff room when the staff would assume I was asleep but I was, in fact, wise awake and listening to everything they said! But I would get up after about 15-20 minutes feeling like I'd have an hour's kip! Beautiful!

[Bonesmart.org] Oct 2017 TKR - Hematoma - MUA - Finally past 90!<
 
That sounds fantastic @Josephine ! Any suggestions for working on this strained muscle of mine? It completely keeps me from bending any further than about an inch! As soon as I get to a certain place the pain kicks in from the sore muscle. Do you feel any gentle massage would work? I mean this is getting scary for me as I can barely walk as well. It's so painful. It's like it seized up last night. Darn it... this is hard. I know many have it harder than me.. but this is also really a bit of a struggle. Thank you for any words of wisdom. If resting is the only option then I guess so be it.
 
Have you compared this with the information I left you previously?
 
I have never learned these techniques. I think I'll try them. Sleeping well has been a problem for me all my life.
 
Thank you @Beckadeez

I've decided to go to another PT and get an assessment of the issues I'm having.
 
hi, i've been away for awhile on vacation. sad to hear you are suffering. are you currently going to p.t. and what are they doing or having you do? i see it's only been a week since the m.u.a. i couldn't do any bending the first week post op, and weeks after. i think it's a wise idea to get an assessment from another p.t. in the hopes they can try something different to help you through this. sending you hugs and positive vibes.:console2::prayer:
 
Hello All..
Here's my doctors reply to my request for suggestions to reduce swelling and pain so I could get on with my PT:

Hi Christina,
Dr. Picco read your message and he would like for you to try Voltaren Gel. He has sent this to your pharmacy. Hopefully this provides you with relief.
Please resume physical therapy as soon as possible. It is important to continue with therapy as directed in order for the surgery to have a good outcome. We understand that you are in pain but please try to work through it. Please acknowledge that each patient's post operative course may differ so don't get discouraged.
Thank you for your understanding.
Tania, MA-C

I'm at least grateful for the next to last sentence about each patient's course may differ and the suggestion for the Voltaren Gel. I actually have some of that and I'm trying it out today because the Ibuprofen tablets are not an option because of my tummy issues. I had started taking them out of desperation for reduction of swelling but wanted to find a way to get off of them. So now it will be just tylenol and the gel.

Yesterday was a dark day of tears and pain and just struggle. Everything was an awful struggle because of that long irritated inner thigh muscle and the knotted up angry little muscle on the inside of my knee. It was hard to even sit on the loo and last night the anguish continued all night and I got a cramp deep inside my left backside muscle! ARGGH!!! I have these Miracle Balls however (don't laugh), ha ha... that you can use to loosen up muscles. And so I finally got up and used those and the pain subsided. You can check them out on Amazon if you are interested. They have saved the day for me many times during muscle pain and soreness.

@liam2015 I'm very interested to hear about the beginning of your MUA healing journey since you said you had a hard time bending for the first week and weeks after. How long after your TKR did you have your MUA? Did you have severe swelling and muscle pain? That is exactly what is keeping me from doing anything. I'd love to hear how it went in more detail if you don't mind! Did you go back to work or see a PT at a certain point? Thanks so much for whatever you can tell me. I'm glad to know I'm not isolated in this case. Several people have written mentioning not alot of movement for awhile but I always feel more comforted hearing another story.

Thanks everyone...
 
i'm so sorry funkymuse, i did not mean to imply i had m.u.a. (i didn't). i was referring to after my knee replacement, i couldn't have bent my knee if i wanted to in the first week (like you can't after m.u.a.). it was stuck for many weeks and painful trying to bend it with heel slides, etc. i didn't start p.t. until 6 weeks post-op, and still was stuck for quite some time.

i was wondering what kind of physical therapy they are recommending you to do so soon? surely they don't want you to bend so much that it causes you unbearable pain.

my personal recovery was very gradual (slow compared to others) and it took 7 months post op before i could pedal a full rotation on bike. i am now almost 10 months post op and feel almost healed with no pain and increased flexion; not as good as unoperated leg but i can do most anything i could do before. good luck with whatever you decide to do and you're o.s. is right in that "each patient's post operative course may differ". i am so sorry that you are suffering with so much pain.:console2:
 
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