Revision TKR Revision again

[Josephine]

I say complete, because the only thing stopping it is my ample thigh.

That's me all over, Jenn!

I like @Celle 's Dr's track record. No hard core pressure, wait on PT til tissues have healed...and amazingly, no MUAs.

My surgeon has exactly the same kind of record!

Saw ortho today he wants me to push through therapy before I get any worse

Worst thing you can possibly do.

Only reason why I want to try is because knee is getting stiff again . He got knee straight in surgery but now it's not straight I don't get it :(

He can do pretty much what he wants 'during surgery' (TKR or MUA?) because you are unconscious! It means nothing except that you definitely don't have adhesions (also known as 'scar tissue'!). And that being the case, the only thing you are battling right now is a) swelling and b) pain. Did you read this article in your recovery set? Swollen and stiff knee: what causes it?. It describes very well how come your knee refuses to bend. And also, that the more you fight in PT to get it to bend, the more swollen it gets and therefore, the harder it gets for you to bend it! Cause and effect.

So please, stop doing all these exercises. Right now, they are your very worst enemy.

 

[patsortho]

What can I do about the stiffness? I'm getting stiff all over again

 

[Pheebs52]

Rest, ice and elevate? Yes, that's the answer.

 

[KarriB]

Sometimes you can get stiff after icing for a while, but usually that stiffness goes away with a bit of walking. But if you're talking about stiffness resulting from swelling, ice, rest and elevation is the answer. If you are exercising a newly manipulated TKR there will be swelling aka stiffness. An MUA is similar to beginning your recovery again as it means babying the knee, limiting activity and doing the ice/rest/elevation the majority of the day until swelling dissipates.

 

[Spex10]

Walk about a bit too. Just around the house. Need to keep moving - but NOT overdoing it.

 

[patsortho]

I can't walk yet because extension is -20 I have not walked in almost 5 months

 

[Spex10]

Are you not allowed to walk at all? What about standing?
Walking wasn't easy for me but I managed by 'hip hitching'. It seemed important to at least walk up and down the hall or to the kitchen or bathroom about hourly. I had developed an incorrect gait over the years to spare my knee. After the op I really had to concentrate on walking heel first then toe. It was also exercise without forcing bending or straightening and helped keep up muscle tone and blood flow.

 

[Celle]

I think you could ask your PT to show you how to walk, using a walker or crutches. Even though your knee can't straighten properly, it should be possible to walk, putting just your toes on the floor.

Your extension should improve slowly, but the tendons and muscles at the back of your leg will need to lengthen slowly.

 

[Jennszoo]

Yeah even using the Walker when my leg was mostly bent was enough to get me moving and loosen up some of the stiffness. Are you using any mobility aides?

 

[bibi]

Yes..my extension is about 15 and I use my walker and cane. I cannot walk very far..it is quite uncomfortable but I know it's important to loosen up the muscles . Try using a walker and let it bear most of the weight.

 

[patsortho]

Pt said muscles are too weak. Just left my ortho walk in clinic . Apparently they are gonna refer me out to a specialist something is wrong with my X-ray . I am on a walker bearing as much weight as I can .

 

[Josephine]

extension is -20

Pat, you're not understanding how ROM is measured. It should be +20 not -. Here is a chart to explain hot this works. (for what it's worth, it would be impossible for us to have an extension of -20!

 

[Celle]

Pt said muscles are too weak. Just left my ortho walk in clinic . Apparently they are gonna refer me out to a specialist something is wrong with my X-ray . I am on a walker bearing as much weight as I can .

Your muscles will have grown weaker through not being used all this time, but it should be possible to walk, putting much of your weight on the walker.

I hope they are referring you for a second opinion, because if something is showing as wrong on your X-Ray, I think your current surgeon should have noticed it.
You probably need to see a surgeon who specializes in problem knees - one who has no connection, either professional of social, with your current surgeon - because these specialists can often spot a problem that has eluded the original surgeon.

 

[patsortho]

Oh sorry that's how pt refers it to

 

[Jennszoo]

I had a likely torn quad after my left TKR bc they had to realign my patella so significantly. That quad wasn't just weak,it didn't work. At all. I tried to move the leg certain ways (straight leg lifts and leg extensions) and it literally did not move. I had estim to wake it up. I'm at 12.5 weeks now, it still weaker than the leg that just had surgery 2.5 weeks ago. So yeah, your muscles are weak. Give it time.

 

[patsortho]

My quad works actually. I'm so stiff for whatever reason . Knee never bend even 2 day po tkr. Looking at X-ray dr said that left part of implant isn't aligned correctly . I saw different surgeon in the office . He said my surgeon doesn't do revisions .

 

[KarriB]

I think you need to get to a revision specialist who isn't associated with your OS. @Jamie may be able to help you find one.

 

[Jamie]

Do be sure whoever you see next does lots of revisions and is used to working on problem knees. If there is a problem with the implant placement, I'm glad it's been discovered so you can get this fixed and move on. You've been through so much. Hang in there. When you get the new surgeon's name post it here and let's see what his background is. If you want help finding a revision specialist, just tag me and let me know.

 

[Jennszoo]

So wait, they did an MUA and figured this out afterwards? They didn't do an xray before the MUA?

 

[patsortho]

He hasn't done an X-ray in a month . I'm going to look into the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. Will definitely keep u guys updated. This orthopedic hasn't been the best for me . Unfortunately I didn't dig into his history until I started having problems . Doesn't have a good record . When I first found him his reviews were amazing . Then I looked up his license and saw bunch of malpractice cases smh