TKR ROM-chatter

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 I am stumped unless it just needs more air. Is it in an area that had any tape on it? I think best thing is show your doctor!

 

[bumknees09]

@tiredwife - I'm stumped as well. No tape, no anything and only on the TKR leg. Very strange. And yes of course I'll show my OS at tomorrow's appointment..

 

[bumknees09]

@Josephine - just read your post re:"energy drains for TKR". It is 100% spot on!!! The illustrations that you did are perfect! Great info. On another subject... Since I'm not very tech savvy, I like the 2.0 version if this. Just my two cents.

 

[Josephine]

Well, you'll be okay then - it's back to 2.0 for a while until we get things sorted on the other one.

 

[bumknees09]

Day 18- let the stress begin. I have my follow up with my OS tomorrow I'm so afraid he's going to say I should have MUA! I'm literally having nightmares about it. I'm sure it sounds a little crazy but that's how it is. 77° range motion as of Saturday (yesterday. )We'll see what it is tomorrow I can imagine much better. Finally got outside today and walked up and down the street a little bit with a cane that was fine unfortunately afterwards I felt like I had climbed Mount Everest and was wiped out for the rest of the day pretty much! Normal? No idea. All I know is this whole TKR was more than I bargained for. I'm stressed out about how tired and stiff and blah I feel. Sorry to complain. But, since you've all been through it, who better to complain too or vent to or whatever. Thanks for any advise. I need if from people who actually have "been there" . Thanks

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 lack of energy is very normal! At almost 10 weeks my hubby still has some energy drain. Gets tired much easier than he use to, but it is getting better. Stiffness stays for awhile too, but gradually gets better. Hang in there, it will get better. Controlling the swelling by elevating toes over nose is a big part of getting better.

 

[gr82cu2]

@bumknees09 You're not even 3 weeks out of surgery. Try to calm your fears of MUA. You'll get there. I'm not even a week yet but I've been around here long enough to know everyone will tell you NO WAY to an MUA at this point. I think the doctors and PT's just like to threaten us with it to force us along and keep us from slacking on our recovery and exercises. It seems to me positive reinforcement would be more productive. I'd bet a dollar to a dog you still have a lot of swelling, even if you can't see it. When you think about it, how could you not? This is a very traumatic surgery. I wish you all the best tomorrow at your follow up appointment. Let us know how it goes and if you find out what that rash is. It sounds very strange. I have the same ice machine. I've only been using it at night when I sleep. It's not nearly as cold as actual ice or the ice gel packs. But it beats changing ice over and over through the night. It stays pretty chilly for 6-7 hours. We're still experimenting on how to keep it colder longer. Tonight we put in some ice block things that my medicine is shipped in. And we added already iced water to it instead of just water out of the tap. We'll see how long it lasts tonight. Good luck tomorrow and please tell us how it went when you have a chance.

 

[Pumpkin]

Go back and read the recovery articles that were left for you earlier. There are articles about MUA that you will find helpful for your OS appointment.
Let us know how it goes.


Sent from my iPod touch using BoneSmart®

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 Good Morning! How is the rash today?

 

[bumknees09]

@tiredwife - thank you again one and all for responding. I seem to be in need of my fears being used lately (not usually my MO)! Re: the rash? Doesn't look as raised today but it still looks very angry. No itch though. I tried coconut oil on it and Cortizone nothing seems to affect either way. We'll see what the OS says on all fronts. Be back in touch later to let you know. thanks!

 

[Josephine]

I have my follow up with my OS tomorrow I'm so afraid he's going to say I should have MUA! I'm literally having nightmares about it.

Just remember that it's your choice, not his. He can recommend and suggest but in the end he cannot do a thing unless he has your consent.

 

[bumknees09]

Well, I had my appt w/OS . Xrays look good. Incision looks good. He's not super happy about my ROM. I have to see him again a week from Friday which is August 15, he said if it's not at least 90 by then he's going to highly recommend MUA!

He said for someone on here to be discouraging someone from getting that done is borderline malpractice. He said it's a bunch of baloney. He's never had one patient say that they shouldn't have had it done and said that he'd have any number of them call me if I wanted to confirm that.

So if anybody on this site is actually had it done and has any opinion about it either way please feel free to reply. Thx

 

[tiredwife]

@bumknees09 It might not be a bad idea to talk to some of his patients that have had it done. Might give you a clearer picture. How about the rash?

 

[Josephine]

Well, he's entitled to his opinion as I am to mine but the facts speak for themselves as described in medical journals such as this one MUA: the ineffectiveness of early MUA (JBJS). And I have explained it fully in here too MUA (Manipulation under Anaesthetic) and Adhesions.

At 4 weeks out, it's more likely that any lack of ROM is simply due to swelling and pain and rather than adhesions. Give the swelling and pain time to settle and the ROM will emerge.

I do know that in the UK, doing an MUA before 12 weeks earliest is just not done and we have a far lower rate of MUA and poor outcomes than that reported in the US.

 

[bumknees09]

Well, I'm going to speak to some people who have had it! Re: USA vs UK. I think maybe that's a numbers game too since USA does approx 700,000 per yr and UK does approx 80,000! Big difference. Just saying..... I have known my OS for 15 years and I trust him. I will say, this operation alone was way more than I bargained for but it was desperately needed. I hope more than anything that I make progress in the next week and a half but IF I end up having to to with a MUA, so be it. Do I want to? Of course not, it sounds hideous. But so did the surgery! My OS is not am alarmist by any stretch. I'm hoping for the best.

 

[kneeper]

Many people do benefit from an MUA and most of the people here on Bonesmart who have had one will tell you it's not so bad.
But many of us are also just very gradual in our ROM gains. I seemed to be stuck in the 80s for a while and now I'm over 100. Only you can decide.

 

[bumknees09]

@kneeper, I know obviously that in the end I'm the one who has to decide. Ive got to tell you that it's not a decision that I relish at all. I have several days to try to get my ROM bending more . Unfortunately, I am so fearful of the possibility of an MUA (as as I've made clear on the site). My OS said he said he has had nothing but great success with it, across-the-board so… i'm trying to believe him of course. I suppose it's just like the surgery the very thought of them doing that practically makes me feel weak. I guess I'll just have to make the decision when the time comes if need be. Practically psyching myself out about it now and I've's till next Friday the 15th to even see what happens! Apparently I have a bad habit of putting myself in the panic mode. I need to try to stop doing that! Positive thoughts and working to get this moving is what I need to be doing. correct? although I still would like anybody who's had the MUA done to chime in and tell me what they really thought about it.

 

[Jozilla]

Hi Bumknees. I am trying hard to remember who has had MUA - did you try the search function. It should bring up any thread that has mentioned MUA. No one is in your shoes so we can just advise you. You ultimately have to make the decision. If it were me and my Os wanted to do an MUA at four weeks I would just tell him that I would not say no but that I would want to wait another couple of months to see if I improved on my own. That at least would give you some time. Good luck in your decision whatever you decide.

 

[referee54]

I have several days to try to get my ROM bending more .

You cannot rush the ROM---it will come, but it will come on its own terms and in its own time.

Try not to outwork your new knee in oder to speed up the ROM---it will have a negative impact on gaining the ROM.

 

[bumknees09]

@referee54 - I did push myself today and got to 85* ! Yesterday was 77! Did it hurt? Yes. But to me, practically everything to do with this from the moment I had surgery hurts. Constipation, stretching. standing up,sitting down, everything.( well, it either hurts or it's very uncomfortable ) So. I feel as though I have to push myself a little bit and be a little bit more proactive I guess. I'm 3 weeks out tomorrow!