ROM Question

[BigRed]

I keep reading posts with people having a ROM of 120 or even 140 at 8 weeks post-op or less. It is getting me concerned. I am now 10 weeks post-op and have a ROM of 98 in one knee and 104 in the other. My new pt does not seem concerned nor did the home pt I saw up until two weeks ago. My doctor said that was fine as well.

I know I went into the surgery with injured knees. My left ROM was probably 120 pre-op and my right knee had a ROM of 95 or less. I don't expect to get the same results as all of you who may not have had the multiple pre-op injuries and earlier surgeries that I have had but I am hoping to get back to the 120 for my left leg.

My question is, how long post-op can the ROM continue to improve? My pt said she does not feel I have hit a wall yet and they more will come. Can she be right?

 

[brs0660]

I have heard it continues for over a year. My range at end of six weeks PT was somewhere between 90-105. At three month visit, OS asked me to bend my knee back under my chair which I did with no problems...he was happy.

I suppose ROM is important especially if you had had lots of flexion prior to surgery and if you require a larger ROM related to your job or lifestyle. My ROM has continued to improve and only rarely does it prevent me from doing something I want to do.

Hope you continue to well!
Barb

 

[dcdowden]

My at home PT was only concerned about getting to 90 flexion in the first 3 weeks. She said once you are past that point it is easier to keep getting improvements because you can lean forward on it. I am just past 3 weeks now and will begin out patient PT next week. I was at 105 last week when they last measured. I think riding the bike is helping extend it a little every day. She also gave me an exercise with a basketball where I put my heal on the basketball and work on both extention and flexion.
Good Luck,
Doug

 

[loggon]

Don't worry about what you read on the rom. Most folks are at 90 or a little more at the 4 week check up.

Everyone will progress at their own rate. Most surgeons are fine with 90 or above at 4 weeks. At 6 weeks 95 to 100.

Your rom was not really high before surgery, but it appears you have increased it with the surgery. Your rom can increase up to
a year.

Riding the bike and walking are great exercises for increasing the rom. Just don't overdo, because it will cause you to lose gain by
having stop the exerciser for a day or so. Slow as you go.

You do not have to have pain to gain and you do not have to go for hours on the bike or any other exercise.

 

[Jamie]

These folks are 100% correct. You are doing fine. Some people just get ROM faster than the norm, but you will continue to improve throughout the next year. Just keep working on it. There are a lot of factors (swelling, scar tissue to keep broken up, muscles before surgery) that enter into the equation and the thing that matters is that you keep pushing the joint ever so slightly as much as you can. Like Pat said, though, don't overdo it or you'll end up with pain and swelling and you'll have to slack off for a couple of days....slow and steady.

 

[skigirl]

I think the book, Total Knee Replacement and Rehabilitation is a great book to read about range of motion and he has wonderful exercises to help gain more. You can buy the book on Amazon for about $20 and it is well worth the money. Kelly

 

[Josephine]

You're only about 10 weeks, yes? That's no time yet. You can still improve lots in the next few weeks. My favourite (self devised) manoeuvre was to sit on the edge of a low-ish chair and pull my foot and far under me as I could, then lean forward on it. I'd do this in sets of 4-6 just a few times a day, evenly spread out through the day and got a really good ROM quite quickly. Doing it yourself is just as good as letting the PT do it. You can do it regularly all the time and not so viciously that you end up needing to ice afterwards.

But ROM can improve all the time for up to 6 months and even after though may slow down in achievement thereafter.

 

[AZgirl]

I am awaiting my TKR in a couple days time, but my friend who had two TKRs said she made much better progress after she got back in the water (we took water aerobics together in an indoor pool), and it also mentioned water therapy in the TKR book as helping Dr. Falkel get past his own roadblock in ROM. I plan to get back in as soon as my surgeon will let me!

Bridget

 

[Jamie]

I had a grand experience with ROM today. I was kneeling on the bathroom floor cleaning the shower floor. I wasn't on my knees directly, but had my shins flat on the floor (on a hard surface, that's more comfortable for me right now). I was leaning forward cleaning and then leaned back and was almost able to sit back on my calves! I was shocked at how far I was bending, even though I didn't make it all the way back.

I am 1 1/2 years out from surgery and so this proves to me that you can keep gaining bits of ROM for quite a long time.

 

[cindy88fan]

Wow Jamie, that is great. I figured ROM was the same as teaching an old dog new tricks...you bend so much for the first few months and after that, that's it.

P.S. I'm not saying you are an old dog:hehe:

 

[Jamie]

Arf!!!

 

[NewKnee@44]

It takes time. My LTKR knee is at 110 and that's the best it's going to be. My RTKR is at 130 and that's great. Even the same person can have two knees that have different range of motion. Same Doc, Same Hospital, Same knee. Difference maybe that I had 7 previous surgeries on my left and only one previous on my right.

 

[Doug]

I did like Jamie. I was on the floor and actually sat back on my heels. Now that can be one of two things. Increased ROM, or my butt has sunk lower...
Seriously, I'm at 1yr 9mos post op. My ROM and leg strength is still improving. No swelling at all. Occasional stiffness from over working it.

 

[Linda2]

I am actually laughing at the "lower butt" comment. It seems most men lose their butts entirely when they age! I'm impressed that your kneeling--even my year old doesn't like to kneel. The youngster knee says stuff that's not fit to print.

 

[skigirl]

Doug-I am 14 weeks, have been trying to get my butt onto my heels in yoga class--can't quite get there--thanks for the hope; but I hope my butt does not sink!!! I already have enough parts of me going south!!! Kelly

 

[Josephine]

I haven't even kneeled yet. Nor even tried to!