using heat for pain

[vmacisd]

I had my left tkr on Nov. 26. My pt says I am doing great ...only used a walker for a week and am walking on my own for the past 2 weeks. This week we began more strenous exercises and now my knee hurts worse than ever. I have been using ice several times a day and am keeping the knee elevated. My knee is so stiff today I can barely walk. I read that you could begin using heat around 4 weeks to help loosen the muscles. Has anyone else done this? Thanks.

 

[referee54]

I would check with your MD before you use heat. I got the OK to use it---not on my knee per se, but on my quad muscles---to loosen them up before I stretched. (I had both knees done.) Do you use an exercise bike at home? It can be a big help loosening up the knees. Riding one 5 minutes a time 4-5 times a day.

Is the knee joint swollen? Or is it muscular? As a former coach and colege basketball offical, I was always taught, "When in doubt, use ice." Remeber, if you use heat, it increases the blood flow to the area, thus actualy making a joint more swollen.

Tim C.

 

[Josephine]

I would be sure that you do NOT use the heat on the joint itself. Heat will encourage the production of fluid both inside the joint and in the tissues surrounding the joint. If you want to use heat on the belly of the quads, that would be ok, but not on the joint.

But as ref says, do check with your doctor.