Well.....kneecap massage hurts!

[kimberlyann]

I was 3 weeks post-op this past Monday from my partial knee replacement. I was sailing through my recovery, and was attending PT 3 times weekly at the local hospital. They have done a great job with me. I felt challenged by their work-outs, but I was never in pain after. Over the first two weeks, they kept saying that my knee cap was tight, and that it needed massaging whenever I started to get my kneecap massages at the 3 week mark.

So, yesterday at the end of our session, right before they iced me down, the PT assistant massaged my scar and my knee cap. It only lasted a very short time, and she didn't appear to be putting much strength into it. I felt a strong burning sensation, but couldn't really tell what she was up to. I was lying on my back and my knee is still numb in various places from the surgery, so I still really have no idea what she did.

Except that I am now in a great deal of discomfort! :shk:

My joint is hot and discolored and burns like the dickens. It functions properly, but wow, the scar is super sensitive and the knee cap area is a slightly darker bruise looking color, and I don't know what happened.

Is that normal? I know many here have had scar massaging, and hot knees and such, I am just not sure about this knee cap massage. I have patellar arthritis, and I think I don't want her to irritate it anymore. What harm comes if it is tight? Will it negatively effect my ROM?

Have any of you friends had a patellar massage?

 

[JudyS]

I know nothing about that, but it sounds creepy. Normally I can't stand when i was told in pt a few years ago to move my kneecap to the side as it goes to one side too much. I could not stand to do it. Made me almost sick to my stomach.
Last week my surgeon was moving my kneecap all over the place and it did not bother me at all.

I hope others answer for yuo and it feels better
judy

 

[tom67]

Hi Kimberly, I haven't had that problem with my Partial so far. I'm not sure whats
causing that, but It sounds pretty painful. The only thing mine Is giving me
trouble with now Is fluid build up. (and like you said, unusual sensitivity) I hope
Jo or Jamie have some advice for you! I hope you feel better, and the pain
decreases!! My Best Wishes,

 

[Dawnie]

Kimberley I am 5 weeks now, but for the last couple of weeks I regularly massage my knees with oil, I find it helps with the pain, not makes it worse. Also doing it myself I can use quite a bit pressure, I'm sure it shouldnt leave you in pain like that.
Jo, will be here soon and let you know.
Take Care, Dawn. XX

 

[Josephine]

I think if she took your silence as meaning she could go further, then she went too far and caused bruising. But it will settle and you can just be glad you're not feeling it! I can't think of any specific harm she could have done except the bruising but then neither can I think of any specific good it would have done either. It does help to massage the area a bit but I think some stretches and exercises would have achieved much the same thing.

 

[Jamie]

Kim, be sure and give the kneecap a rest until it feels and looks more normal. Things need to settle down in there before Knee-zilla goes after it again. I'm with Jo....can't see what real benefit this might be.

 

[abunnybabe]

Things need to settle down in there before Knee-zilla goes after it again. be.

:hehe::hehe::hehe::hehe:

 

[cindy88fan]

At 3 weeks I massaged my own knee caps. But I just did it where the incision is. It helped me get used to the feel of something being there. I could not stand having anything touch my incision area!!! So I used mineral oil and did the massage a couple times a day and after about 4 days or so I could handle the sheets and blankets touching my incisions. But I did not have any discomfort at all....course I did it myself!

 

[beth1954]

Did she just massage your knee or use the hard plastic torture devices that my therapist uses?? On my kneecap, they sometimes just gently move it back and forth (still kinda creepy) but they have never been rough with it.

My incision never used to bother me much, but now at about 9 weeks out, it is more and more sensitive. I have to massage it with oil too.....it hurts really bad at first but then gets a little better.

I'm sure your situation will work out, and when I complained on my first therapist, it did wonders. They are all very careful with me now. One sarcastically so if you know what I mean.

Did they not take care of the arthritis when they were in there? All my arthritis was on the back of my patella, which they cut off! (the back of the patella--not the whole thing!:hehe

Hang in there!

 

[loggon]

I had a patella massage every time I went to the center for PT. And no it should not hurt and for sure it should not be bruised.
I hope you discuss this with who ever did it and tell them you will not tolerate it happening again.
There is no reason for PT to hurt. Remember the squeaky wheel gets the grease and if you don't speak up it well happen again.

 

[abunnybabe]

I was told that if they can't hear you screaming down the hall, that the PT wasn't being done right. In rehab, I got massaged by both the OT, and the PT, both hurt as my knee is so tender, some spots are super sensitive and painful. So far I still have the staples in so they didn't touch the incision, but the knee cap HURTS!
Good luck with your therapy. I start outpatient PT Monday.

 

[Judles]

Unbelievable, Terri! Sooo glad you are home sweet home where you belong!! :thmb:

 

[kimberlyann]

I will be going back to PT in the morning for the first time since the painful massage. NO more of that will be tolerated.
To answer a question, she just used her hands, not a plastic device for the massage. And she used a little oil, she says if she uses too much oil, her hands slide too much and she can't get to the tissue.

So, wish me luck!

 

[JudyS]

Good luck and remember to scream!!:shk:
judy

 

[abunnybabe]

Good luck, we'll be praying for you!
I have PT tomorrow too, I will not let them touch MY kneecap, LOL.

 

[cotton1958]

My last OS visit, he asked me if PT was massaging/moving my kneecap. Also, in rehab, they moved it around. Come to think of it, my favorite early-on PT told me I needed to move the kneecap around (showing me how to do it)

The massaging of the surgical area does hurt still though, very much so!

 

[abunnybabe]

Yes, VERY MUCH! There are so many tender spots all around the kneecap and the lower thigh.

 

[Josephine]

I had my knee cap moved once during my entire recovery! The PT did it and I laughed because it had never occurred to me to try it before.

It was fine, btw.

 

[kimberlyann]

I went to PT today, and told her that it had been so uncomfortable after last time, and she said she was sorry.
She asked if I was massaging my scar, and I said I was, and she said she would just leave it alone then and let me take care of it.

Works for me!!!

 

[Pat29627]

No one ever told me about massaging the kneecap or tried to do it. I don't see why you'd need to, doesn't it slide in the groove when you move your leg? Maybe a month out, a PT told me about massaging the scar to get it to release where it might be stuck to tissue underneath. The doctor later said yes, it's good to do to encourage the feeling to come back....guess it's stimulating to the nerves.