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What Is A Manipulation (MUA)?

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wrappergirl

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Can I ask, what is a manipulation and why do they have to do them sometimes?
I'm facing a RTKR within a year.
My knee is 15 degrees or more valgus, very swollen, very painful at times,
other times not too bad but never great anymore.
I'm having pain after walking a few minutes now or standing to do the dishes for example and long distance driving is becoming a problem even.
I'm bone on bone and only 47 that's a drawback for me but its come to a no choice point now as far as a KR goes.
I have to wait till next summer because my husband will only have that time free to be here for me then.
So I'm looking into everything on it now and came across people talking about manipulations, I've never heard of that before so if you could fill me in on what it is and when its necessary I'd appreciate it, thank you :)
 
Re: Lost Weight

Hey Wrapper I am 41 with a knee repalcement. Jo can explain better about the manp. I did have one a mth after my TKR surgery could only bend to 65 ouch! Thats only after surgery ,scare tissue will build up and its hard to bend. They put you back under (no cutting) put pressure on the knee to break it up) sore for a few days but I woundnt worry about that right now. Sounds like you are having it a lil rough right now. Glad hubby will be with you . It is worth it . Post anytime if you have more questions or just to chat............Oh and welcome...
 
Wrappergirl, I moved your question to a thread of its own. That way we don't derail the other thread and you will be more likely to get more responses.

A manipulation is sometimes needed after a knee replacement because of the growth of scar tissue within the joint area that prohibits attaining full range of motion (ROM). There is no way to predict who might have this happen...it just does sometimes. It's not anything that a person does wrong, but some bodies tend to create more scar tissue. In fact, sometimes it can happen to a person on one knee surgery and not on the other!

It is a pretty straightforward procedure that is sometimes referred to as a manipulation under anesthetic (MUA). It is usually outpatient and done while the patient is completely asleep. The surgeon manually "manipulates" or bends and flexes the knee to break up the scar tissue, allowing full movement of the joint. Most of the time, a patient's ROM is immediately improved and it stays at an acceptable bend for the remainder of recovery.

People are sometimes afraid of having a manipulation done, thinking it will be very painful. Having just been through the MAJOR surgery of a knee replacement, it's completely understandable that no one really WANTS to go back into a surgical procedure. But you go home right afterwards and those who have had it report that the pain is not anywhere near like the original replacement. It usually subsides quite rapidly and you can then proceed with recovery very easily.

I hope this helps you understand what a manipulation is and how it can benefit someone who is having trouble getting the ROM they need to function well with their new knee.
 
Wrappergirl, I'm 46. I got my new knee two months before my 46th birthday. I fully expect to have this knee redone in my lifetime. I play hard (i.e., surfing, cycling, swimming, lifting weights, skateboarding, speedskating). Period. Although I am slowing down with age, I have no plans to turn my back on the life I lead. It's my lifestyle that prompted me to get the new knee now. I'd rather have a decade or so of more play than to sit quietly with osteoarthritis.

You will not need much help other than someone to make food and/or take the kids to school. My husband had to work right after I got out of the hospital. I survived on my own for the most part. You can too. Don't wait if you don't have to. Get that new bionic knee, girl!
 
I'm 39, got my left knee replaced March 18th and had my manipulation on April 27th. I was only bending to 55ish degrees before PT and around 60, 63 after PT. I was kept overnight for what I was told "pain management". I was in the hospital less than 24 hours.

I went to stay with my parents after my surgery (they live a mile from me) only because they have a single level home with a handicapped accessible bathroom. My house is a two-level home with only one bathroom, upstairs! My mom had just gotten out of the hospital herself and someone actually said, "How can you do this to your dad? He's already got so much to do!"

Well, he didn't have to DO anything for me. He just brought me food at mealtimes because I couldn't carry food while using a walker. So, other than carrying for me when I couldn't carry... I didn't need help.

Of course, when I got home-home to my three teens and husband... I made them do everything. "Can you get me a drink?"... "Can you bring me my lunch?"...:hehe:
 
Thank you all for your replies and answers, and thank you Jamie for putting it in a new thread, I wanted to do that but couldn't find the link.
I'm sorry it took me so long to thank you all for your anwers to my question. My mother in law had 2 heart attacks and its been crazy here. She's doing better now, fingers crossed!
Did any of you go for a class at the hospital before your replacements?
I'm overly flexible so I'm hoping I wouldn't need a manipulation and I've been through 5 knee surgeries and I remember how hard it can be to bend it after each one but once you get that degree of bend back its easier to maintain it, hopefully that will be the same with the replacement surgery.
The surgeon I am seeing does the minimally invasive replacements and even though I'm past 15 degrees of valgus he said he can do that for me. I won't be totally straight but much better he said. He uses the Zimmer knee and hopes to only have to replace the plastic plate in years to come not the metal parts.
The prospect of it coming in December or January is a bit frightening plus the fact that I have to have the other one done after then my foot reconstructed, just so much to go through but I keep telling myself there are others worse off than me, that realization helps me get past the nerves of it all but I guess its normal to be nervous about it.
Thank you all for your support, this blog is a tremendous help, having others to chat with who have been through it is wonderful support, I appreciate all of you, thank you very much! :)
 
Hi Wrap!! Glad to see you post again! Hope your mother in law is feeling better! Although I'm a hippie, attendance in the replacement class is definitely to your advantage! Best of good luck! Hope to hear from you again soon! :)
 
Wrapper, anytime you feel yourself getting anxious, just get yourself to your BoneSmart family right away. Post your fears, questions, concerns, joys, accomplishments or even what you had for dinner last night. We care about all of it and will help you get through it. (((HUGS))))
 
So sorry to hear about your mother, I hope she is doing well now. Please dont worry about a MAU you might do just great....hang in there....
 
Thank you so much for telling about a MUA and what it is. I am doing my PT double time now. O boy..... This forum has helped me to put so much into perspective. Thx to all. Old Goat
 
I just hate calling you "Old Goat" And I do not want to shorten it to OLD or GOAT LOL
That would not be right. May I ask what you did for the last 55 years of your life. It sound like you were really active. But your knee's did out last mine!!!! LOL It is hard to slow down long enough to heal isn't it? I need to get over this and get going!!! Time is a wasting!!! I have places to go and Grandchild to spoil!!!!! I am not ready for the rocking chair yet!!!!! LOL. I hope that you get the Rom you need to live life to the fullest!!!
 
I too had manipulation 8 weeks post op. It worked for me-went from 75 to 90 in three pt sessions.

Calling, I don't think I knew you had both knees MUA. Hope you are doing okay. You seem like such a great lady.

Nana:D
 
Hi, thank you for all your well wishes, my mother in law did end up back
in the hospital again but they think it was from prescription side effects and now hopefully they will have her squared away and on her way home today or tomorrow. My mother and MIL are both 89 so these things will happen now unfortunately, that's a part of life that I guess you just have to get through the best way you can.
I wanted to tell you all about a family wedding I went to this weekend.
...I got there to find several of my cousins in their 50's and 60's limping, some with canes and one with a walker. Two had hip replacements and one just came out of knee surgery and one had two TKR's last year... we all laughed at how we are all falling apart! As we greeted each other the after the "how are you's" was "why are you limping" or "what happened" it was funny.

Something on the Irish side in the genes has gotten so many of us, isn't that odd? My mother is one of 7 and every one of them had to have hip and/or knee replacements and their mother had badly bowed knees but that was before they could do anything about it.

Have any of you noticed a pattern of this problem running in your families?
 
No I havent had all that in my family. But alot of mine have passed away and they really didnt do these back then......I love that though, you all will always have something to talk about, swap stories and you each no what the other went thru...lol......Great Post. Good luck to your WHOLE ENTIRE FAMILY...lol
 
WrapperGirl

I had a rtkr 7/14/2009 and got to 90 degrees rom in October. I fought the MUA and tried several other options which really weren't effective. i was determinied I could do it on my own. my OS went on vacation and had me follow up with his partner and I promised I would take his advice and trust him. he looked at me and the ROM and we scheduled a MUA for the following Monday morning at 7 AM. this guy was young and motivated and was like you are way to young for this knee to be stuck at 90 - MUA is a piece of cake. I live in Alaska and we had out forst ice storm that morning... I live an hour from the Surgery Center where it was being done,,,, hadn't changed to studded tires yet. hubby and I ditched on the way in to town but still managed to be only 10 inutes late for check in. BP was sky high... we laughed and talked about it with a nurse who probably drove past us (Troopers were alread there so no need to stop.... no car damage... lost the hitch cover in the median... many others were flipped that am) Looked at the clock at 7 and woke up by 7:45 - all done.... no pain... walked out with crutches due to the ice not the pain... walked up the stairs at the house after the hour ride home and had lunch by 12 noon. No problem. went to pt the next day and already had somewhere around 110 without anyone hanging on the leg and shoving!!! it made a big difference and the pain was minimal and very controllable. Piece of cake --- I highly recommend it and wish I had had it done back in September!

Anyway... I am now 43 and knee issues run in my family.... we are tall german irish and play hard... ski, walk, skate, lots of winter sports! Summer is not my thing.... hence the move to alaska! Waiting to ski in December this year!

Good luck!
marianne
 
marianne,
I just going to tell you one more time. You had your RTKR 7/14/2008. Now do not tell others in was 7/14/2009.:hehe:
 
ooopssssie Yes 7/14/2008. I have said that this past year was a total wash out for me and you can see that it was. UGHHHHHH I am soooooo done with surgeries, hips, knees, hydrocodone and physical therapy!!! I can't even remember much of last summer (everyone said it rained all summer) but this one has been spectacular!!! Enjoying outside and the warm sunny LONG alaskan days. We watched the sunset at 11 pm tonight!

So... RTKR 7/14/2008 and MUA 10/2008 and Right Hip Scope 12/08 and left hip scope 3/09. I think thats all! UGHHHH (Lobotomy NOW!)

Smiles from the Far North
Marianne
 
Thank you all for your posts, its so helpful. My MIL is doing better, she ended up in a rehab after being discharged from the cardiac unit at the hospital because of siadic ;pain issues, both my mother and MIL are 89 so these issues are bound to come up now.
This makes taking the time for these surgeries harder because I hate to be out of commission when they need me. Hopefully it won't be too long and we'll all manage to get through it.

I look forward to the day when I can walk w/o pain. It will be a long time though I realize because I need two KR's and my foot reconstructed but when its all over I hope to walk better.... yesterday was gorgeous out so hubby and I walked along the beach for a couple of miles and I enjoyed it so much but boy was I hurting, its maddening when the rest of you feels great and you just want to do things, its those times that make the pain so frustrating to me. I have to laugh cause I find myself swearing at my knees and foot as if they can hear me! LOL! To top it off I slammed my hand into a dumpster throwing my garbage away (I'm very brilliant at dumb injuries!) and tore a tendon in my pinky so I was limping along the beach with one hand bandaged up too, I had to just laugh at myself!
Thank you all, its nice to have people to chat with who understand what you're going through :)
 
Hey wrapper girl that is a good name, wrap you up in cottom.....lol..Hang in there it will get better . I hope your will real soon..I bet it was beautiful walking on that beach,....
 
HI Marianne,
Wow you're even younger than me by 4 years and you've had knee and hip surgeries. Will you have to have hip replacements too? Did you do both knees or just one? How is it now, are you all recovered and back to normal activities? Hope all is well :)
 
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