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6 weeks post op. Haven't regained muscle mass. Doctor and physical therapist are worried.

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jasmine_115
jasmine_115

On thursday it will be six weeks since my surgery on my right knee, I had arthroscopic surgery to prevent my knee cap from dislocating. Anyways,  I'm having a hard time regaining muscle mass especially around the era right above the knee on the left side of my thigh. I go to therapy twice a week, I do my  exercise everyday, I take walks around the block, and I also use a exercise bike...and the muscle is still really week. Like my therapist says that I lost almost all of it on that side. My doctor said my leg looks like the leg of a person who has not used their leg in 5 weeks and that he might have to do another surgery if I don't get better within the next few weeks. My therapist said she is worried that if I can't regain it soon that I won't be able to walk normally again, this obviously stressing me out... I suppose I can do my  exercises even more often but i still don't get why my muscle isn't even a little bit stronger when I have been doing my exercises. Like the first 2 weeks I didn't do them that often cuz I was still in a lot of pain but the past few weeks I have. Part of me thinks it could be the brace cuz where my muscle looks the weakest the brace indented around there. I'm not sure but I obviously want to be able to walk normally eventually so to be told I might have permanent damage if I don't correct it soon is scary. Or my doctor saying it looks like I don't use my leg at all when I've been doing exercise everyday and that I might need more surgery is really worrying me....

I know I'm taking longer to heal than most patients like I can only bend my knee about 70 degrees but I assume it's because my surgery was kinda complicated. Like my doctor said when he did mine, it was the worse case he's seen so far with people with my condition. So it seems natural that I would heal slower so I'm not as worried about bending my knee at the same pace as other people but I can't help but feel worried about the muscle mass issue...

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • jenny80029
    jenny80029 jasmine_115

    Posted

    I realise you have had a different surgery to a TKR, and I don't know anything about it.

    For my TKR...

    Most of my muscle strength increased from around four months onwards...my legs look really different now at 7 months post op.

    Try not to panic, it does sound like your situation is complex, but it takes a long time to build up. It sounds like you have good care. If it turns out you need more surgery, have they said what type?

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX jasmine_115

    Posted

    I agree with Jenny.  If you started out worse than other people with the same condition, you just might be the last to recover.  Your quads, glutes and core are atrophied.  It takes time to rebuild that muscle mass.  Here's the post-TKR exercise program put together by my professional certified-trainer and nutritionist daughter.  Hope it helps...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

    It just takes time...

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