adhesion? scar tissue?

Prior to the operation, I had no issues with ROM, but had pain when bending....a grinding pain that left me with having to learn the correct way to walk all over again, as I had been compensating for years due to the osteoarthritis getting worse in my knees.  By the end of the work day (being on feet on hard tile floors for 8 hours), I could barely walk.  So, I am really looking forward to the time when I am pain free with new knee!

Well in my case I am 11 months out experienced very little pain stopped painkillers on the sixth day post op ,obviously very painful to stand and walk on for the first few weeks.I never ever elevated or did any of the exercises whatsoever but I did row on my m/c and now I am back to rowing 10 k at a time.The only thing is I still have only a 95 degree bend and can not fully extend my leg.It doesn't bother me one bit even though I am slow going up and coming downstairs apart from that I am ok and have no regrets.

    I think I will gradually be able to increase my r o m as time passes,by the way the tenderness and numbness have nearly gone although there is still a slight bit of swelling.I did use ice packs to help the swelling up to about four months out.

Paula, may I ask what surgery you had after your TKR?   I am having an arthoscopic surgery next week.  I am 10 months po, and have a build up of scar tissue.  Went to a different doctor'(surgeon), this time.  Original OS poo pooed my concerns.   This new doctor says there is a study going on and why some ppl form large amounts of scar tissue and some do not.......Did you have manipulation AND a second surgery?

Hi Martha-

At the end of March I had during the same surgery arthroscopic scar tissue removal and a closed manipulation. Not pleasant in the beginning but did allow me to get over the hump. I was regressing in therapy. I too will be seeking a second opinion as the swelling and pain that i still have doesn't seem right. I have good range of motion but the swelling is ridiculous.

paula so the original surgeon did your arthoscopic surgery for scar tissue? -and manipulation at same time?? snd you arent better? still have lots of pain??

yes, same surgeon. 2nd procedures at the same time. Don't get me wrong. I ave very good range of motion and everything, but for whatever reason my body does not like the artificial knee and reacts by swelling...a lot . This contributes to the pain I am sure. I will be seeking a second opinion which is easier said than done where I live.

interesting maybe a bit like some of us (me) being prone to keloid scarring and others not. 8' fact i wondee if there's any correlation betweeb being a keloid former and other scar tissue formation issues!

don't you think the lack of range of movement is because you didn't do the post op exercise regime ? I'm curious as to why you didn't. I am told that if you don't get that sorted in early stages it is unlikely to 'come back'.

Loads of People have religiously done all the exercising and elevating enduring all the pain and greater swelling and still they are not right.When I was in the Hospital the Physio insisted I push my leg backwards and forwards using my foot hooked around the operated shin, I could not move it very far and it felt like it was going to burst ,this I told the Physio and he replied impossible you wont do any damage.Next thing ping I had burst a staple from the wound and because of the blood thinners it was hard to stop the bleeding and they were going to put the drain back in..I awoke in the night in a pool of blood around my operated on knee,and vowed there and then no more exercise and if as they threatened me I could not go home til I did exercise I said right I will stay here then

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On the sixth day post op they let me go and common sense told me that as the knee was so enlarged there was no room for the replacement to bend and you did not have to be particularly bright to realise this. To me Physios are justifying there job by getting you to see them,obviously if you didn't then they would be unemployed..So off I went, after about two weeks I started rowing again with just my arms and gradually got back into rowing with my legs gradually increasing the bend without feeling pain.

Whereas I can row 10 k continuous at a sitting now,I have never had any pain in my knee apart from initially when standing or walking but that has gradually and then completely gone at about six months.

My knee without exercising looked as though I had one of those floor kneeling pads stuck on it.The whole thigh and calf muscle were as though they were made of wood,but because I let it heal naturally it has now subsided and is almost normal and feels like normal muscle now.

Imagine if you had a deep cut on your elbow,the last thing you would do is stretch vigourously backwards and forwards until it had healed,because if you didn't it woulds plit the wound and bleed.

Also celticchick you have said that you have been told that if you don't exercise the rom is unlikely to comeback,conversely I have seen on forums that if you don't keep exercising the replacement for the rest of your life you will lose your rom and be back to square one.

Hope this helps you......

I did PT for months, went to the gym for months and still am having to have additional surgery this coming Wednesday for scar tissue and manipulation. This happens to some people and thankfully there is an OS in Charlotte doing a study on why it happens to some and not to others.... And quite frankly, it's insulting when people say, Why didn't you do your exercises? I DID do them!!!!!

well there are good, bad and indifferent physios as in all jobs and it sounds like you suffered at the hands of one of the not good ones - i understand that that would be very off putting and i am sorry you had to endure that and the consequences. i fully expect to have to maintsin an exercise regime of some sort indefinitely maybe forever and i think they do not make it clear enough go people that that is the name of the game!

of course it is - but i was asking the person who said he didn't do them. LOTS of variables that affect healing and recovery.

I sympathise with you Martha and hope everything goes well for you..