Can't straighten leg 5 weeks after TKR

You are doing amazingly well for less than 4 weeks from surgery! Read Chico Marx, he has a lot of great information, but most of all be patient, your body needs time to heal so have a balance between rest, exercise, icing, etc. As long as you are doing your exercises, you will be fine. Everything will catch up in its own time. 

Thank you so very much for your words.  They mean a lot. When I was in inpatient rehab, I felt like a number and not a patient. Now that I’m home, I’ve actually accomplished more with my husband.  Patience is definitely needed with this surgery for 1 or 2 knees. 😊

You are way to early to be caught up in the numbers game. You are trying too hard to appease professionals in lieu of being concerned about steady growth. Realize that rehab is not a lineal growth situation but a two steps forward and one back and this can take a year or more before you can say "that d**n knee is mine and I own it, it doesn't own me. This is a process that must be completed or as the tkr mantra goes....its a marathon not a sprint. Learn to watch the calendar not the clock. Take the pain meds on schedule not when you hurt, ice and elevate as a religion not when you think about it. Do the exercises on a regular steady basis but don't abuse yourself, rest every chance to get and hydrate on a regular, steady basis because a fatigued, dehydrated body is going to cause those setbacks to be deeper and more frequent. Babying yourself won't cause you grief but beating up on yourself will. Thus from a veteran of 11 surgeries, 5 complete rehab, 2 serious staph infections and 3 different prosthesis AND a ripe old age of almost 81

My surgeon wrote a script for more PT sessions at my 2 month and 4 month post op checkups because I was unable to extend my leg. As long as there is a need for continued PT and documented progress, Medicare has covered the expense. Ask your doctor if he will write for more PT sessions.

LTKR May 2, 2017-due to post op complications my knee was bent for 4 months at 45-50 degrees. I did not want to have more surgery so I started using a JAS brace, worked with PT 3X week and a massage therapist once weekly to help relax tight muscles. I did Epsom salt soaks 3X week, started taking magnesium (helps relax muscles) and in the last 2 months have been able to straighten my leg from 45 to 13 degrees which is enough to start walking with crutches and a walker. My PT is confident I will get to zero degree extension and I believe that too. The point is-it is possible to work on extending and flexing the leg months after surgery with hard work. Some of us are at the end of the bell curve of healing and recovery but the body has an amazing capacity to heal. I am 67. 

Hi Laurel,

Great to hear your success story and I wish you all the best moving forward.

Do you feel this would be similar with an ACL reconstruction? I have never heard of a JAS brace before also.

I am having magnesium baths but have not used I did Epsom salt soaks. Do you feel this will make a big difference? 

I am also going to look into sports therapy massages also.

A JAS brace gradually extends or flexes your leg and holds it in that position for 30 minutes 3X daily. 

It is used for problems extending or flexing the leg and must be prescribed/ordered by a doctor or physical therapist. 

Epsom salt bath/soaks help relax muscles, you can also stretch easier in very warm water once the incision is closed and healed

massage with a therapist knowledgeable about rehab is great!

best Wishes for continued recovery

it seems that generally it takes a year to recover on average from knee issues

 

Due tô post op complications my knee was bent a treat 45 degrees for more than 4 months. My surgeon said a MUA works for knees that can't bend, but surgery to remove scar tissue, one of my problems, would help me extend/straighten my leg with exercises. I didn't want more surgery so instead after 16 weeks, I hired a massage therapist and found a physical therapist who helped me to gradually straighten my knee with the aid of a JAS brace worn 3X daily for 30 minutes. Point being that even after 4 months, six weeks of therapy, brace and massage enabled my leg to straighten from 45 degrees to 12 degrees. I will get to zero degrees now that I am walking. Be sure to understand what the surgery and recovery is to straighten your leg and the success rate of your surgeon. Personal recommendations from others who have had successful surgery from the same surgeon are better than a random surgeon.

Yes. an MUA (manipulation under anaestheitc). Sounds horrid, basically they put you under and yank your leg straight, tearing the muscles. Im not looking forward to it, but I think I have no choice. 8 months after op I'm still crippled.Yours Susie

Leg warmers keep muscles supple. Epsom salt baths help to relax muscles, I do stretching exercises then. Magnesium supplements help relax muscle. Massage therapy, gentle stretching exercises daily worked for me with a JAS brace. My leg was bent at 45 degrees for over 4 months, now at 12 degrees to the amazement of surgeon and physical therapist. An inspiration is a friend who was in a terrible car accident and broke many bones. She was told she would be in a wheelchair for the rest of her life after months of immobility. Yoga was key to her recovery. It took some time but she is walking and has her own yoga studio now. Best of luck, you can do it...give yourself good nutrition, pure water and patience.