Manipulation

Gosh you had 2, my surgeon won't be happy if he has to do 2, he told me he had done his job and it was down to me now to do the rest, he also said manipulation s were rare though he had 4 to do that day , this certainly is a long hard journey x

I think many of us would love to do all that exercise! Problem is if you can't bend your knee (and in my case it's not just pain, it is physically locked) it is impossible to ride or use an exercise bike. I go to the gym and the only equipment I can use is the leg press and the two leg curl machines. one lifting one pushing. It helps strengthen but does nothing for the bending.

I wonder if perhaps you are younger or could bend your knee back before the op? (I'm 68)

Mine was exactly the same ,as you pulled it back from day one of the TKR there was a tight band which just stopped it going back any further,I had 3 sessions of pt a week to try to get my bend but none off the physios could do it , I had my usual nhs physio appointment which was 3 weekly ,my works physio and I paid privately for one , I did everything they told me to do but it just wouldn't budge .since I have had the manipulation I now feel I'm now getting somewhere it's still hard work but now I'm getting over 90 degrees I'm finding life is easier i.e. Sit to stand ,in and out of the car so I'm just going to carry on with the exercises and try my best ,but I do feel for you , have you had the manipulation? When did you have your Tkr ?

and I'm 54  good luck x

Hi Debbie, my TKR will be two years in July. I was ecstatic after a few weeks because i had no pain and for some reason the "good" knee had no pain either - which I think was a combination of the massive amount of pain killers and the exercises. But now that one is nearly as bad as the one I've had done was. It is frustrating because it only has to go just past 90 to get the leverage you need to get up. The last private physio I saw was hopeless and just spent a couple of minutes trying to force it back then told me to go away and do the same but as you know it just won't go ! Anyway there is supposed to be a good new one that I might try. The good thing about this forum is that you can express your feelings and get a bit of empathy or at least interest. But compared with a lot of people I am very lucky. I mean sitting here at the computer I don't have the slightest of pain from either of them. Your life revolves around your knees and I think my wife and some of my friends are sick to death of hearing about it !!

Dave 

I'm guessing you are in the US because manipulation seems rare in the UK. I'm coming up to 2 years since my TKR and am on the waiting list for the other one. I think on balance it was a success because pain has largely gone and I can walk and stand for longer and it is straighter. But it bends very slightly less than before, under 90 deg which is not good for getting up from chairs or cars or moving out of people's way on public transport. I was told I would get just a few degs more bend but despite lots of effort and physio it hasn't happened. I wa also very good with early exercises and the Physio just kept saying it will come later but it didn't. I'm 68 and it had been stuck with a low ROM for many years. I think we will all get a different result but I wouldn't have high hopes if it didn't have a good range of movement beforehand from what I have read and been told. It is frustrating because nobody has actually articulated (excuse the pun!) exactly why it won't bend.

I'm in the UK; the day I had mine he had 4 manipulations that day x

I am also in the U.K.  the Surgeon did say that there was no guaranteesthe manipulation   would work ,I am sure I have more bend with it but get so frustrated that it still isn't right and  it's painfull keeping the bend going .

oh well it's a new day today and I'm off to our local swimming pool to try a different approach,I know I will get in ok but a tad worried I won't be able to bend my knee enough to get out with the pool steps something that has put me off the swimming all along 

wish me look x

It just shows the different approaches in that case. None of the physios I've had or the surgeon have even mentioned the possibility of manipulation although you are not exactly making me want to rush into it! The problem is that each and every case is so different. It depends a lot on age and how you were before. I'd had knee problems for 30 years but it was a slow deterioration to unbearable with OA. This meant there was a lot of bandiness and inability to straighten my knee but the pain was mostly during activity rather than sitting or sleeping so I soldiered on. The pain side of my operation itself and during recovery was small. The worst pain I get now is if it suddenly tries to bend past its fixed point at about 90. My balance is not good though. Any small trip or stumble and I fall.

Taking that all into account it is still a great improvement on how it was so I am looking forward to the other one being done and just hope it bends enough to be able to get out of a chair properly. (The good news is I've got strong biceps now 

Good luck with the swimming. I've not been for a while but with the added support of the water and the rails  I managed to haul myself up those steps but I know what you mean.

Dave

Hi Dave ,well I managed to get out of the pool phew and really enjoyed the stretches and exercise,  I'm now sat with a bag of frozen peas and knee elevated my leg just feels a bit tired and swollen .

i am not sure they would do the manipulation apparently it has to be done within so many months after the op ,I'm sure there is other things they can do though .

i have also heard two knees are never the same so you may sail through the next ,luckily my other knee is fine thank goodness,don't think my family could put up with me having another one done .

Whilst swimming today  I met a lovely retired lady who told me she has had both knees replaced and both hips replaced and is now waiting for a back op , and  she said she swims 5 days a week , so she has now given me the motivation I need .

good luck Dave 

ps yes I agree it's nice being able to chat with people who are going through the same and this has helped me throughout  my recovery .