MUA

I had my tkr 10 weeks ago. I am scheduled for my mua this Friday. ..I only got to a bend of 75 ...My surgeon said he wants to do this as there really no other option ..I worked hard with my pt and home program following the surgery. .I hope I get more bend...doesn't have to be perfect just want to walk further then 500 ft at a time before needing a seat for a bit. ...jeepers I am only 54 and worked until I couldn't do my job anymore. ...I loved my job. As I was in health care and worked. Geri-rehab for 26 years. .I am so sad that I probably will never be able to go back to work. ..most likely have to retire .....Which I think I am way to young to...

Hi Eileen

I'm 5 months post TKR and had a manipulation at the end of March as I wasn't getting the bend.

The procedure is very straight forward, I went in hospital at midday and was home by 5, it only took about 15 minutes. I'm not going to lie to you it did hurt after for a few days but as long as you take your meds you will be fine, my surgeon got a bend of 130, I can get between 100 and 115 now which I'm happy about. The pain after is just where they pull you about while your under anesthetic , I hope that puts your mind at rest xx

Hi Eileen - I had my TKR 13 months ago and the knee still hurts most of the time, God forbid I should use it as a leg, as that makes it hurt even more, especially at night. Ive had 2 MUA's. One around 5 weeks post-op, which gave me 115 degrees, but that dropped back to around 70. The next one, around 6 months post-TKR managed a whopping 90 and I have just about maintained that. 

The first was dreadful, in terms of post-procedure pain. The second however, I elected to have a local and some steroids (having read lots on this forum) in the knee and it was a far less painful experience. Ask for the local therefore and also for steroids which are supposed to help suppress the formation of scar tissue.

You dont mention in your post anything about your ROM, so Im puzzled as to why an MUA has been offered.

If your ROM is good, then Im not sure what an MUA will achieve. In my experience, an MUA wont make anything less painful ; Quite the opposite...

On the pain and tightness front, as stated, Im 13 months in and the leg still hurts. It however hurts less than it did 6 months ago, 3 months ago and so on. i.e. Although painful, it is less painful than it was and I therefore have every reason to suspect that may continue.

I had my TKR on the 19th of Jan 2018 and 12 weeks later I had a MUA because I had been at -5/100 ROM since the 2nd week of my TKR surgery.

Bottom line up front, for me the MUA recovery was easy and I believe I wouldn’t be where I am today if I had not had the MUA.  

I went into the hospital at 7am was given what they call a twilight drug (you are awake but don’t remember anything) and I was up and talking to the doctor at around 11:30am the same day.  The doctor said he got me to 0/125.  After talking to the doctor he sent me over to  PT and although a couple hours only passed  they could only get 0/120, the next day I was at 0/105, the next day I was 0/110 and worked my way back to 0/120.

For me (and everyone is different) I had only a little bit of pain from where he grabbed onto my leg to break up the scar tissue and that lasted about a week.  

I was told by my doctor after the MUA that for the next two weeks I was to go to PT 5 days a week, do nothing that would cause my knee to swell such as no extra walking other than what was necessary and to do my ROM exercises as much as possible. After my two week period of rest/ROM exercises I was much more mobile than I was before the MUA because of my bend.  I was getting to  0/125 on my own and with help could get to 0/130.    

So for me the MUA recovery was only two weeks and it was easy.  Mentally it was also a positive experience since I could walk normally again.   But again remember that everyone is very different as are the doctor’s approach so everyone’s recovery is different.    

Hi I am in a similar position,  had my tkr 5th March 18 my rom has been stuck at 45 since week 6. My pt says I need an MUA but the earliest appointment I can get to see my consultant is July 25th and according to his secretary it will most likely be October before he does  it as his lists are full.  I’ve tried to see a different surgeon but no luck.  I just want it over and done with.  Hope it works well for you Eileen.  Take care 😀

Hi Eileen. ..had my mua today...omg. I have a bend right this minute of 115..had physio this evening. I honestly can say I forgot what a bend was. ...I know it will be swelling soon but what a relief to have had this done. I am 10 weeks tkr...pain currently us very tolerable..I did feel pain on return from operating room. .the nurses took care of that...the procedure was a total of 20 -30 minutes. If I remember correctly..they put you out and crank it and wake you up. .now the homework starts again as I am so excited to think that it finally bent and look so fwd yo learn how to walk again. ..to put this behind me to be brave enough for the other knee..please be assertive with your surgeon and get your date. .We deserve some form of quality of lifestay positive. .this new knee owes us.