MUA last week.....made progress but now losing ground........ :(

Posted , 9 users are following.

Hi everyone. Quick background info - had TKR end of September, age 47, it went ok but have never achieved much bend. At 6 weeks via tele-conference surgeon wasn't worried because of my age, the surgeries I had had in the past, and the bad condidtion of my knee going into surgery. Said that it would just take me a little longer. But I got nowhere at all. It was blocked. Like there was physically something there - of course there was - scar tissue.

Waiting to read surgical report - but what is known is that he couldn't just do manipulation - he had to scope and clean out scar tissue. Before procedure he was angry with me and said I should have been one of the successes and that nobody can bend my knee but me. I told him I had done everything and much more to try to achieve ROM (I can straighten it though) and that my PT's could not figure out why I was making absolutely no progress and was stuck at 75 degrees. He said I wouldn't be there had I been doing everything that I should have been doing. He didn't believe me. 

Anyway - procedure went well - and I went to physio all week last week. Started at 90 degrees and by the end of the week had achieved 100 degrees. I was so excited and determined and continued to do exercises all weekend. I even helped clean the (horse) barn.

Saturday afternoon I started noticing the familiar tightness happening around my knee cap..........and that I wasn't able to bend it as far when doing exercises or bending my leg while seated.........and by Monday I knew for sure. I was losing bend! Today, in physio - I was devastated to realize that I was absolutely not achieving what I had last week - and I measured 88 degrees today. 

I am so upset! This has been such a long haul and I do not understand what is going on with my knee. I am wondering if:  a) it could be mechanical - too big, or too tight? Possibly spacer too large........and if so - could surgeon bend when I was under anesthesia? OR

b) Can I be doing too much and didn't allow for healing after procedure - especially since they had to go in and scope it? Maybe it's swelling too much - from being up on it a lot - maybe it's swollen in joint and affecting bend.........?

It just feels waaay too familiar. Same tightness, same pain that was not there last week. And I don't think scar tissue an be building already! I am so disappointed....last week thought that I was on my way!  sad

Anyone been through this? I tried to search MUA after TKR and got a lot of discussions that were about shoulders or just plain TKR's...........

Thanks for reading smile

Amy

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  • Posted

    Very similar story. 44 years old, knees replacement 9 months ago. Max bend I was about to get was 100 after my MUA. And that was with help from 2 pts. I have went for a 2nd opinion ans that doc wanta to wait 1 yr from my last surgery, which was 10/27/17. I had a ROM OF 120 degrees before the surgery and now am lucky to get 85 on a good day. It is to the point where my hip is hurting from over compensation and the other knee is crying too. I go back to see the 2nd opinion doctoe in May to discuss a possible revision surgery.
    • Posted

      Oooh yes our stories are definitely similar. Sadly for both of us! Did the 2nd opinion surgeon say what he thinks the problem might be? Why you need  revision and nothing else worked? My surgeon too busy pumping himself up telling me he’s done over 6000 knees and mine should have been a success. I’m so tired of these guys not believing that I’ve pushed as hard as possible and nothing works! I’m hitting a wall! From day 1 really. Instead of blaming me would really appreciate their help finding out exactly why this is happening! Maddening. 

      Today in physio PT pushed really hard (really painful!) to help me measure at 90 degrees.....at least I didn’t lose more! Still would like to see 100 like last week.....

      Take care and keep us posted!

  • Posted

    I got the same reply from my original doctor. There isn't anything wrong, you just need to keep pushing it, it isn't going to be easy, and then we'll maybe itnis just going to be that way. That is when I went to see #2. He said there can be 6 reasons as to why it isn't working. 1 is infection and that was ruled out, 2 was too big and by xray it shows to be good, 3 is parts are loose and again xray shows no issue, 4 is I am a big baby and I don't think that is it, 5 is misalignment which might be, and 6 is scare tissue which I just had removed along with the MUA in October. Hope to get some imaging done to find out exactly what the issue is soon . Luckily my job has been understanding ...so far.

    • Posted

      So xray will show if it’s too big or if parts are loose? Because they told me it looks fine, “perfect” I think is what they used (of course). And how to tell if misaligned and would they be able to ben under anesthesia if that’s the case I wonder....because I feel it’s got to be something! I’ve worked hard and pushed hard and already, a week out of getting scar tissue out....it’s starting to get tight and lock again......
  • Posted

    When I went to PT after my scar tissue removal and MUA, my therapist knew there was another issue. She said that when people have that procedure done, there is a considerable amount of difference in ROM then before surgery. I was pretty much the same after surgery, and was told too that the doc for 110 degree on the MUA. So as far as the misalignment, I am not sure how they determine this without going in with the plan of a revision. I read that there is some imaging CTSCAN and MRI that can be done, but both docs said there wasn't any real good way to tell.

    I would like to find out and know what they issue is before I commit to the revision.

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