Rom is the goal

Posted , 8 users are following.

I bhad revision surgery in January of this year and I'm still struggling with my rom. I have done everything that they told me to do and it doesn't seem that anything works. I had the initial tkr July 12 2016 and a mua less than two months after and the revision. I had two knee operations prior to the tkr so I knew that the scar tissue was going to be a problem. Can anyone give me some suggestions on how to rehabilitate my knee and keep the rom attained?

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi have you tried heat and manipulation, you probably will need someone to assist you to do this as you will need to be able to push through the pain but not to agony.

    Hydrotherapy, swimming and cycling are all LOL impact and push the knee to bend and straight.

    Toe walking also helps stretch muscles which is part of the problem

    • Posted

       I have a machine called a flexornator and I use with a heating pad. I get really good rom but I lose it afterwards 
  • Posted

    I have a set of ankle weights (1kg in total) I use the Velcro straps to attach them together then attach round my thigh just above my knee when I'm in bed or sitting with my legs up to help drag my knee down and straight. do it for as long as you can tolerate 

    or make your own with a double oven glove over your leg and add weight into the hand pockets 

    hope this helps 

  • Posted

    Do these at home...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/tkr-heel-slide-exercises-526213

    ...plus lots of squats holding onto a table or chair.  Another technique to get to zero straight is to lie face down on the bed with your knees on the edge...ON the bed, not over the edge.  Then just let your leg hang in the air...gravity will do the rest.  Don't try to resist...just let it hang.  If you are bold, strap on a 2-pound ankle weight...that's a killer...  Time yourself...start with 30 seconds or less if you have to.  Keep increasing the time.  Remember to close the door, turn up the radio and scream all you want.

    Besides the home work, a PT can help get the ROM back.  I started at -14 / +84 and finished after 10 weeks @ 2x/week with a ROM of -1 / +123.

    After the PT and home exercises, you have to complete the job by finishing off the ROM (I'm now 0 / +133) plus rebuild your atrophied quads, glutes and core.  Here's the program for that...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

    None of this is easy...none of this is painless.  You have to be physically and mentally committed to getting your life back.  Good luck... 

  • Posted

    Exercising in a sauna after a swim helped me. Started doing this around ten weeks post op.
  • Posted

    Get on the exercise bike,start off high and very gradually lower the seat until you are feeling a fair bit of resistance in your knees.

    keep going until your heart is content.

    hope this will help.

    mike

  • Posted

    Why did you have the revision if you don't mind my asking? Do you have any pain, or just a knee that has poor ROM?

    • Posted

      I couldn't get rom and the plastic poly exchange piece failed. I have had a very hard time with this tkr

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