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Stuck at 86° bend for 2 weeks..

Posted , 11 users are following.

lorrigrl
lorrigrl

Seen the doctor today because I have been stuck with a bend of 86° for 2 weeks now. I have a lot of scar tissue since the same scar has been opened 7 times. At physical therapy they put cocoa butter on it and took a hard plastic tool and roughed up the scar and then did the back of the knee also..then the did a mini manipulation, but still only got 86°. I have until the 25th to gain more, if I don't then I will have to have a real manipulation, with possibility of breaking my bones. Any ideas to help me increase my gainn in 13 days? I am so dissapointed I n myself that I can't do it. I ride bike, do stair steppers, use bands and so much more..please someone give hope!

1 like, 32 replies

32 Replies

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  • carol38467
    carol38467 lorrigrl

    Posted

    I understand, i am nor good but am terrified of more hospital.  Good luck
  • julia63030
    julia63030 lorrigrl

    Posted

    Hi, I'm at 11 wks now and my bend is at 82 degrees. And not budging an inch! It's stuck, I do and have done since day one every excersise they have given me and more and it won't move at all. Saw consultant and he's said it will probably never bend more on its own now because of the amount of scar tissue I already have and it's holding a lot of swelling in pockets too which is also stopping the bend. I have a manipulation booked in for the 2nd March. As much as id rather not have to have it and the ga I'm looking forward to the after results. My knee is already so much better than it was before the tkr, everything but the bend.

    Hope you manage to get yours going and bending on its own.

    Julia x

    • lorrigrl
      lorrigrl julia63030

      Posted

      I hope so, and that is about when mine will be done if it doesn't budge..
  • MCanada
    MCanada lorrigrl

    Posted

    How long has it been since surgery? I didn't get to 90 degrees until about 8 weeks and no one said a word about manipulation. My physio in Canada tells me they rarely do it.
  • SonnysGirl
    SonnysGirl lorrigrl

    Posted

    I hate to hear that for you. Prayers for you. I am in the same shape. With just having partail. But know have get convertion to full. And scared.

    But i believe you will be ok. Prayers for a bend.

  • sixtapod
    sixtapod lorrigrl

    Posted

    Ho lorrigrl, you could try massaging moisturizer or e45 cream into the scar area. It has been working fore. I think you need to really move the surface tissue around to help loosen it up from the deeper tissue and this is more movement than just rubbing in cream. Then massage the area around and behind the knee, really pushing and kneading the muscles and tendons. Keep going for ages if you can, I have been doing about 30 mins at least a couple of times a day. My physio has recommended all this. Good luck!
    • lorrigrl
      lorrigrl sixtapod

      Posted

      I do it once a day just like younsaid, and the therapist used a tool twice a week to "rough-up" the scar tissue, back and front.
  • peter73207
    peter73207 lorrigrl

    Posted

    Dont know how far along you are  Lori, but I believe it's quite normal for the knee to sort of stall at 1 position for a few weeks. At 4 weeks my knee was at 90 degrees, at 5 and 6 weeks it was at 91. At week 7 it went to 98. So for 3 weeks there was virtually no change. There are also others in my pool physio group that have stayed in aound 97 degrees for quite a while before moving forward again. Stay faithful to the exercises, and your knee will bend when ready. I got myself a bike and believe thats helped me a great deal. I'm just at 8wks and 4 days today and think I can squeeze out  105 but also might still be at 98on my next physio appt. You will get there Lori. No worries biggrin
    • peter73207
      peter73207 lorrigrl

      Posted

      you are actually very close to where I was. 5 weeks is far to early to worry. I'm pretty sure that 90 at 6 weeks is the basic standard.

      If you read some of my earlier posts you  will find I actually had a very similar story with my surgeon. When I was at 85 (about 3 weeks in) I was told I had to get to 100 in 4 days. af course 4 days later nothing had changed and I was told to get to 120 in another 6 days. I got frantic to say the least. Talk about stress!

      I finally saw the surgeon at roughly 6 weeks and my bend was at 91.

      He was quite happy. All that stress I had was for nothing.

      We all heal at different rates Lori. Be faithful to your exercises doing the best you can and you will be just fine cheesygrin

       

    • peter73207
      peter73207 lorrigrl

      Posted

      I should add, don't let anyone discourage or bully you. I'm likely one of the most impatient people on this forum. Was given the very good adivice to be patient. I was and the results followed. You will get there.
    • lorrigrl
      lorrigrl peter73207

      Posted

      I'm in the US and my doctor wanted me at 90° at 2 week because I have a Zimmer knee..I think he expects too much from me because this was my 10th knee surgery..I ce hone on a sunday, threw away the walker Monday and went to a cane..gave it up in 4 days, I have walked unaided since then. Off pain meds at 3 weeks, driving at 3 weeks..I can't take the stress anymore as I have tried so hard to be the Superstar he wants, but I am on the brink of a nervous breakdown...
    • peter73207
      peter73207 lorrigrl

      Posted

      I was also very pressured by my surgeon. Now in all fairness, I'm really not sure if it was actually him or his secretary that made some rather uncalled for comments. I felt the stress just the same. Remember, you aren't here to be anyones superstar. The doctor works for you. I know that it's difficult but throw his and everyone elses timetable out the window. I should also add that I was made to believe to force my exercises to the point of pain. I did and ended up in hospital because I caused internal bleeding. Please don't do that to yourself.

      Do your exercises faithfully to the best of your ability and YOU are the only one you need to please.

       

    • lorrigrl
      lorrigrl peter73207

      Posted

      I think he pushes me so hard because of my age which is 44...
    • peter73207
      peter73207 lorrigrl

      Posted

      this sounds so similar to my case its almost eerie. I was also told that maybe the surgeon was pushing so hard because of all the activities Im involved in. It doesn't matter what age you are, I would tell you all the same things. Stop trying to please your surgeon. Step back, take a breath and relax. It's far to early for you to be stressed like this.
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 lorrigrl

      Posted

      Lorri.obviously you and I are no strangers to scar tissue as I have had 9 surgeries plus 39 rounds of radiation, mostly because of pvns. I am back to 110 but I have a feeling I'm about as far as I;m going to go. I had to have a steel plate from hip to knee with 8 screws that went through the femur so had scar tissue from hip to knee when the plate was removed, My therapist used a foam roller up and down which was absolutely brutal to start with but broke down the tissue. He had me find a plastic bottle that was round and the size I could handle,then rub it up and down the scar slowly. gradually it numbed the area and I could apply more pressure. I was amazed how quick it broke down the scar tissue and softened the tissue. I assumed you were in the UK. I'm just outside of KC. What part of the country are you located
    • Oldfatguy1
      Oldfatguy1 lorrigrl

      Posted

      I filled the bottle 3/4 full and froze it....That was how it was able to numb the leg
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