some 8 weeks after TKR on my right knee a stuck. Despite knowledge gained from a previous TKR and 2 spells in Hedley Court cannot get my bend beyond 90. Heat, ice, oil, medication and a struck exercise regime IT is stuck. My consultant visited on New Years Eve tells me to stick at it, but offered no new advice. I am trying to get back on my bike but when testing n a turbo trainer am about 15 degrees short of a ul revolution of the deals. Any helpful suggestions would be much appreciated.
Hi Graham. I had my TKR in August 2014 and although I had physio and did all the exercises, my bend was stuck at 95 from the time I came out of hospital(5daysnafterbsurgery) until 12 weeks. I could not get a revolution on the bike and so just pushed the peddle back and forth until at the end of November I finally managed to push it right round. Oh the joy!! Then I got cocky and peddled for too long, hurt my back and am now just managing to start the exercise schedule back at the beginning. However, I kept up the knee bending exercises - in particular one where I sit on a sturdy (I'm a quite big girl!!), and bend my leg back as far as possible. I don't know what my knee bend is now as it hasn't been measured since end of October but I really think it is much more that 95. I also invested in a peddle machine which allows me to sit on a chair and peddle to my hearts content. I see my consultant in Feb so will get him to measure the bend. Oh, another bend exercise that helps me is by putting your operated leg on the bottom stair or a small platform if you don't have stairs, and gently lunge/lean into the knee. It hurts like hell at first but it does help. You are still quite early into your recovery so, as I'm sure you know, you must take things steady. Try not to over do things - I learnt the hard way. Best wishes to you.
Thanks Ruby. Congratulations on the biking issue. Thanks too fr the exercises. I il add them to the list.
Have you got a pedal exerciser. Great way of getting pedal power back. Just £22 on Amazon. It sits on the floor and you sit in a chair and you can start getting pedal rotation and build up by changing the resistance then move on to exercise bike, then turbo then out on the bike
Thanks Scoobeedoo.
yes got one. Boy ugh the it for my last TKR. Use it 4 times daily. By reducing the distance betweenme and machine the bend is increasing but not enough. Still sticking in lower 90's. Thanks for comments.
Hi graham my problem was the opposite - straightening! The muscle fibres are very taut.
I was advised massage. So several times a day i massage my knee and the surrounding tissue paying attention to hamstrings and behind the knee.
This has helped me amazingly! It warms the tissues and makes them more supple!
I am now a couple of degrees off and very hopeful
Suzi 8 weeks +4 days
Hi Graham, I used my wife's exercise bike from week four post op. The secret is to put the saddle as high as it will go ( I drilled a couple of extra holes to get a full rotation of the pedal) Then did a couple of minutes three times a day until it was easy then dropped the saddle to the next hole and repeated the process, but don't overdo it. I was 90 degrees at 4 weeks and at 8 weeks I am at 135 degrees now. I still do all the other exercises the physio gave me as well and I can now walk about 3 kilometers before it starts to stiffen up, I think knees are self regulating when you exercise them, I can also go up and down stairs easily! I do this maintaining a dose of pain relief prescribed by the doctor 4 times a day, which he said continue until they run out which is in 4 weeks. I found the first 4 weeks really frustrating and it was then that the doctor prescribed the pain relief and it has made a big diferrence for me. Hope this helps.
Regards Paul
When you get as far as you can just stop an push a bit harder hold for 10 count and back around as far as you can go stop, hold for 10 count
Do this 10-15 times. Try it a couple times a day, ice after each set. Take pain meds an hour or so before starting. Don't be overly concerned with complete revolutions for the moment. See if this won't give you some additional bend after a few days. Sounds like you still have some swelling to work through
I'm just at 8 weeks now and I've been stuck at several points along the way. My physio gave up on me at 85 (4 weeks) but the surgeon sent me back with new pain meds and an anti-inflammatory. Next the physio FORCED the bend to 95. That hurt! But then I was able to get it to 98 by myself (6 weeks). Physio was ready to give up again yesterday but FORCED it again and got 105. Now he's decided there may be hope for me after all.
So the exercise that gets the most bend is to lay on my back with my legs up against the wall (can do this on my bed). Then drag the foot down the wall until reaching the amount of pain that counts as close to unbearable. Next, drape the good leg over it to keep it there and hold it for 20 secs. Do that 10 times, but only once/day. This is the stretch that the physio 'helps' with when he wants to force the bend. You can't inflict that much pain on yourself so you need to ask someone else to push down for you.