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Scar tissue after knee replacement
I had knee replacement surgery 6 weeks ago . Through PT I have been working on breaking up the scar tissue only for it to regrow by the time I get back to PT two days later. I have been massaging at home, using a hand held massager and roller. It is painful and swollen. I am getting very disheartened. Any suggestions as to what else I can do. Has anyone had laser treatments to break up scar tissue? Were they effective?
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welcome to the club. i was told water therapy but everytime i did it my knee swelled. still does 5 years later/
I feel the same I was better off before the surgery medical science doesn’t know which person will be successful and which will not after knee replacement in my case it’s an over abundance of scar tissue waiting for June to have it removed arthroscopically hopefully that will solve good luck
I hear your pain and frustration.....I am now 3 months out and the night pain is so unpredictable. Sometimes tolerable, and sometimes off the charts. I always ask myself what I did differently either at home or at the gym that day. I can walk okay but slow. Not my usual pace. I too have been so so disappointed at my results for a TKR. I am still at the gym 3 days a week. On leg press, 30 minutes on a tall bike where my knee is almost fully extended, abductor and adductor machines, and really anything to make my quads stronger so I can work on a better leg extension. I am religious about this routine. If I had it to do over again, I would never have had this done in winter. Not a time for healing and feeling better. Thats for sure. My other knee was done in late April, 9 years ago and recovery was nothing like this. I was so positive and hopeful going into this and now I doubt my actions. PT 2 days a week is over, and it was sheer torture every visit. I wondered if that keep me from healing. Keep the faith. You are lucky. You have more time under your belt with your knee than me.
Thanks for your comments. I am nearing my 3 month mark and escaped manipulation, thankfully I am now switching to strengthening exercises and have 2 more PT visits.I feel I have turned the corner at night, having slept 6 hrs uninterrupted past 2 nightsHoping to get back to golf this seasonDeb
@kibe75, I completely understand your frustration. I had a TKR in 2006 when I was 19. My initial recovery was quite frustrating and difficult. I had to have two manipulations from aggressive scar tissue formation. I was battling an atrophied knee joint from end-stage arthritis that started when I was nine years old. The muscle and ligament atrophy combined with aggressive scar tissue formation made for an extremely difficult recovery. It took well over a year that included manipulations, pain management, and physical therapy to get to my new normal, which I am happy to report is 0-110 degree ROM. I know the frustration you are experiencing, but it can get better, even if it doesn't seem like it will.
Thank you for sharing I applaud your courageDeb
@JustinMcClanahan what did you dibun terms if pain management? I think that is my biggest frustration right now, I'm on diclofenac twice daily, 1000 mg tylenol every 6 hours and neurotin at bedtime and it just isn't enough, my pain is still constantly at a 4-5 resting and 6 or so when walking, exercising.
I also developed scar tissue, immediately following surgery, I was told it was genetic. I refused manipulation as I had such severe swelling and bruising after surgery. With aggressive and very painful PT I was able to get to 110 degrees, which I am at currently, at 11 weeks out. I have 2 PT sessions left and then will continue with my home exercising program. Hopefully all this snow will melt soon so I can begin some serious walking
Pain management was also difficult for me. I am one of the "lucky ones" that metabolize pain medications rather quickly, so they have a short period of effectiveness for me. This creates an issue because I not only require higher doses at times, but more frequent, which is less than ideal because higher doses of powerful pain medications can lead to addictions. I was on long-acting oxycontin as a base medication with Percocet for breakthrough pain, I believe, it was 12 years ago. Pain medications and the way we process them are so variant from person-to-person. Also I elevated my leg with constant icing to help with swelling, which helped the throbbing pains subside a bit.
I think my pain was quite high (constant 6-10 range), which hindered my rehab, for the first year because I had to also have two manipulations. The manipulations were far more painful than the initial surgery. For me, from what I can remember, it was around the year mark when my pain really tapered off and my ROM found its new normal. I did not use pain medications for the entire year, I believe it was around 6-8 months and I was tapered off with the help of my physicians. I am happy to report that once a year or so passed, I have been nearly pain free ever since. I am 12 years out and my knee joint still looks the same structurally as it did in the first year - so no revision in sight as of now.
Nice work! 110 degrees despite scar tissue and swelling is quite impressive. 110 is what I am at permanently after two manipulations and a full leg brace that had hand cranks in it that I would turn to force it to bend for my physical therapy. While I would have loved to have more, 110 degrees allows me to be physically active and does not hinder any of that activity. Keep up the good work.