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Scar tissue after knee replacement

Posted by leithlane @leithlane, Jan 31, 2017

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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JK | @contentandwell | Mar 26, 2019
In reply to @bevinauburn "First I want to reply to the question, could I sue? Probably so if I wanted..." + (show)
@bevinauburn

First I want to reply to the question, could I sue? Probably so if I wanted to go through that but I haven’t felt the energy to go through that process. My first surgery was June 15th 2017, second surgery December 10th 2018. .i I had one MUA which I was told he got me to 130 ROM. After months of Pt I could only get to about 110 at Pt but it would never hold. I was lucky to be ay 90 thereafter until my second surgery. I was never without pain that year and one half. The final suggestion was maybe I could have arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue with another manipulation . At my pre op appointment I canceled the surgery as I was frustrated with the surgeon and his opinion of the success of this procedure.
I understand your frustration with getting an appointment with another surgeon. I have been told you can continue to increase ROM up to a year and I am guessing since you are only at 4 months, they may consider it is too soon.

I tried getting in with other doctors but they didn’t want to do revisions. Finally the doctor who did my surgery agreed to see me and I didn’t know at the time he was known for doing revisions so that might be what you need to research. I believe that after reviewing my file forwarded to him and extensive questioning of my experience and examination he then told me he didn’t think it was scar tissue only but the fit. After surgery he said I had little scar tissue but he removed it and it was the fit. I know this is quite lengthy but I want to explain to you my total experience. I hope it helps.
I know we want to see more progress but it is a slow process and we get tired of hearing we need to be patient!

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@bevinauburn I'm so glad you are finally doing better, Bev.
I knew a woman who walked around limping and in pain for two years before she found a doctor who diagnosed the problem, fit, and he fixed it for her. At the time she did look into suing but as I recall she really could not since it was fixable. Nothing for two years of pain curtailing her activities, she runs a business.
JK

REPLY
bonzobear72 | @bonzobear72 | Mar 26, 2019

It can take a full year for a TKA to fully heal and just as long for the swelling to go down. As long as you can fully straighten your knee and get at least 90 degrees Physicians (everywhere) consider that a great outcome. You really have to do the work. Stretching, heel slides with a sheet, having somebody push that knee back for you when you hit your own plateau. Hold that stretch for up to 10 minutes and do sets of 5 up to 3 times per day. Roll on an exercise ball. Sit on a porch swing and slowly keep bending your knee and increase your time. Google exercises. There are 2 PT guys that do YouTube videos showing advanced stretching. Are people going to the gym and riding a bike? Forward/back increasing and holding the stretch until a full revolution forward or backward can be done. Lower the seat, move the seat forward to increase the stretch. Stretch the hamstrings, soleus and gastronomic muscles (these all prevent a full ROM if they are tight). I think doing a MUA within that first 3-mths is extreme unless there is a medical condition that warrants it. Nobody knows scar tissue is solely the problem. We all get it after surgery and injury. You can loosen it on one part and have it sticking on another. It comes loose in pieces and sometimes not all of it ever loosens. Just keep doing aggressive therapy on your own and you'll get there.

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1 reply
JW54@JW54 | @lynnwade54 | Mar 28, 2019

Hi, I had my TKR Jan. 8,2019 and MUA on Feb. 27, 2019. I go to PT 3 X week and the other days I exercise @ home. Like you said the scar tissue builds as soon as I finish PT or exercising at home. it seems as though the scar tissue is luring and waiting to jump back on me. I also massage it daily many times throughout the day by hand. I have not tried anything to break it up. I have an appt. with my surgeon tomorrow we are going to discuss the pros and cons of arthroscopic surgery or him going back into it to maybe putting a different size knee. Has anyone ever heard of putting a different size knee in. Also has anyone experienced the feeling of metal squeezing both sides of the knee.

REPLY
1 reply
JW54@JW54 | @lynnwade54 | Mar 28, 2019
In reply to @bevinauburn "First I want to reply to the question, could I sue? Probably so if I wanted..." + (show)
@bevinauburn

First I want to reply to the question, could I sue? Probably so if I wanted to go through that but I haven’t felt the energy to go through that process. My first surgery was June 15th 2017, second surgery December 10th 2018. .i I had one MUA which I was told he got me to 130 ROM. After months of Pt I could only get to about 110 at Pt but it would never hold. I was lucky to be ay 90 thereafter until my second surgery. I was never without pain that year and one half. The final suggestion was maybe I could have arthroscopic surgery to remove scar tissue with another manipulation . At my pre op appointment I canceled the surgery as I was frustrated with the surgeon and his opinion of the success of this procedure.
I understand your frustration with getting an appointment with another surgeon. I have been told you can continue to increase ROM up to a year and I am guessing since you are only at 4 months, they may consider it is too soon.

I tried getting in with other doctors but they didn’t want to do revisions. Finally the doctor who did my surgery agreed to see me and I didn’t know at the time he was known for doing revisions so that might be what you need to research. I believe that after reviewing my file forwarded to him and extensive questioning of my experience and examination he then told me he didn’t think it was scar tissue only but the fit. After surgery he said I had little scar tissue but he removed it and it was the fit. I know this is quite lengthy but I want to explain to you my total experience. I hope it helps.
I know we want to see more progress but it is a slow process and we get tired of hearing we need to be patient!

Jump to this post

Hi bevinauburn, you mention that it was the fit. Can you give me more clarity and what kind of problems did you experience? I asked this question down below, did your doctor go back in and give you a different knee, if so how did that work. Are you feeling better and do you have much scar tissue with the new knee.

REPLY
dkapustin | @dkapustin | Mar 28, 2019
In reply to @lynnwade54 "Hi, I had my TKR Jan. 8,2019 and MUA on Feb. 27, 2019. I go to..." + (show)
@lynnwade54

Hi, I had my TKR Jan. 8,2019 and MUA on Feb. 27, 2019. I go to PT 3 X week and the other days I exercise @ home. Like you said the scar tissue builds as soon as I finish PT or exercising at home. it seems as though the scar tissue is luring and waiting to jump back on me. I also massage it daily many times throughout the day by hand. I have not tried anything to break it up. I have an appt. with my surgeon tomorrow we are going to discuss the pros and cons of arthroscopic surgery or him going back into it to maybe putting a different size knee. Has anyone ever heard of putting a different size knee in. Also has anyone experienced the feeling of metal squeezing both sides of the knee.

Jump to this post

I am curious to learn what your doctor recommends after seeing him if you wish to share because putting in a different size knee does not address your scar tissue build up. You will have new scar tissue from the new replacement and will require to start all over again with PT. If it's just scar tissue, there are a number of ways to break it up. You are past the time frame, I believe, for an MUA but there are other ways like the ones you've mentioned.

REPLY
1 reply
JW54@JW54 | @lynnwade54 | Mar 29, 2019
In reply to @dkapustin "I am curious to learn what your doctor recommends after seeing him if you wish to..." + (show)
@dkapustin

I am curious to learn what your doctor recommends after seeing him if you wish to share because putting in a different size knee does not address your scar tissue build up. You will have new scar tissue from the new replacement and will require to start all over again with PT. If it's just scar tissue, there are a number of ways to break it up. You are past the time frame, I believe, for an MUA but there are other ways like the ones you've mentioned.

Jump to this post

Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the progress that I have made since my last visit which was 2 weeks ago. He said as of know he does not see any reason for having to go back into the knee. my Dr. thinks that the pain that I am experiencing is due to pushing myself in PT and home therapy, he reports if I am still experiencing the pain etc. when I return in 3 weeks then we will discuss other options.

REPLY
3 replies
doodles418 | @doodles418 | Mar 29, 2019
In reply to @lynnwade54 "Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the..." + (show)
@lynnwade54

Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the progress that I have made since my last visit which was 2 weeks ago. He said as of know he does not see any reason for having to go back into the knee. my Dr. thinks that the pain that I am experiencing is due to pushing myself in PT and home therapy, he reports if I am still experiencing the pain etc. when I return in 3 weeks then we will discuss other options.

Jump to this post

This is what my Dr told me on Monday. That I haven't given my knees anytime to calm the inflammation down. Too much PT and my own home routine. It's Friday and I've backed off the bending exercises. I keep biking on stationary and doing the stretching. I can tell my active numbers are going down. Was 115 now 100. They say don't worry about that , but I do. There is less pain and the hot to touch has gotten better. I really can tell in the morning that they are less inflamed and pain is less. Keep me posted on your progress, we are so similar in our recoveries.

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Mar 29, 2019
In reply to @lynnwade54 "Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the..." + (show)
@lynnwade54

Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the progress that I have made since my last visit which was 2 weeks ago. He said as of know he does not see any reason for having to go back into the knee. my Dr. thinks that the pain that I am experiencing is due to pushing myself in PT and home therapy, he reports if I am still experiencing the pain etc. when I return in 3 weeks then we will discuss other options.

Jump to this post

@lynnwade54 What your doctor said does make sense. It sounds like you and @doodles418 need to be a little less vigorous in your PT. As my ortho insists, "gentle PT".
Good luck to both of you, I hope your knees will be feeling better very soon.
JK

REPLY
Debbra Williams, Alumna Mentor | @debbraw | Mar 31, 2019
In reply to @lynnwade54 "Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the..." + (show)
@lynnwade54

Hi I went to my dr. today and he said that he was pleased with the progress that I have made since my last visit which was 2 weeks ago. He said as of know he does not see any reason for having to go back into the knee. my Dr. thinks that the pain that I am experiencing is due to pushing myself in PT and home therapy, he reports if I am still experiencing the pain etc. when I return in 3 weeks then we will discuss other options.

Jump to this post

@lynnwade54 and @doodles418 - My physical therapist told me that I MUST take off one day a week and do nothing. He said sleep and rest actually have a big role in healing and I needed that as much as I needed the exercise. Just passing it along. It made me feel like less of a slackard on my days of rest!

REPLY
JK | @contentandwell | Mar 31, 2019

@debbraw My doctor wanted me to do my recumbent bike for five consecutive days for 30 minutes, and then two consecutive days of recovery. I did follow that when I was healing. I exercise pretty much daily now but I alternate what I so.
JK

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