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Scar tissue after knee replacement
Joint Replacements | Last Active: Oct 10 8:31am | Replies (1550)Comment receiving replies
goodpeople,
I think the chances of developing scar tissue can be drastically reduced by doing all the recommended PT immediately after a TKR. It worked for me. You know that once the scar tissue forms, it's hell to get it out.
So to all contemplating a TKR, get in shape first, and follow the therapist guidelines every day for at least 6 weeks, or as your condition demands. TKR is an amazing, life-changing procedure but the patient has to do about 90% of the work!
All the best,
Joe
Replies to "goodpeople, I think the chances of developing scar tissue can be drastically reduced by doing all..."
Totally agree with this! I was really ready to “get going” on home PT as soon as my surgery was over. However, I couldn’t tolerate the pain meds and then they told me to just take Tylenol Extra Strength which did nothing for the pain. When the home PT would come in, it was so difficult for me to do the exercises due to pain. The pain was horrible! I was so afraid of developing scar tissue because I couldn’t do the exercises! Once I got to outside PT, I felt like I made some strides, but I can tell that I still have some scar tissue in there. My advice to anyone is that if you can tolerate the pain meds, start doing PT in your home right away and then go to an outside site for PT. If you can do this immediately, you will avoid scar tissue building up.
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While I agree that PT is the key to a good piece of this, I would have to counter that sometimes that is not the solution. In my case, I spent four months in PT, 3X week, and it did not halt the spread of scar tissue. I had two therapists who commented on my commitment to get myself whole again. Some people’s bodies just produce scar tissue and it has nothing to do with their commitment to PT…it just happens.