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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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Apr 10 8:34pm

In reply to @deboo "Yes nine months ago had a manipulation but still bad stiff hardly walk pain frustration." + (show)

Welcome @deboo. Sorry to hear that your knee is still stiff and painful. Do you follow-up with physical therapy?

deboo Debbie | @deboo | Apr 22 6:43am

No I am in the same boat 10months post op and is the worse thing I ever did. I can hardly walk do most every day things have to sit every now and again..Its so swollen getting hard lumps on my knee..I have tried it all with no luck I am desperate also..I read about Lazer but do not no much about it..Would also love to hear anyone's experiences to see if this will.help. Thanks I hope you 🙏 can get relief be keeping updating on this page..

Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Apr 23 12:36am

In reply to @deboo "No I am in the same boat 10months post op and is the worse thing I..." + (show)

Good evening @deboo, I can sense your frustration and disappointment. And I am so sorry that the MUA did not work well for you. When you write that your knee is swollen and I am assuming painful then it is time to take another look at your options.

Perhaps I can offer a couple more of those options. First……the scar tissue that has formed may be the culprit here. If so, I know of one way to remove it and that is MFR, myofascial release therapy. That is the only way I found relief from the scar tissue with my first TKR. I just had my second one last August and immediately began PT and MFR the day after surgery. The result was no scar tissue.

Please respond if you would like more information. In the meantime, you may want to try a Yoga pose called "legs up the wall". You can Google it or look on youtube. The goal is to release the scar tissue so that the swelling declines and the MFR therapist can move the fluid material up your thigh into your pelvic area so that it evacuates when you urinate.

I will watch for your reply to @colleenyoung about physical therapy. Is there anything else you can share about your post-surgery exercise program?

May you be free of suffering and the causes of suffering.
Chris

marye2 | @marye2 | Apr 26 10:24am

In reply to @melcpa86 "I’ve posted on this forum off and on over the past two years or so. I..." + (show)

@melcpa86

I’ve posted on this forum off and on over the past two years or so. I wanted to give an update on what looks like a definitive answer as to the multitude of issues with the replacement that I have been facing.

Short synopsis is that at 53 I had a torn meniscus at the root from a running injury. That was almost immediately turned into I had arthritis bad enough that I needed a partial knee replacement.

The physicians office forgot to order the replacement parts the day of the surgery and on the day of the rescheduled surgery, I fell in the parking lot. I woke up from what should have been a partial knee replacement with a total knee replacement, a very swollen knee and swollen ankle.

Two months after the surgery, I still could not stand or walk without pain and my ROM was less than 110. I was diagnosed with arthofibrosis and had another surgery to remove scar tissue. Significant pain and PT later I was able to get my knee bending more, but still could not stand or walk.

Multiple other doctors and 18 months later, I was diagnosed with a broken foot and shredded tendon from the parking lot fall from the original surgery. A bone fragment in my foot from the fall shredded the tendon. However, I still can not stand or walk without significant pain. At 56 now, I went from running and cross-fit to being able to walk less than 5,000 steps a day.

More doctors, tests and appointments later, the doctors are thinking I have a stress reaction or stress fracture in my tibia. I then found a doctor who deals with periprothetic fractures. He took a bunch of X-rays with my knee in positions I never had before. He then told me what you never want to hear after this surgery…

My implant is crooked. It’s not loose. It’s cemented in good – but at the wrong angle. It was installed crooked to the tune of slightly more than 5 degrees. The forces on my tibia and ankle are too much. My pain will never go away until it comes out and by the way, your good side hip is now a mess because your standing on one leg.

I told the doctor I’m only 56 and what happens at 66 when the revision wears out. He told me to go home and think if I wanted the revision. I sent him a follow up question in the portal asking the same thing a week ago and haven’t heard back. But I think I know the answer – it can’t be done.

So for those of you who have been following this story along and are still struggling with the pain – you now know one way this story ends.

Jump to this post

My take is to do the revision so you can maintain your mobility. Technology is moving ahead rapidly. For mine, I find KT tape helps somewhat, but mine is more of an issue with hypermobility and bad alignment of hip/knee/ankle. I certainly empathize with your misery.

amcit340 | @amcit340 | Jun 10 1:29pm

My problem may be a little different. Had first replacement (rt), in 2010. VERY dedicated to PT and fabulous results! Danced at a concert and traveled to a reunion, at 6 weeks. Current issue is I was told to "wait", by PA, though he had told me I was eligible 2 years before, for TKR. Told him my lt. knee would "give out", with no warning. 6 weeks later, fell directly on that knee (gave out) and broke my patella. Had to wait 5 months, to have replacement. Patella had to heal, with wires wrapped around. Again, very dedicated to PT. Now, 15 months after TKR, returned to ortho and told I have scar tissue from patella repair. Using the "roller" device but MUST live on Advil, also. Even with that, very painful to walk and navigate stairs. Any other suggestions? Just use Advil (400 mg) twice a day, to barely function?

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