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?
Liked by rwaller77, ssbionicknee, darkwingedangel, gmajudy
bevinauburn
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This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.
Excuse the typo. Should be “very frustrating “.
gator1965
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Joined: Oct 05, 2018
This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.
My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.
rayreich3
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My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.
Hi who is your doctor I live in New York City
gator1965
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Hi who is your doctor I live in New York City
I live in the UK, my surgeon is Mr V Goswami. I paid privately to have the TKR, but the arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment of the knee was done on the NHS. He is a brilliant surgeon
rayreich3
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ellerbracke
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dduke….Sure wish they didn't stop using the passive motion machine to get the ROM back after TKR. I had both knees done 2 years apart and with both they had me on that machine when I woke up from the anesthesia, I ended up with up to 137 degrees of bend with no manual stretching. and both knees now are 14 and 12 yrs old and even though I do ALOT OF WALKING they still show NO signs of wear !!!!! To be specific, just since Aug 2016, I have walked 161 miles!. I just suffered a fractured femur and the plate goes down along side of the prothesis.
They didn't use the machine this time (different Dr), and even though I myself worked to get the bend back. I now only have about
110 degrees of bend….. Functional, but not what I had! gailfaith
Just wondering: is there a digit missing in your walking distance? I routinely walk 2.2 miles a day, roughly 350 days/year, so something like 700+ miles walking just for exercise. Not counting daily activites, hikes, trips, museums……. Hope to get back to that schedule asap.
bevinauburn
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I am considering arthroscopic surgery but today a new doc told me that I should get a special mri first. It is a metal suppression mri for tkr. And then he could see the amount of scar tissue and where it is, and perhaps see if the surgery would help.
Will you please let me know the outcome of your MRI and possible surgery. If this MRI was helpful I would like to request this from a doctor if I finally get an appointment for a second opinion.
mylynn
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This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.
So yes this was a new doc , not the one who did my original surgery who is VERY well thought of
But I’m going a bit mad Re scar tissue and this new doc, who on paper has all the rite qualifications recommended this
So im going to pursue. My original doc thinks I’ll be ok , but it’s been 7 months and no change. Hope I helped
mylynn
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Joined: Sep 19, 2018
My surgeon did not offer me an MRI, but said he wanted to complete an arthroscopy to see what was preventing the knee from bending , and remove any scar tissue. It was more extensive fibrosis than he had originally thought. I was up and around the next day, without crutches . I have kept with the same surgeon ever since my first surgery last November, so I trust him now. I have changed Physios so many times, and it is good when you have one who understands arthrofibrosis.
So u have had arthroscopic surgery?
Are u ok and what does a good pt person do differently?
I had the mri , called MARS metal, artifact reduction system
Saw doc today and he said yes scar tissue there, he recommends arthroscopic surgery and manipulation while I’m under
Then 2 weeks of pt
He said there is no guarantee scar tissue won’t come back, some do ,others not
And there is a higher risk of infection when u have a replaced knee, ie foreign object. Which would be really bad.
I’m leaning towards having this done as my quality of life is worth the gamble
mylynn
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I also had similar problems. I had the arthroscopic surgery and it made a big difference. After the surgery, I biked for eight minutes and did lunges every three hours ( even through the night). I did not want to allow scar tissue to form again after the Dr. cut it out. I have much better ROM now, can go down the stairs, etc. Still a little stiff, but working much better.
Hi
Just wondering if u still have good range or scar tissue came back?
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dduke
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I have a much better range of motion. Still a little scar tissue, but I can do about everything now. I would not have gotten this far without the arthroscopic surgery.
I have had two Aystm Therapy sessions along with icing my entire leg 4 to 5 times a day and it appears to be working on my scar tissue so there is another option. My doctor thinks I will require 11 to 13 sessions to be rid of all my scar tissue. It is too early in the process to know how many sessions are necessary but I will report in again with progress. You can watch on You Tube – they show the therapy. Just put in Astym Therapy in the search.
gator1965
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I have a much better range of motion. Still a little scar tissue, but I can do about everything now. I would not have gotten this far without the arthroscopic surgery.
Me neither, range of movement under anaesthetic 0-70 degrees pre arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment of scar tissue 4 weeks on +3-105 degrees. I am now looking forward to returning back to work in 2 weeks time.
gator1965
@gator1965
@gator1965
Posts: 58
Joined: Oct 05, 2018
So u have had arthroscopic surgery?
Are u ok and what does a good pt person do differently?
I had the mri , called MARS metal, artifact reduction system
Saw doc today and he said yes scar tissue there, he recommends arthroscopic surgery and manipulation while I’m under
Then 2 weeks of pt
He said there is no guarantee scar tissue won’t come back, some do ,others not
And there is a higher risk of infection when u have a replaced knee, ie foreign object. Which would be really bad.
I’m leaning towards having this done as my quality of life is worth the gamble
It has worked for me.i can now resume my career as a nurse in full clinical capacity. I read my operation notes and it was not a pretty read. In 4 weeks following arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment of left knee I feel fabulous. Yes I still have pain (Neuropathic pain)but better than I have done
@bevinauburn
This is very helpful information. I have wondered how much and location of my scar tissue. This was not an option offered to me. Was this office visit with a new doctor? I am trying to get an appointment with two doctors that were highly recommended to me. I have been working on this for two weeks and am still waiting for a call back to book appointment. I believe I need to be more aggressive instead of waiting for a call back. They have my referral from my GP. Dry frustrating.