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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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kneeproblem | @kneeproblem | Oct 2, 2018

I am trying to find a surgeon who will do a second opinion for me it's hard to find one ,but my knee replacement is still terrible and my surgeon who did the surgery just keeps telling me to wait and gives me cortisone shots

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bevinauburn | @bevinauburn | Oct 2, 2018

Are you both talking about scar tissue issues or a problem with new knee?

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schnauzerkid | @schnauzerkid | Oct 2, 2018
In reply to @bizzarebird1 "Hi just found this discussion and catching up with reading. I had left knee replaced on..." + (show)
@bizzarebird1

Hi just found this discussion and catching up with reading. I had left knee replaced on 21 June this year, i am hypermobile so have damaged both my knees. My surgeon stated that my knee joint was very small and he couldn’t use his jigsaw and had to free hand my replacement. He said it be ok! I had a small patch of numbness as predicted and ok. At 4 weeks post op the left side of my knee went totally numb with a raised swelling, i am now approaching 11 weeks post op and still this numbness and raises hard swollen hard on left side of scar. it stops me bending my knee l can only get to 77 and straight is 10-15. my surgeon sees me again on 10 oct and has said he will do a MUA if l don’t progress. I am struggling l cannot bend my knee it’s like a tight crushing band is around it when i try to bend, the professionals say it’s ok it’s fine but then tell me to push through the pain. I cannot bend my knee! the swelling lump of numb skin even dimples at the end of my scar, a dip big enough for my finger when i try to bend.
i was supposed to be back at work on 1 st october but that not happening now. i just feel hopeless i do physio every week and just feel like they are telling me off, they push down on my knee to straighten and it’s so painful i don’t know what to do!

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@it took me 4 yrs, after second tkr, to get feeling in my calf muscle. Strange, because had feeling in the foot?

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gator1965 | @gator1965 | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @mylynn "Just read your post and curious if your scar tissue came back since the arthroscopic procedure,..." + (show)
@mylynn

Just read your post and curious if your scar tissue came back since the arthroscopic procedure, hopefully not

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I had a knee replacement in April 2018 too, developed too much scar tissue despite intensive physiotherapy, had a manipulation at the end of June. The scar tissue reaccumulated again and I had an arthroscopic arthrolysis and debridment on 29th September2018. Just wondering if your scar tissue has started to reaccumulate since your arthroscopic surgery

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2 replies
dduke | @dduke | Oct 6, 2018

My arthroscopy changed my life. I had therapy every day for a few weeks, then three times a week. I go to the gym every day to work the knee. I also attached a boat winch to a board and crank the leg using my pull strap. I have gotten 130 ROM. Leg still not perfect, but much, much, better.

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2 replies
kneeproblem | @kneeproblem | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @dduke "My arthroscopy changed my life. I had therapy every day for a few weeks, then three..." + (show)
@dduke

My arthroscopy changed my life. I had therapy every day for a few weeks, then three times a week. I go to the gym every day to work the knee. I also attached a boat winch to a board and crank the leg using my pull strap. I have gotten 130 ROM. Leg still not perfect, but much, much, better.

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I wish my doctor would do one for me but he says he has to open the knee again to remove scar tissue but I do not want to go thru all of that again. It says it would take to l9 g to do it with arthoscope I am like so what I just do not understand I have been suffering for 6 months now

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3 replies
gator1965 | @gator1965 | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @kneeproblem "I wish my doctor would do one for me but he says he has to open..." + (show)
@kneeproblem

I wish my doctor would do one for me but he says he has to open the knee again to remove scar tissue but I do not want to go thru all of that again. It says it would take to l9 g to do it with arthoscope I am like so what I just do not understand I have been suffering for 6 months now

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My ROM prior to the arthroscopic surgery last week was 0-70, he said after surgery he managed to get it to 120. I was having hydrotherapy just under 36 hours later. The knee has started to stiffen again, so will see what the physio says on Tuesday. I live in the UK, so not sure if they follow the same protocols over here.

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rayreich3 | @rayreich3 | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @kneeproblem "I wish my doctor would do one for me but he says he has to open..." + (show)
@kneeproblem

I wish my doctor would do one for me but he says he has to open the knee again to remove scar tissue but I do not want to go thru all of that again. It says it would take to l9 g to do it with arthoscope I am like so what I just do not understand I have been suffering for 6 months now

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Hi my doctor also said he doesn’t want to open up the same area again because of complications but I don’t understand what I9 g is ?

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1 reply
gator1965 | @gator1965 | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @rayreich3 "Hi my doctor also said he doesn’t want to open up the same area again because..." + (show)
@rayreich3

Hi my doctor also said he doesn’t want to open up the same area again because of complications but I don’t understand what I9 g is ?

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It might be the gauge/ diameter of the arthroscope needed for the surgery. Hoping to get some more answers when I see the surgeon on Thursday. The operation notes mentioned possibility of more surgery and revision surgery. Working hard to get the knee to bend.

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ellerbracke | @ellerbracke | Oct 6, 2018
In reply to @dduke "My arthroscopy changed my life. I had therapy every day for a few weeks, then three..." + (show)
@dduke

My arthroscopy changed my life. I had therapy every day for a few weeks, then three times a week. I go to the gym every day to work the knee. I also attached a boat winch to a board and crank the leg using my pull strap. I have gotten 130 ROM. Leg still not perfect, but much, much, better.

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If I understand correctly, you had arthroscopy, not TKR, right? Where does one get daily therapy for a few weeks? I had TKR, home PT 3 times first week at home, now outpatient PT. Twice so far, 7 day intervals, now scheduled for every 10 days. Practically all exercises/rehab at home on my own. Not saying that’s necessarily bad, I’m motivated enough, but between your intense schedule and my loosely supervised recovery there’s a huge difference! Prior to replacement I had arthroscopy on the same knee as well, and I used one of those exercise rubber bands to force knee to bend. Also got to 135 within about 8 weeks. Unfortunately, more arthritis as well as bone spurs developed, and now I have rehab deja vue!

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