MUA Cancelled, Hardware Removal Postponed

Well the jury is out on the MUA and my doctor has decided that it doesn't need to go ahead. He feels that although my Range of Movement progress is slow (70-90 in two weeks), it is nevertheless steady and the strength in my quads is building (also slowly) so he doesn't want to disrupt that. 

The sudden pain that started last week, just above my patella is apparently a shifted pin, digging into the ligament there. It only occurs when engaging my quads when my leg gets to about 20 degrees. Before 20 degrees, no pain - past 20 degrees, no pain hence the feeling that its a shifted pin causing it. He felt that the hardware should probably be removed, but because the skin over my knee is quite tender and shiny, indicating possible scar tissue/nerve healing problems, he doesn't want to go ahead and cut it open again just yet. So I have to wait a little while longer for that, and basically keep doing what I'm doing with PT for now.

He also suggested that I need to move onto using just the one crutch now and agreed that I can arrange a date to return to work. Driving may be a bit more of an issue, so I'll need to find a way around that for now, but the doc said that as soon as I feel confident enough to have a go at it I can go ahead and try.

So all good I guess ... not sure my Physio Therapist will see it that way when I see him tomorrow, he was quite keen to have me get the MUA done! To save him some work maybe ......?

Considering Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA)

13 Weeks Post Op - Quad Atrophy

After three weeks on the Physio rolling program, my range of motion had increased from 48 degrees to 72 degrees and my quad muscles had finally begun to wake up and I could do a straight leg raise. I had completely ditched the support brace and had learnt to walk more confidently on crutches (I still have the zimmer frame, but only use that if I'm having a bit of a wobbly day). My leg was feeling generally stronger and my confidence was gradually coming back. It felt like progress to me, considering that less than a month before I was a dithering wreck unable to take even the tiniest step without panicking.

My physio therapist said that he would update my orthopedic doctor ahead of my six week check up the following week. When the day arrived I waited in the cubicle whilst the physio and doctor "discussed" me the other side of the curtain! Then the doctor came in to see me, saying that he'd been told I was struggling with the strength and bend in my knee and that they were considering an MUA. He explained to me that there is only a small window of time in which to carry out the MUA and its important to get it right. Wait too long and the scar tissue and adhesions may become too hardened to do the procedure effectively - do it too soon and it could cause further set backs. I don't know what these set backs are, but imagine they have something to do with muscle soreness and confidence. I'd read about MUA's on KneeGeeks so it wasn't complete news to me, I'd kind of expected that this may crop up sooner or later.

The doctor examined my knee and asked me to demonstrate the bend and a short leg raise whilst sitting in my chair. He seemed surprised to see how much I could do with it and that it was "better than the picture" he'd had from the physio. I explained to him that there had been hold ups with my commencing proper physio therapy and that I felt there had been a lot of progress generally since I'd started the program. He agreed that this seemed to be the case and said that he would have more concern if there was no progress at all in that time. He decided to give it a couple more weeks to see how things go and revisit the possibility of MUA when I next see him on 14 March.

I was fairly happy with this, it seemed like a reasonable bargain, so now its down to me to see how much I can work on the ROM and improve my quads before my next appointment. Scare tactics to make me push it more perhaps? Whatever it is, it seems to be working because by the weekend my ROM was at 80 degrees, it would be good if I can achieve 90+ by the time I see the doctor again ... but will that be enough?

Progression (or Regression?) to a Zimmer Walking Frame

After a week of rubbish attempts at walking without my splint I finally got to see my physio. She confirmed that there is a slow progress with my range of movement in my knee (now at 40) but was concerned to see how wobbly I was on my crutches. The problem was that I was so scared of my leg giving way, I was trying to compensate with the rest of my body and holding myself way too stiff to make any decent attempt at walking. 


She decided to try me out walking between parallel bar in the gym, which I managed surprisingly well, without panicking too! So from there she suggested I tried a walking (zimmer) frame until I build my confidence up a little more. This worked great and I was even able to walk with my brace let out to 90% ... I'd still been trying to walk with it locked until then! 


I've been using the walker at home for 4 days now and have progressed from a stooping dithering wreck, to being confident enough to stand up straight and tall and take "real" steps, with one foot in front of the other, instead of mini shuffle steps. Today I actually sat at the table to eat a meal instead of having it on my lap, first time in 2 months! Best achievement of the week though has to be making it to the loo on my own ... time to start regaining some dignity at last!


The exercises are still very hard work and a few extras have been added. Now that I can sit with my leg to the floor I can do some heel slides from that position, and I also have a bolster for under my leg to try short leg raises when I sitting on my bed. I'm still not able to get my leg from bed/sofa to floor and vice versa without some help, but I guess as my confidence continues to build I will experiment with some ways to achieve this.


What a difference a week makes ... this time last week i was ready to give up and feeling very sorry for myself, ... this week I can see some of the light at the end of the tunnel ...even if it is a long way off yet.