Say What?

I don't like that I'm still talking about my rehab, but it's top-of-mind for me these days and will continue to be for a while, it seems. I went in for manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) three weeks ago today because I wasn't progressing as I should have for being able to bend my knee due to excessive swelling that resulted in restrictive scar tissue that developed when my leg was immobilized. An MUA is a procedure where they sedate the person and bend their knee beyond the obstructive scar tissue developed after the surgery—scar tissue that prevents a person from getting a fuller bend in their knee.  It's a quick procedure that takes mere seconds to perform but is not something you want to have done to you while you're awake. The procedure went well. My doctor was able to force my knee to bend to a 130° range of motion (ROM) while I was under. He cautioned me not to expect to continue to achieve that ROM. He said my goal should be 110°-115°. I would prefer 120...

I'm stuck in a Groundhog Day scenario. Every day, I follow the same limited routine to fill my days. I'm speaking about my recovery from total knee replacement surgery six weeks ago. I should be getting on with my regular routine by now, filling my winter afternoons with stained glass projects, workouts, pup walks, fat bike rides along the river trails (that one may be a bit too ambitious for six weeks), or even driving myself to the store, but none of those things are happening because my recovery has not gone to plan.  We met with my doctor last Monday to discuss the minimal range of motion I'm left with after my surgery–about 65° of flexion. I've been stuck at this point for at least two weeks, and I should have re-established nearly my full range of motion by now. I need 90° of flexion before I can begin to ride my indoor bike trainer, and I need 90-120° to climb stairs comfortably. The 65° I'm left with is woefully inadequate for much other than limping around ...