Sader brace

[Guest guest]

I am 8 weeks out from TKR and am worried about the amount of flexion that I have

at this point. I am at 0 degrees extension but at most with the PT pushing me

to the point of pain at 100 degrees flexion. I had alot of pain and swelling

early on and so my PT although frequent was not extremely vigorous. I saw my OS

at 6 weeks and he seemed okay with the one day of 100 degree flexion at that

point. My therapist and I are thinking that even with 3x a week PT that I am

not making anymore progress with the flexion (on my own I have 85 degrees

flexion). My OS says that it is too early for him to consider manipulation but

now wants me to try a Sader brace that I will wear at night when I am sleeping

(I say that lightly as sleeping is not exactly easy or long lasting). I would

like to hear from anyone who has had experience with this and what they gained

from it.

Terri

[Guest guest]

Hi Terri,

I don't know anything about the Sader brace so won't offer an opinion about it.

Perhaps you could tell me a bit about it.

As far as flexion at this point in your recuperation....you aren't the only one

with a slower rate of flexion return. I too have struggled with flexion,

particularly with my left knee. My surgery was in mid-July, and I didn't reach

100 in the left knee till late October. My PT verbalized more concern about

lack of progress during that time than my OS did. (Like you, I had a lot of

pain and swelling. A good portion of mine is due to lymphadmema and it has

affected my progress particularly in the early months.

I am at nearly 0 degress extension on my left leg, and two weeks ago I was at -8

on the right. I still feel a bit of a " glitch " in my right knee which prevents

a full extension, but it is gradually loosening up and I can tell it isn't at 0

yet...but it feels better that the -8.

Keep up the work with your PT, and continue with your HEP. You should be having

an appointment with your OS at about 3 months, and you can bring the issue up

again then.

And please, don't compare yourself with other peoples' progress, or beat

yourself over your progress. It will come.