Four Years After A Tibia Plateau Fracture, Bone Graft Surgery And Then A Knee Replacement A Year Ago, The Muscles Are Not Strong Enough To Prevent Knee Pain After Walking, Etc. Even After Physical Therapy, Rehab At The Gym Etc. How Can I Strengthen?
I would suggest changing your physical therapy routine. You need to have strength as well as flexibility exercises. Maybe the exercise you were doing were not correct or were not appropriate for your particular condition. It sounds as if you have had a lot of things done on this knee. It may never return to its normal state. You may want to discuss this with your doctor and tell him that physical therapy is not helping, and see what he suggest that you do.
I had surgery in March of 2008 for a comminuted fracture of the proximal left tibia plateau (centrally and laterally) as well as multiple vertical fractures of the tibia itself. I was in physical therapy from March until May 2008. I went into what is known as therapy maintenance until April 2009. I performed the entire therapist recommended exercises as well as using gym equipment. Even with all of this, I was still walking with a slight limp (left leg 1/4" shorter), had knee pain, balance issues, and my muscles were still weak. My doctor sent me back to physical therapy on May 1 and I have been there ever since. My routine has been changed. I sit on a muscle massage bed with a heat pack on the knee to relax the muscles. After ten minutes, I get ultrasound and then physical massage on the problem areas before stretching and exercising. After quite an extensive workout, my left leg is placed in an ice compression pack for ten minutes and then I receive iontophoresis. I have had a total of 11 visits and my swelling has decreased a little, my balance (gait) is much better, my quads are stronger, and my pain has subsided somewhat. I still have scar tissue and inflammation which needs to be addressed, but I am much happier with this therapy regime. We'll see what happens.
