3 1/2 month update

Another PT visit, more pain. But most importantly, continued progress. I’m now at 135 degrees flexion, up from the 131 on Friday, which was up from 130 degrees last Monday. Apparently I haven’t hit the flexion wall yet. Yay me! 135 is at the bottom range of what’s considered “full ROM.” I don’t know if I’ll ever regain 100% flexion, but even if I don’t, those last 10 degrees shouldn’t prevent me from functioning normally. And who knows, maybe I'll eventually reach 145.

My extension, however, is a bit lacking. Full extension refers to the ability to keep the leg in a completely straight line in mid-air from a seated position. I’m 4 degrees short of full extension. Basically, my knee bends a tiny bit. That’s not terrible, but I should be at full extension by now. I believe I just need to improve my quad strength to reach full extension, but I’m not positive. I meet with my surgeon next Monday, and this is something we’ll cover.

The knee generally feels ok. Still no pains, though my knee gets tired if I remain standing for extended periods of time, get up and down repeatedly, or walk long distances (ie, 1 mile or so). The knee continues to “crack” or “pop” whenever my knee extends between 45 – 90 degrees, though not from 0 - 45. It doesn’t hurt, but the noise suggests there might be some overgrowth or undergrowth at the implant site. It’s still too early to tell. The cells, after all, continue to mature (harden) for 12-18 months. The back of my knee also seems to make a slight popping sound, like a pinkie knuckle cracking, each time my leg goes from completely straight to slightly bent. It doesn’t hurt, and I suspect (and hope) it’s just scar tissue breaking up. That also might be why I can’t reach full extension. Again, that’s another topic I’ll cover with the surgeon. Keep your fingers crossed...