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Manipulation Under Anesthesia, Part II

My right knee was replaced on May 22. I have had physical therapy regularly in the intervening (nearly) twelve weeks. I have recovered most of my flexibility but not as much as I and my health care team want. The most visible symptom is that when I walk down stairs my right foot catches regularly on the step, my knee not bending enough to avoid it. Less visibly I am aware of the small (five or ten degrees) deficit in flexibility whenever I walk.

When my left knee was replaced in 2021 and I was at a similar stage I had a procedure known as Manipulation Under Anesthesia performed as an outpatient procedure. I was given a general anesthetic and the surgeon bent my knee enough to rip the scar tissue. I am scheduled to have the same procedure first thing tomorrow morning.

While there are no guarantees about tomorrow, four years ago the MUA worked perfectly. I had no pain after the procedure (the scar tissue not having a lot of nerve tissue) and my knee acquired the necessary flexibility. It is not the knee I was born with nor is it the knee that caused me a good deal of pain (due to arthritis) and required me to use a cane. I am hopeful that tomorrow will achieve much if not all of the same improvement.

I am not unduly afraid of the general anesthetic, this being something like the eighth time for me. There are risks but I commute on the interstate an hour each way on workdays. That is a greater risk and I try not to give real estate in my head to low-probability fears.

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