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Active Extension lag after knee surgery
Sir
I had undergone surgery for removal of giant cell tumor from my distal femur region of right knee. The surgery took place on 14/4/2022. It has been close to 6 months after surgery but i am experiencing an active extension lag of 20 degrees although passively i am able to extend the knee fully. My flexion range is 120 degrees as of now but the movement is not free as i experience stiffness after excercise and i achieve flexion of 120 during excercise. The range of movements starts at 105 and goes till 120-122 during excercise.
How can I achieve full range of motion actively and will this extension lag be permanent?
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Do quadriceps strengthening exercises
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Extension lag is caused due to weakness of the Quadriceps group of muscle especially the "Vastus medialis Obliqus" most commonly(Unless the patella has been touched or Quadriceps muscle has been severed).
So the treatment is mainly aimed at strengthening the Quadriceps to regain that terminal extension.
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Thorough Quadriceps strengthening exercises will definitely help
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Online consultation will help rule out any other causes and to assess if permanent
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Dr. Anton Job Romesh Prasad
Orthopedist
24 yrs exp
Chennai
Kindly post your post op xray to ascertain what surgery was performed. Extensor lag will improve with therapy however restriction of flexion has to be addressed seriously. I hope you have a good therapist who is capable of joint manipulation, soft tissue release and mobilisation to get more flexion. There are Electrotherapy techniques to stimulate Quadriceps to contract strongly.
However the intensity of rehab depends on the surgery done and should be discussed with the operating surgeon.
It is a long process but at no point can you stop otherwise the final result will be sub optimal. Its been 6 months so I presume you can be made to do more strenuous exercises
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Dr. Junaid Shaikh
Orthopedic surgeon
4 yrs exp
Ahmedabad
Continue physiotherapy
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Disclaimer : The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.