Przemek's arthrofibrosis story

I ultimately underwent surgery to remove knee adhesions in Poland, and I am happy to report that everything went very well. I have currently achieved 135° of knee flexion and maintained full extension. I have returned to an active lifestyle—I cycle, go on long walks, practice Nordic Walking, train at the gym, and even hike in the mountains. While my knee is still a “work in progress,” the most important thing is that I am no longer disabled. I have reclaimed my mobility and my life.

Looking back, I believe the biggest factors that made the difference in my recovery were the following:

1) The right physiotherapist and the right “dose” of rehabilitation

A major turning point in my recovery was working with the right physiotherapist. He was fully engaged and extremely supportive: we were in constant contact, he visited me at home, and I could message him almost anytime to consult about symptoms and my knee’s reactions (swelling, pain, heat) and adjust the rehabilitation plan. This level of guidance and responsiveness was crucial.

I discussed with him what, from his perspective, was most important in my case. He emphasised that with arthrofibrosis, it is rarely “one magic thing” that works. The key is cooperation between the patient, the physiotherapist, and close support person(s), combined with a careful, controlled rehabilitation process.

He also clearly noted that my daily work, consistency, and persistence were essential, and that my wife’s strong support made a major difference in maintaining consistency and coping during the most difficult psychological moments.

From a clinical and rehabilitation perspective, the principles he considered most important were:

• gentle, frequent, and controlled therapy, without forcefully “breaking” range of motion,

• working in comfort (ideally around 0–4/10 pain), without pushing through pain,

• continuous monitoring of the knee’s response and modifying the plan if pain, stiffness, or swelling increased,

• a strong focus on controlling inflammation and swelling (avoiding overload, icing when needed, and reacting quickly to flare-ups),

• key therapy components such as soft tissue and fascial work, patellar mobilisation, controlled muscle activation (especially the quadriceps), and gradually improving the quality of movement.

He strongly believed that patience, precision, and consistency matter far more than intensity.

2) The surgeon’s role

I also believe that my surgeon played a major role, as he ultimately performed the arthrolysis and adhesion removal procedure.

3) Consistency and family support

I was extremely systematic with my home rehabilitation program and performed it every day, even when it was mentally very difficult. My wife’s support was crucial—without it, it would have been much harder to remain consistent and emotionally stable during the worst moments.

4) CPM after arthrolysis — slow, gentle, and inflammation-free

After arthrolysis, the CPM machine became an important tool in my recovery. What mattered most was that the hospital physiotherapist instructed me to use the CPM very slowly, in order to avoid provoking bleeding or inflammation.

From my subjective experience, my knee responded exceptionally well after arthrolysis. It was not “angry” or inflamed, and the CPM helped me safely regain range of motion.

5) Mental focus and motivation

Psychologically, this was a very dark period—at times it honestly felt like hell—but I maintained full focus on recovery. Even during the worst moments, I continued to do the exercises and held onto the belief that I would regain my mobility.

6) A realistic “return-to-life” mindset

Now that I am doing much better, I also believe it is important to adjust expectations. The operated leg may never feel exactly like it did before the injury and surgeries. Accepting this and focusing on function rather than perfection has helped me greatly.