Stiffness following total knee arthroplasty is a disabling complication. One of the management options of stiffness includes manipulation under anaesthesia, but no real consensus exist on appropriate timing of intervention, and the timing and results of the manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) are under debate in the literature. Our aim was to determine the efficacy of single and multiple manipulations under anaesthesia following total knee arthroplasty and to determine the most appropriate timing for manipulation. We retrospectively reviewed 86 patients who underwent manipulation for stiffness following primary total knee replacement with at least 1-year follow-up. Range of motion before surgery, at the time of the MUA, immediately after MUA and at 6 weeks and 1 year post-MUA were recorded. At the end of 1 year post-manipulation, manipulations performed at less than 20 weeks, following primary total knee arthroplasty, showed 31° of flexion gain as compared to only 1.5° of flexion gain when manipulation was undertaken after 20 weeks. Of the 86 patients, 21 had multiple manipulations with no significant difference in flexion gain after the second manipulation. Patients on warfarin (26%) had an increased incidence of stiffness and poor flexion gain. This study showed that better results were achieved when manipulation was performed at less than 20 weeks (particularly between 12 and 14 weeks) from primary surgery with no added benefit from re-manipulations.

Injuries to the subtalar joint are often associated with fractures of the talus or calcaneum. These injuries often lead to degenerative changes resulting in pain, restriction of movement and difficulty in weight bearing. This can cause significant deformity and disability for the patient. Occult injury of the subtalar joint has been described as an isolated event or in association with a subluxation/dislocation of this joint. They are difficult to assess with plain radiography therefore, they are generally diagnosed with advanced imaging like CT scan or MRI scan. We present a case of a 66-year-old man who presented with destructive chondrolysis of the subtalar joint 2 years following conservative treatment of a minimally displaced distal fibular fracture. It was treated by subtalar and talonavicular arthrodesis. Overall, the patient made an excellent recovery and was satisfied with the outcome.