Knee Pain Question.

[DawnCt1]

I didn't mention this before because it got better but last spring, before I fell and tore my rotator cuff, I stepped in a chipmunk hole and hyperextended my knee. It hurt for a while but within a couple of weeks I was running on it again. I had a couple of "flare ups" but usually they were brought on when I didn't pay attention and hyperextended my knee again. It seems to slip back easily. Well, after weeks of inactivity, I started walking in the mall with my weight for my RSD and my knee started acting up again. I am down to 16 PT visits and I mentioned it to my orthopedist today. He feels there is an effusion and on xray the knee cap seems to slip out of the grove when my knee is flexed. My goal, knee strengthening exercises. I don't think that there is anything that needs surgery, although he mentioned a torn miniscus. What are some good knee strengthening exercises for those of you with a history of knee problems. I see the PT for my hand and shoulder tomorrow but can't get a knee eval. from the PT until next week.

 

[brerrabbit]

I'm at work now but I think I have some knee exercises at home from my knee surgery last August. I had my other knee done two weeks ago. Torn Menascil cartilidge. Whenever I would kneel or bend my knee to far there was a burning pain along the side. Well after surgery I learned that I also have a degeneration of the cartilidge and when they did the procedure they harvested a piece from a non weight bearing area and sent it off to Boston. Supposedly there is a lab there which is the only one like it in the country and they will grow additional cartilide. Then in June after all my commitments for the year they are going to transplant the cartilidge back into my knee. I will be off the knee for six weeks and the whole process with PT will take a year. The transplant requires major surgery and not just arthriscopic. I'm doing this so I won't need a knee replacement in 10 years.

 

[Kitty 34]

Dawn, if I can get ahold of my oldest DS (he lives in Illinois and is coaching a game tonight) I will ask him. He had 5 knee surgeries while in college and spent two years strengthening his knee so he could continue playing basketball. I know he'd know some good ones for you.

 

[DawnCt1]

I'm at work now but I think I have some knee exercises at home from my knee surgery last August. I had my other knee done two weeks ago. Torn Menascil cartilidge. Whenever I would kneel or bend my knee to far there was a burning pain along the side. Well after surgery I learned that I also have a degeneration of the cartilidge and when they did the procedure they harvested a piece from a non weight bearing area and sent it off to Boston. Supposedly there is a lab there which is the only one like it in the country and they will grow additional cartilide. Then in June after all my commitments for the year they are going to transplant the cartilidge back into my knee. I will be off the knee for six weeks and the whole process with PT will take a year. The transplant requires major surgery and not just arthriscopic. I'm doing this so I won't need a knee replacement in 10 years.

WOW, good luck to you. I don't blame you. Real knees are better than replacements anytime.

 

[Huggles]

I now have arthritis in my knees (and a missing right, lateral meniscus) from many, many years of playing sport but recently I have been troubled by a kneecap which doesn't track correctly. The physio advised me to build up the muscles by swimming BUT, FRONT CRAWL AND BACKSTROKE only as they are the only ones which leave the leg working with the kneecap in its proper position. The exercise then builds the muscles to support the kneecap in the proper place. After that ( swimming daily) it was leg extensions ( sitting in a chair and lifting leg from bent to straight out BUT with the foot turned outwards and holding for as long as possible in straight position). My problems are exacerbated by having a hereditary condition of loose ligaments and so I have to build the muscles up to take over some of the 'retention' work my ligaments should be performing.
Hope the exercises mentioned are of use to you.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

For my post surgery recovery---(meniscus tear)

The things i used to strengthen....

Started with leg lifts on the edge of a table or bed and just lifting the leg to straight and then back down. Then slowly added weight to the ankles. Then eventually moved to a machine so that I could use more weight. Basically I was restrengthening the quad muscles.

I also did something with a step....step up and strengthen leg and step down using full range of motion. (hard to explain as I don't quite remember the exercise--but essentially you are kind of sort of replicating a squat move...but going up instead of down and not stressing out the knee anywhere near as much).

Additionally--I used an exercise bike to help with range of motion and it also served some minor strengthening purposes.

But I will say with a meniscus tear--surgery to remove it was the best thing I could have ever done for it. It was popping for ~15 years and flared up in the months preceding the surgery. Post surgery despite the recovery was a night and day difference.

And my removal was Oct 26th, 2005 and I ran/walked the Disney half in January 2006 in near record time for myself considering I was out of commission for 5-6 weeks during my training with the surgery. Standard long term recovery for a tear removal or repair for whom I saw was 4-6 months. So I did recover a little more after the half.


Good luck!

 

[DawnCt1]

Thanks everyone! I am going to avoid surgery at all costs due to dealing with RSD in my hand following shoulder surgery. I am worried about getting it in my foot.

 

[DawnCt1]

Dawn, if I can get ahold of my oldest DS (he lives in Illinois and is coaching a game tonight) I will ask him. He had 5 knee surgeries while in college and spent two years strengthening his knee so he could continue playing basketball. I know he'd know some good ones for you.

Great! Thanks Kitty.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks everyone! I am going to avoid surgery at all costs due to dealing with RSD in my hand following shoulder surgery. I am worried about getting it in my foot.

What is RSD?

IF it is any consollation--I don't have any other problems in my feet...other than they are still the size of aircraft carriers.

 

[DawnCt1]

For my post surgery recovery---(meniscus tear)

The things i used to strengthen....

!

Thanks Lisa, I am raising and lowering my leg as we "speak".

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Thanks Lisa, I am raising and lowering my leg as we "speak".

I believe you need to make sure you fully extend the leg so that the quad fully contracts. Just FYI.

 

[DawnCt1]

What is RSD?

IF it is any consollation--I don't have any other problems in my feet...other than they are still the size of aircraft carriers.

It's Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or the new name Complex regional pain syndrome. Its a short circuit of the nervous system causing sympathetic nervous system (involuntary) symptoms. Swelling, immobility, discoloration, bone absorption, etc. It is uncommon after surgery and more common following severe trauma. My orthopedist caught mine early. Some people go for years without a diagnosis. I think I am getting better.

 

[Tazicket]

Another way to work the quad is to sit with your legs straight out in front of you. Roll up a towel and put it under your knee. Now, press down with your knee and lift your lower leg. This is essentially the very end of a full leg lift (and the only part of the motion that works the quad). In PT they called them short arc quads.

I had the section of bone that my patellar tendon anchors to (the tibial tuberosity) moved into its proper place about a year and a half ago. It was too far to the outside of my leg. I dislocated the kneecap about 6 years ago and it never fully recovered b/c of the position of the anchor. By the time they did the surgery to fix it, it was a total mess and I had practically no quad muscle in my right leg.

I'm still nowhere near normal, but I can walk without a cane. Other exercises they had me do were:
walk in a water tank (on a treadmill- it had jacuzzi lights in it!!)
go up steps (start short, then build up as the knee gets stronger)
use a theraband for resistance exercises (loop it behind the knee and anchor it to a table leg, then straighten the knee against the resistance)

**Disclaimer- the above post is not intended to diagnose or treat specific knee issues. The suggestions rendered therein are provided only as examples of what this poster experienced in PT recovering from major knee surgery. Thank you**

 

[powellrj]

I am on week 7 of total knee replacement. I started with PT a year before my surgery to hold off the surgery as long as I could.

Water exercise was what helped me the most. I would do walking laps in the pool. I would walk forward, backwards and sideways to begin. I would then do stretching exercises at the water bar and then do walking and stretching on the stairs. I would finish with 10 minutes of water peddling which was to put 2 pool noodles behind my shoulders and peddle my legs.

I have just started back with my water exercises this week because I finished my PT for my knee replacement 2 weeks ago. I am hoping to hold off on the other knee until next year.

Good Luck