Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 Hi, I'm an adventure racer, specializing in 2-3 day races which typically cover 50-60 miles on foot (running or trekking), 100-150 on a mountain bike, and 40-60 of paddling (white water, flat water, etc.). I've struggled with what I thought was ITBS for many years -- pain on the outside of the right knee. Through yoga, and about 3 months of chiro a few years back, I've mostly been able to keep that pain in check, though it's never fully been healed and I've had to limit my training accordingly. Then, about 6 weeks ago, the nagging pain came back. Well, I thought it was the same, but now looking back, it may have felt slightly different. And then 2 weeks ago, I got very sharp twinges of pain, culminating in " fall down and cry " kind of pain when starting a lawn mower. Then I could barely move it for a few days, though now I have decent range of motion without pain, though still some twinges of discomfort if I move it wrong. So x-rays and mri show that I have bone contusion on my femur, and that is caused by poor tracking of the patella. (There is a slight chance I have a torn meniscus -- there was some irregularity in the MRI but the Dr. said he could not tell for certain if there was a tear unless he went in and looked.) Anyway, he wants to do a lateral release. All of this is new to me since I thought I had been dealing with ITBS all these years, and maybe that's what the old issue was and now I have something different. I definitely have poor alignment of the hips/pelvis, that cause a leg length descrepancy, etc. I'm wondering if a lateral release is a safe thing to do and what the probability of success is. The Dr. says about 4 weeks of doing next to nothing, then 6 weeks of re-hab, and I'd be back to where I am now (or at least close). He thinks I'll be able to train much more once the patella tracks better. Thoughts? Anyone have this done before? I'll likely get a 2nd opinion but thought I'd check here as well. Thanks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 > I hate to say this -- you're not going to welcome it and probably not going to follow my advice, since adventure racing is probably a large part of the way you think of yourself (I was that way about hiking & mtn climbing, so I understand), but if you continue using your knees so heavily, you'll probably end up in way worse shape than you'd ever want to be. Could you just pleasure hike (being careful on the way down slopes)? I'm certainly not ready to give up yet. I've been fighting discomfort in that knee for 10 years, and thought I had it under control. I switched from road running to trails, got into yoga, started riding more, did a bit of Chiro (just a couple of months) until I learned how to keep it under control myself, etc. But then in the last 2 years my time for yoga has gone way down. I'm going to get a 2nd opinion as well as try some active release on it once the pain subsides, which it largley has over the past 17 days since it become unbearable. > Also I'm curious -- your paddling -- is that kayak or canoe? If canoe, do you put your weight on your knees? I'm also a canoer, and did put my weight on my knees, but obviously with CP can't now. I hate having to sit on the bench with my legs out in front of me & paddle!!! I do both kayak and canoe. When canoeing I tend to try to sit as much as possbile, but anytime there is white water, I switch to the knees. It's the only way to make it through the tougher sections. But being on my knees has never caused any problems. I'm not sure if it will hurt now or not! / www.triangle-ar-team.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 17, 2004 Report Share Posted August 17, 2004 I had a lateral release done on both knees, two weeks apart in April. Within 2 days after each surgery I walked two miles, and within four days my knees felt better than they did before the surgeries. My doctor couldn't believe it, but I understand this is much more successful than most LRs. Before the surgeries I could only be up and around about 2 to 3 hours a day before the pain became excrutiating and I had to lie down with ice packs on my knees. Mike MT lateral release > > > Hi, > > I'm an adventure racer, specializing in 2-3 day races which typically > cover 50-60 miles on foot (running or trekking), 100-150 on a mountain > bike, and 40-60 of paddling (white water, flat water, etc.). I've > struggled with what I thought was ITBS for many years -- pain on the > outside of the right knee. Through yoga, and about 3 months of chiro a > few years back, I've mostly been able to keep that pain in check, though > it's never fully been healed and I've had to limit my training accordingly. > > Then, about 6 weeks ago, the nagging pain came back. Well, I thought it > was the same, but now looking back, it may have felt slightly different. > And then 2 weeks ago, I got very sharp twinges of pain, culminating in > " fall down and cry " kind of pain when starting a lawn mower. Then I > could barely move it for a few days, though now I have decent range of > motion without pain, though still some twinges of discomfort if I move > it wrong. > > So x-rays and mri show that I have bone contusion on my femur, and that > is caused by poor tracking of the patella. (There is a slight chance I > have a torn meniscus -- there was some irregularity in the MRI but the > Dr. said he could not tell for certain if there was a tear unless he > went in and looked.) > > Anyway, he wants to do a lateral release. All of this is new to me > since I thought I had been dealing with ITBS all these years, and maybe > that's what the old issue was and now I have something different. > > I definitely have poor alignment of the hips/pelvis, that cause a leg > length descrepancy, etc. I'm wondering if a lateral release is a safe > thing to do and what the probability of success is. The Dr. says about > 4 weeks of doing next to nothing, then 6 weeks of re-hab, and I'd be > back to where I am now (or at least close). He thinks I'll be able to > train much more once the patella tracks better. > > Thoughts? Anyone have this done before? I'll likely get a 2nd opinion > but thought I'd check here as well. > > Thanks, > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 15, 2005 Report Share Posted May 15, 2005 Hi , I have had a lateral release done on both knees during the same surgery when I had the scraping done. I must say now my left knee feels better than before but my right knee which used to be my " good knee " is now my bad one. I had one done then the other a month later I think, this has been almost two years ago. I am 26, I still use my cane occasionally I lead up the steps with my left knee because my right does not have the same strength it used to. From what I understand the lat. release is supposed to loosen the pressure that the tendon? holds on the knee cap allowing it to travel easier and keeping it from rubbing or grinding. Everyone is different, my surgeon told me it was 50/50 whether it would make things better. True to what he said I got 50/50 results. My left knee is better and my right is worse. You are supposed to be on your feet quickly but mine caused me quite a bit of pain the first two days. Ask your doc about after surgery, they had mine wrapped up with a bladder type deal that hooked into a cooler with a pump and it circulated cold water all around my knee it was GREAT! Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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