what seems to work

[Guest guest]

Hello - Just wanted to add my 2 cents' on what has helped me...

 

---Doing wall-sits, as well and anything where my knees bend, is amped up and

seems to work better when I turn my toes inward (in a V, as someone else

mentioned) and angle the knees to aim slightly outward. I did ballet for years

in my youth and I think it (the turnout) contributed to my chondromalaccia.  The

V-ing counteracts the turnout that did me in.  (No puns there!)

 

---I have had great success keeping the worst of the pain at bay by doing the

knee bends, focusing on the vastus medialis muscles.  But I do know this won't

help everyone.  I do upwards of 100 reps of simple bends on a machine (feet

pointed or flexed, I alternate) while seated with good support under my thighs

and only go to about 30 degrees. And between 10 and 15 pounds combined for both

legs together. I do this then stretch the IT bands...standing sideways on a

stair or on something raised, or just in place.  Re: the full extension, one doc

gave me some pills for a week, some new cox2 inhibitors, to damp down the

inflammation but also to avoid the pain and to DO the full extension - he said

that if I didn't straighten it fully, I would not be targeting or strengthening

the VM as much as was really called for.  Being pain-free was remarkable!  But

I'd never take the pills longer.  This strategy helped...I got stronger and had

less pain after

the week with the pills.

 

---Strengthening my hip flexors seems to have helped a great deal, too. A PT

found they were weaker and so I added that to my regular workouts with success.

 

---Ice, yes that always helps when the pain's been bad! And rest. 

 

I am planning to try prolotherapy in a few months' time and will report how that

goes. But in the meantime...I can SO relate when people talk about going down

stairs or steep inclines sideways!  Sometimes I go down diagonally, side to

side, in zig zag fashion.  I know it doesn't change anything but I feel less

crazy and frustrated when I hear from others how they also have focused so much

on knees and avoiding knee pain.  I know it won't work forever but having strong

quads makes such a difference.  I am currently living at the top of a very steep

street and am shocked that it isn't positively excruciating!  I think they have

now become strong enough so that the climbing up and down also keeps them in

better shape and not hurting me!

 

Sally