Re: Rowing Machines

[Guest guest]

Rowing is (or should be) all done with the legs, so it would be like doing

squats over & over. If you can do the elliptical, that would be better. I

don't know how long you've been on the list, but I bought a Gazelle, where you

can get aerobic w/o bending your knees at all (only the two most expensive ones

-- $435 for the Evolution -- have adjustable resistance, which I recommend),

and it's been working very well for me so far. I've had it about two weeks.

They let you test it for free for 60 days.

Also, have you tried taping your knee (McConnell taping)?

Ann

Rowing machines

Anyone here tried using a rowing machine? Is it easy on the knees? I

am looking to purchase one because all the other aerobic activities

like walking,biking etc seem to bother my knee...any insight into

this will be appreciated, thank you.

-Chandra

[Guest guest]

hi

I have been reading every posting for months now, trying to learn all I could

about chondromalacia and knee pain in general.

I have fibromyalgia. I am pretty sure I have ITBS. I was diagnosed with

chondromalacia 20 some odd years ago in my late twenties.

I had joined the military a few years before that ,and in basic training I asked

what I could do to alleviate the mild knee pain I felt when running. They only

issued high top canvas runners back then, but I went out and bought my own

" running shoes " - Northstars.

Actually not much better than canvas sneakers but I didn't know any better.

After a few years of wearing steel toed ankle boots with absolutely no arch

support, I guess my knees didn't like it anymore.

I did the physio and got better educated about running shoes. I wasn't too badly

off, in fact I went barefoot most of the time until I had my second child. I

don't know if it was because of having been pregnant or being on my feet all the

time, my knees started going downhill.

Over the years I became sorer and sorer and was finally given the diagnoses of

fibromyalgia. Big umbrella isn't it. Covers a lot of stuff.

Anyway, 15 years later, many pairs of orthotics (and some of them were

instruments of torture, depending on who had made them) and expensive athletic

shoes later...

Four months ago my knees blew up BIG time. I can't remember an episode being

this bad. I was even using a stick to get around.

I did what usually worked before. I spent a lot of time and money going for

massage and acupuncture, but nothing lasted more than a day until I started

taping my knees as has been suggested on this site. Even that wasn't working

too well until I started taping them DOWN instead of UP.

I did a lot of bike riding to keep the circulation going and a different style

of acupuncture.

My doctor referred me to an orthopaedic surgeon who I finally saw today.

I guess in my heart of hearts, I was thinking he could tell me WHY my knees had

gotten so bad so quickly. One day I was in my normal state of affairs and then

Boom, there I was. At first they were so swollen they didn't really hurt to

badly but as the swelling abated a bit they really hurt and my feet hurt as

well, so that it was very painful even to put weight on them.

That is why I don't think the problem was all arthritis as this surgeon said

today. I feel there was, and my chiropractor/naturopath felt as well, that there

was something systemic going on - Let's see....Layoff, expensive retraining,job

search - not too much stress do you think?

Anyway. enough rambling. Back to today.

This guy doesn't even take 10 minutes. Didn't want to hear about the time,

effort and money I put into pulling myself up from that abyss.

Nope. You're fifty. Knees don't last forever you know. 4 month waiting list.

See you then. And he was gone. I felt like I was a piece of meat on the slab.

Mind you I was halfway prepared because I have gone to the sports clinic here in

the city before and I am starting to learn that this seems to be how orhtopedic

surgeons operate (sorry, bad pun).

He wouldn't even take 5 extra minutes to answer my questions about the surgery

or offer other options. He just asked how much I weighed and how old I was and I

feel that pigeon-holed me.Do all orthopedic surgeons need a personality

transplant or is it just specialists in general. He wouldn't even write a

prescription for new orthotics or even recommend if I should get different shoes

- nothing but surgery - that's what he was there for.

I was pretty upset, so I decided to ask my physiotherapist what gives.

He suggested getting a second opinion and a CT scan. He said he wouldn't " to

just take someone telling him he need surgery without being given all the

parameters.

I am not saying that I don't need the surgery, but I am not just a sheep willing

to do something because my Doctor (God) says I should.

I gave up being the good little patient a long time ago when I realized that

medications were making me sicker and causing more problems.

This guy says I have the roughness behind my knee caps and some arthritis

developing in the hinge joint between the femur and the tibia itself.

Some of my questions are:

If I get the arthroscopy, how long is it good for?

How long would it be until I get around?

How long would I be off work? ( I just started my new job. They seem to like me,

but how patient would they be?)

How can I tell the severity of this arthritis?

Can I put it off?

What would happen if I postponed it?

Will the fibromyalgia affect the healing process?

I have other questions but it is getting late now and I need to go to sleep.

Thank you for listening to me and for all the help and insight this group has

given me.

What would a CT scan show?

Eileen

Rowing machines

Anyone here tried using a rowing machine? Is it easy on the knees? I

am looking to purchase one because all the other aerobic activities

like walking,biking etc seem to bother my knee...any insight into

this will be appreciated, thank you.

-Chandra

[Guest guest]

Believe it or not, in my years to find the " fun " machine, my husband got one for

us. First off this was about 20 yrs. ago, it was hard on me to get up and down

from the floor. I guess now there are those higher up. The seat moved forward

and backwards and it was hard to keep my legs and feet in proper position as

legs were weak. It was very hard to move because the foot/leg position was

stable, only the seat went forward and backwards. Legs were too weak. It

killed my lower back. That is what it works.

My physcians said " why do you want to waste what strength you have left on a

piece of equipment/metal " - so it's a stretch band for me.

Donna B.

[Guest guest]

Donna B.,

I suppose I am lucky to have a strong core (body from knees to elbows)

from the sports I played before CMT put me on the sidelines. I am 61

and had my first noticeable symptoms at 55 and was very active during

those years except when I kept having ankle sprains. Ah!, the

precursor of life to come!

Thanks for the input. I didn't think of the problem of getting up from

the floor. When I have to get up from the floor, I look like Kermit

without a left leg. I make it, but all grace is gone!

Larry S.