Need ideas - bad knee

jcraig1980

I really love to run. I even have a treadmill so that I can run when the weather is crappy. I also love to go mountain biking and such when the weather is nice. I love doing these things, however I cannot do them with the frequency I wish. Since I was pregnant with my daughter my knees have never been the same. My right knee is by far the worst, causing me pain just by crossing my legs or making a turn while walking. I have been to the doctor and dx with knee (something like patella perf...) pain syndorme. My knee cap rubs my femur bone. My PA said that there wasn't much to do about it except wait until it is bad enough and then get surgery. I didn't like that answer, so I went to PT. PT didn't help much either. But I have yet to try a knee brace. I have tried shoe inserts, and they do help a little. I am curious if there is anyone out there that has found something that works. Possibly another woman that has gone through the same problem, following a pregnancy. I hate to give up these excercises that I love doing, because right now not doing them is causing me to feel a bit depressed. Thank You!

tiffanyheth

Not the same...but I injured my knee in high school volleyball and then again two years ago (twice in one summer)--pretty sure it was an ACL injury, but didn't have insurance to go have it checked out. My doc now says that there isn't really anything to be done about it until it is exacerbated again. Anyway, I use a very tight fitted knee brace, that has no hardware, so it's flexible but stiff. It seems to help hold it all together. I run with it on the treadmill and outside, and I'm currently doing P90X on it! Hope that helps.

meggyannpt

I would recommend maybe giving PT another shot, with a different PT. Generally patellofemoral pain syndrome can be treated pretty well with the correct strengthening program. If you don't want to go back, I would suggest focusing on hip strengthening exercises and quadriceps. Stretching your quadriceps is also going to be important.

The biggest thing with that kind of knee pain is NOT to push through the pain. You have to find a way to strengthen in a pain free way, or it won't ever get better. Ice is also your friend when it is hurting, and even when it is not hurting.

Here is a good exercise to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLFyIi5eqc

(Note: I am a 3rd year physical therapy student, and will graduate in May with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. These are great places to start, but only an examination by a PT will give you the best program.)

sissiluv

That sucks! The patella seems like such an easy thing to screw up...I was hit by a truck when I was 16 and from what I can piece together of various doctor reports and x-rays the patella was basically knocked out of place and either stayed there for awhile or just stayed loose in my knee for a few years, leaving me with very little lubricant in my knee so I was walking on it dry. A movement like squatting (which I had to perform on a daily basis for moving and lifting heavy boxes at work) shot a lance of fire up my leg, I can still remember that pain..uhg.

I ended up getting a cortisone shot into my knee which helped a lot, but the primary recommendation was strengthening it with something like water-therapy and swimming, so it's not as weight-bearing. Just building up the muscle around it helped a lot, even if it still hurts sometimes...like right now.

Definitely keep on trying with different PTs though, I hope you find someone who will actually help you. Good luck, I hope you get better soon!

jtndle

I've had knee pain for the last five years after a dislocation and surgery. Even after multiple times in pt and continued strength training my leg with the bad knee is just way weaker. I would also advise going back to physical therapy. As the other poster stated it should really help a lot to strengthen the correct muscles.

I continue to run on my knee up to half marathons. The pain varies and honestly is not too bad most of the time. In fact, I have found it gets worse if I take a little break in running. I do sometimes wear a Cho-Pat dual action knee brace. It is supposed to help the patella to track better and thus reducing pain. I try not to rely on it because I figure it is only weakening some muscles that need to be worked to keep the knee strong but I do use it if my pain is increasing for some reason and sometimes in a race.

benol1

Do give the PT another go, or find another one.
I had something similar. When I was at school, I ran 5 miles a day and when I left school was involved in Aikido for some years. Both damaged my left knee. Sometime later I noticed that when I was cycling the old injury got inflamed. I went to the PT and he gave me some exercises to strengthen some of the small muscles holding the patella in place. I also got cleated shoes & pedals and had them fitted properly and it resolved that issue. However, I have learned that my running days are over.

If still no good for you, perhaps you may wish to think about lap swimming? Its an amazing all-body calorie-shredding exercise.
kind regrds,

Ben

moxie1962

I would recommend maybe giving PT another shot, with a different PT. Generally patellofemoral pain syndrome can be treated pretty well with the correct strengthening program. If you don't want to go back, I would suggest focusing on hip strengthening exercises and quadriceps. Stretching your quadriceps is also going to be important.

The biggest thing with that kind of knee pain is NOT to push through the pain. You have to find a way to strengthen in a pain free way, or it won't ever get better. Ice is also your friend when it is hurting, and even when it is not hurting.

Here is a good exercise to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLFyIi5eqc

(Note: I am a 3rd year physical therapy student, and will graduate in May with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. These are great places to start, but only an examination by a PT will give you the best program.)

Would a Schwinn Airdyne bike give the same good results? Strengthening without weight bearing?

meggyannpt

I would recommend maybe giving PT another shot, with a different PT. Generally patellofemoral pain syndrome can be treated pretty well with the correct strengthening program. If you don't want to go back, I would suggest focusing on hip strengthening exercises and quadriceps. Stretching your quadriceps is also going to be important.

The biggest thing with that kind of knee pain is NOT to push through the pain. You have to find a way to strengthen in a pain free way, or it won't ever get better. Ice is also your friend when it is hurting, and even when it is not hurting.

Here is a good exercise to start with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJLFyIi5eqc

(Note: I am a 3rd year physical therapy student, and will graduate in May with a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. These are great places to start, but only an examination by a PT will give you the best program.)

Would a Schwinn Airdyne bike give the same good results? Strengthening without weight bearing?

Cycling/stationary bike is a great option to decrease weight bearing and still get cardio, but it won't really do much strengthening unless you put a lot of resistance on the bike, which would increase the stress through the knee (aka, what you are trying to avoid). Swimming and water aerobics are also great options, as a few others have suggested.

leelo1979

I have a horrible left knee as well. First I would find a new PT. A friend who is a PT has helped me a lot. I was doing my usual running, Insanity, HIIT and just really hurt it badly. She suggested calf exercises, strengthening your quads and gluteal muscles are huge. I have taken a break from the interval training and per her suggestion been doing dead lifts, Pilates or barre exercises and tae bo... I know it's old school but I was surprised with a little hand weights it is a great workout for calories burn and I've noticed my muscles looking leaner, which were getting bulky from hiit. But like others said swimming and stationary bike is good. Just try not to work through the pain, it will get worse and the bands only help so much. Our knees are getting hurt because they are compensating for a weak area like the calf, quads, glutes. Wishing you a speedy recovery :-)

jcraig1980

Thank you everyone for the great advice. I will be taking up much of the advice given. First I will work on strengthening my leg muscles. I have done lap swimming and perhaps I should do it more. It is comforting to hear from people who have actually found some relief. Thanks again!