Project self-rehabilitation has been going ok. Nothing fantastic and the progress is slow, but I am seeing progress.
The more time that passes, the more I doubt that the doctor looked ‘deep enough’. I think that the ortho specialist saw arthritis and stopped looking and thereby missed something else happening. And I don’t deny the arthritis diagnosis; it was just a repeat of what I already knew. But popping in my knee when I do certain movements…yeah, the ones accompanied by the sharp take your breath away pain…. yeah, that’s new and unique. Ohhh and it radiates up and down my leg. Hmmmm But that is neither hide nor hare….my response is still the same.
Self-Rehabilitation Time!
I have been continuing with my plan to work various muscles to help balance out my muscles. I’m talking to you, glutes and hamstrings! Yes, I’ve read the reports that my glutes may be weak causing the quads to overwork…causing an imbalance that affects the knee. (Ok, that was a dumbed down explanation, but it works!) So, I am working on my glutes. Because of the pain in the knee, I must watch what I am doing…..don’t want to aggravate it, I want to help! So, I have started with really basic exercises….and low and behold they HURT to do. Which tells me that my glutes need some help! As for the hamstrings…. well…. Almost every physical trainer that I have read talks about the quads but never mentions the hamstrings. Yet I know that sometimes I can FEEL the hamstrings in the back of my leg as I’m sitting. Hmmmmmm Then, just last night I read something in the book that I am reading, Built from Broken.
It talked about and imbalance between the quads and the hamstrings…if the quads are overpowering the hamstrings…. or if they pull a fast load quick and the hammy’s aren’t ready, it can cause issues that reverberate down the leg and really mess up the…..you guess it, the knee! Hmmm…so I am starting some basic hamstring work. I am not jumping into any machines at the gym….first because I can’t lower and rise from a seat without either good pain and a loud grunt or some assistance (hello grab bar in the work bathroom!). But secondly, I am doing this rehabilitation slow and measured…. Large/high weights isn’t the answer….that is what I was doing the night this happened. (pushing large weights on ‘leg day’….as per my trainer’s advice) so simple body movements right now to pinpoint the weak spots in my body!
I have been trying to walk as much as possible. Self-explanatory of course……
I have been trying to use my muscle roller more consistently on the leg muscles…because another Physical therapy dude mentioned knots in the muscles of the leg that can wreak havoc. So, I am rolling those muscles…CHECK!
And of course healthy eating and water consumption. I am doing pretty good with my food and water intake. The weight is coming off…..slowly. I get frustrated with how slow it is coming off. I think it’s my age, it wasn’t this hard way back when. But that’s ok, we aren’t looking backwards, only forward.
And it is coming off!
