I'm going to make this straightforward.
My knees are crap.
According to my doctor, they are so bad (both of them) they should have started hurting years ago.
So there are two non-surgical medical treatments that could be tried. My research shows both are only marginally better than a placebo.
Anyway, I'm going for a second opinion, to see if I can find someone who will recommend physical therapy rather than shots and pills.
Fortunately, the knees feel enough better after a month plus of rest and anti-inflammatory pills that I'm going to try going on ice again, one more time. I've done some research and I need to apply some ice packs and that might help. Also, getting back in the habit of doing leg exercises may help me as well.
So, I'll try and keep you amused until I'm back on ice!
Happy skating!
Not so good news :-(. This sounds counter-intuitive, but start doing Step workouts! Best thing for knee rehab. Step was actually invented by an aerobics instructor who had knee injuries--her doctor recommended she step up and down a milk crate to strengthen the muscles that connect to the knee joint, and voila!, a light bulb went off in her head. Long story short, she sold her idea to Reebok, and she's now rich as Croesus. And, she's still one of the top instructors in the world, because she got her knees back! She's in her late fifties now, if not older.
ReplyDeleteFrom personal experience, Step has prolonged my knee shelf-life. I got into it because years of running and high-impact aerobics just about killed them. Guess that means skating will finish them off!
Sorry to hear your news. Hopefully you'll be able to find a non-surgical way to keep skating. Several of my friends who race small sail boats and ride bicycles have had knee replacements and have returned to full activity. I don't know what limitations knee replacement would have on ice skating. I wish you the best of luck.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what's wrong, but you might try glucosamine supplements. This is the thing that naturally lubricates joints, and it worked wonders for my TMJ jaw, and for my aching knees after a workout that's been too strenuous. You can buy it OTC, and as far as I know, there's nothing in it that could hurt you. Good luck with a second opinion!
ReplyDeleteYour knee problems may just be due to the wear and tear of an active life. In general women are more prone to knee injuries, like a torn ACL, because we overuse our quads and under use our hamstrings. There is definitely a role for physical therapy but there is also a role for the injections which provides lubrication for the joint. Surgery should be the route of last resort, at least in my opinion as a medical professional.
ReplyDeleteAs someone who is also dealing with skating-related knee pain, I am going to suggest getting knee braces (I use the futuro brand that I got from CVS) and wearing them after practice. Also, ice them after practice. If it is really bad, add in a few ibuprofen after practice as well. When I hurt my knee I wore the brace during practice, but after a point it got to where it hurt more with the brace than without it. Having compression on the knee after I finish does seem to help quite a bit though. I hope you can get back on the ice soon!
ReplyDeleteAnd another with knee issues - in my case because the ITB (muscle on the outide of the leg) is really tight, which pulls the kneecap off centre and makes it rub over the underlying bone. In my case it's a lot of physio to strengthen the glutes and ITB muscles so they work properly rather than get over strained. It has made quite a noticable difference to the movement when I bend (when doing a one legged squat my knee can almost track straight down instead of doing an interesting wobble to the inside first)...
ReplyDeleteIt's worth finding a really good sports physio to talk this through. Good luck and much sympathy!
I just wanted to note that my neighbor's rambunctious 50 pound flat coated retriever got loose last night. I caught him, and even though I'm very strong and very competent with dogs, when he moved suddenly (in that doggy way where they go through alternate dimensions 'cause other wise how can they end up on the other side of you with your arm between your legs and the dog never passed through) and pulled me over with a twist.
ReplyDeleteBoth my knees popped with a sharp pain. Then about an hour later the pain in my knees was much better. By this morning it was gone and I'm off pills. We'll see how long this lasts.
Pain in the calf--still there.
Do whatever the doctor tells you to do and whatever feels right for you. I hope you're back on the ice soon. Saying a prayer for your knees (and mental health).
ReplyDeleteAh, skating with older knees..... I've been through a couple of rounds of rehab for that. I don't know what's wrong with your knees, but contact me if you want to compare notes! Or search my blog for 'patellofemoral' for some of what I've learned for me.
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with placebos, I think they are greatly underrated - there was a study where doctors pretended to operate on knees, but did nothing, and there was a huge placebo effect! Surgery without the problems.
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