"Kneecap Training"

[HillSlugger]

Is it reasonable to expect that this line of treatment will lead to long term improvement and that I can expect more triathlon in my future?

Is it reasonable to think that I might be able to start some easy spinning in a couple weeks? My doctor has told me that swimming is OK and "biking as tolerated".

[KnottedYet]

Is it reasonable to expect that this line of treatment will lead to long term improvement and that I can expect more triathlon in my future?

Is it reasonable to think that I might be able to start some easy spinning in a couple weeks? My doctor has told me that swimming is OK and "biking as tolerated".

That's the main goal. The more you can learn, the more you can improve, and take it from there!

[Wahine]

Is it reasonable to expect that this line of treatment will lead to long term improvement and that I can expect more triathlon in my future?

Is it reasonable to think that I might be able to start some easy spinning in a couple weeks? My doctor has told me that swimming is OK and "biking as tolerated".

Yes and yes. It is very possible to recover from this sort of problem and very possible to return to triathlon. I had a lady with a similar problem last year who was an avid telemark skier and had been competetive in her past. She got better in 6 treatments and was able to go back to hard core skiing with her knees taped soone than that. Tele skiing is much harder on the patellofemoral joints than triathlon.

If you get the right stretches in you should be able to get back to spinning in a couple of weeks.

[HillSlugger]

Wahine and Knot,

Thanks for all of your insight and encouragement. I will definitely go to today's session as a better informed patient!

[HillSlugger]

So far, the cure is worse than the condition. I've had two PT sessions, on Wednesday and Friday and I'm physically uncomfortable. Since the first, my back is hurting and it's making me very unhappy and grumpy. I don't know if the back pain is due to the knee taping itself, the exercises I'm doing, or that maybe I'm not doing the exercises correctly. On Friday, before they made me do anything they asked how I was doing and I told them that my back was hurting. They didn't really respond to this. I've had two sessions and two different therapists so I don't know if I can expect any real continuity of treatment. I guess for my next session on Tuesday I have to force them to listen to me.

I assume I shouldn't be hurting this way! Do I need to find a different approach?

Thanks, Nicole

[KnottedYet]

Knee tape shouldn't make your back hurt.

Did they say anything about your back at all?

Is your back still hurting? (and how are the knees?)

Does the PT stay with you while you exercise, correcting your form and talking about the exercise and what you should be feeling and how to check your form at home?

You should have fatigue-y muscle-y soreness after PT, but you should not be suffering. And, ummm, I don't think new body parts really should be getting miserable... Did they change any of your exercises to make it better for your back?

[KnottedYet]

Can you describe the "quad extensions?" Are you sitting on a machine with your feet dangling with a padded bar across your shins and then straightening your legs?

Did your back start to hurt on that exercise?

Did they give you any stretches yet? (these could be sort of active stretches, like 'walk with your lower belly flat and hold yourself tall with long strides and feel a brief stretch in your groin with each stride' kind of thing. Or they could be the sort where you hold yourself in one position feeling the stretch for 30-60 seconds)

[Wahine]

+1 what Knott said. All of the above.

But I really want to bring up that if you're not doing stretches by now you should be. You can strengthen til the cows come home but if there are tight structures preventing the proper movement patterns you may not be doing yourself any favors.

[Sheesh]

MD - I am not a physical therapist, and have sought much PT advice on this same forum. But, that said, Mr. Sheesh was having knee issues related to cycling and went to PT. While that helped stretch some muscles that were tight in the knee area, he found the most help when he went to a club-sponsored biomechanics study. The doctor team (mostly chiropractors, but trained in sports medicine and one specifically does custom orthotics) video-taped the participants as they cycled. Then they reviewed the footage and found that Mr. Sheesh had an abnormal pedal stroke which was leading to his knee pain (tibial torsion, he says). A few wedges in his cycling shoes later, and his pedal stroke was drastically improved and knee pain went away!

I was also going to PT for tight calves which were leading to other issues (including plantar facitis and lower back pain). Anytime I mentioned a pain or something like my feet going numb after 30 miles on the bike, my PT just said "Hmm, that's strange." That was her entire response. She has now "released" me from PT and says my issues are solved, but I'm still not convinced that the underlying cause of my pain has been addressed. If the pain returns, I plan to ask for a different PT because I'm not convinced that my original PT did much more than look at the symptoms and treat that.

Good luck! I hope you're able to find relief!

[KnottedYet]

Wahine and I need to open a clinic. TE PT.

MDHillSlug - If the PTAssts are covering more than one patient at a time, you should NOT be charged for that time. (check your bill) In fact, it is illegal to charge you for non-one-on-one time, as "group" charges only count if the entire group is doing the exact same thing. (check your bill, really. go in and ask for a complete charge sheet for your last two visits)

Sheesh - I'm sorry your PT was a dork. The foot numbness/plantar fasciitis/ tight calves are probably very related, and I'm surprised she didn't address it or look at how your posture (maybe due to the leg stuff) was effecting your back.

[Sheesh]

Sign me up for TE PT!

Yes, Knot, after reading your advice on my previous post, I became pretty convinced that my PT was only interested in relieving the symptoms. During one of my visits when she was out of town and I had to schedule with another PT, the new PT gave me some other stretches to release the nerves in my ankles, and that really helped the numb foot issue. I was amazed at what a difference that small change in stretching made!