He's the PT I saw for both my hamstring tendinitis and for my hip/butt/groin issues.
He's the PT I saw for both my hamstring tendinitis and for my hip/butt/groin issues.
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
--Mary Anne Radmacher
I've had good luck with him, minus a few minor issues. He likes to try new things/gizmos here and there and some work better than others. At least once, I had to basically ask him to stop. But I otherwise like him and his office administrator especially since he's pretty one on one. If you ever want a downtown PT, I'd consider him.
Live with intention. Walk to the edge. Listen hard. Practice wellness. Play with abandon. Laugh. Choose with no regret. Continue to learn. Appreciate your friends. Do what you love. Live as if this is all there is.
--Mary Anne Radmacher
2015 Liv Intrigue 2
Pro Mongoose Titanium Singlespeed
2012 Trek Madone 4.6 Compact SRAM
He got my attention when he told me that neither of my kneecaps are where they are supposed to be...so I will certainly focus on this so I can give my knees the support they need. Now that I think about it, we have done single leg deadlifts with the kettlebell. Irulan and Indy, thanks for your comments!
Since this most recent flare is related to my mtb crash last month, I am going to hold off on trail riding until the hip/knee/leg is calm again. The new tire might decrease the chance of my crashing, but my crash/ride ratio is pretty high (when I am not crashing?) and THAT leg/knee/hip always takes the hit, or at least 99% of the time it does. I hate to back off, especially since I've not yet tried out the new tire, but it seems wise. It is also probable that my past crash/injury rate is causing me to second-guess myself on the trail instead of fully committing - which of course increases the odds of crashing. It is a bad cycle and I am unsure how to break it - but the first goal is to calm down the current flare. Thankfully my group training activities makes my leg/knee feel better, as long as we don't do more than short sprints.
Last edited by Catrin; 09-27-2012 at 01:50 AM.
No WONDER that knee is having problems! Before I started on the single leg squats, one of my trainers at the gym suggested I check out my single leg strength on the leg press and I promptly embarrassed myself...
With both legs I can press close to 3 times my body weight for 6 reps (360 pounds) - this is the leg press that uses plates, no cables. On the Free Motion squat machine (cables) I can squat twice my body weight @ 260 pounds (12 reps). With THAT leg alone? I was able to press only 45 pounds, and I felt that where the quad meets the knee at the upper inside left of the knee. I tried the same 45 pounds with my other leg and it was like I was pressing air. Apparently my left leg has been doing far more than it's share of the work and in a major way...
So no single leg squats until I can press my weight with that leg. I've been told this will take some time to strengthen, but I've a plan now, and there are single-leg TRX exercises I can do that doesn't require quite my entire weight. Also focusing on abduction/adduction to make certain everything is good up-stream. It is good to have a plan. I think this leg will probably require special attention in the future, all those over-use injuries 2 years ago left their mark by leaving weaknesses the other leg doesn't have. That is NOT a complaint - I've come so far in the last couple of years, and part of this is the consequences of spending too many decades not moving.
Last edited by Catrin; 10-05-2012 at 09:09 AM.
I have a weak left leg too. What exercises are you planning on do for it? What are single-leg TRX exercises?
Trek Madone 4.7 WSD
Cannondale Quick4
1969 Schwinn Collegiate, original owner
Terry Classic
Richard Feynman: “The first principle is that you must not fool yourself and you are the easiest person to fool.”
I can't remember if you go to a gym or not? The first 2 don't require gym equipment, second two can be modified if you don't, Remaining three require access to a leg press machine and a TRX/suspension trainer of some type.
Mountain climbers (I HATE these, but they are great for guads and hips and my lower quad is the problem)
Two-legged air squat, hold it for 1 minute (must be really warmed up)
Split-jump overhead squats - though you can probably get good benefit if you leave out the overhead weight.
Single leg deadlifts with either kettlebell or dumbbell
Single leg presses (10 reps x 2) - haven't decided if it is best to do these before or after my full/regular leg presses
If you have access to a TRX or other suspension trainer (thankfully we do at my gym for no extra cost)
Single leg chest press
Single leg squats depending on how weak that leg/quad is
There are some other TRX exercises that are also good, if you have access to a suspension trainer let me know and I will post them. Of course we need to do these exercises on both sides
There are a lot of things you can do that aren't weight based that will help with stability, knee and strength issues.Single leg step downs are excellent and do not require a lot of strength.
2015 Liv Intrigue 2
Pro Mongoose Titanium Singlespeed
2012 Trek Madone 4.6 Compact SRAM
You couldn't do this? I'm not talking about adding weights. This is another one to build knee stability etcSo no single leg squats until I can press my weight with that leg. I've been told this will take some time to strengthen,
2015 Liv Intrigue 2
Pro Mongoose Titanium Singlespeed
2012 Trek Madone 4.6 Compact SRAM
If you say so ... The guy in the video is doing them with decent form, but you see how much his leg is quivering after three reps, trying to keep his knee from dropping in. I wish there was narration with the video, to emphasize how important it is to keep your knee from dropping in. That's the point of the whole exercise.
I never do single leg step downs in group class because they require more abductor strength than most of my participants have. I had a LOT of trouble with them when I first began. Start with clams and side leg raises on the floor, progress to side steps and single leg side leg raises with a stretchy band (always remembering to keep your toe and knee turned slightly in when doing side leg work, to make sure your abductors are doing the work and not the quads). I wouldn't recommend single leg step downs until someone already has good strong abductors.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
I didn't spend a whole lot of time looking for the "best" video. All I know is that I had supposed IT band issues for years and after 6 months of doing single leg stability work 10 years of knee pain was gone.
2015 Liv Intrigue 2
Pro Mongoose Titanium Singlespeed
2012 Trek Madone 4.6 Compact SRAM
Oh, no, I'm not disputing for a minute the value of single leg stability work. Not only for muscle strengthening, but equally for proprioception and fascia training - if I've been neglecting my single leg calf raises, it only takes one or two sessions to improve my Achilles in a major way.
I'm just saying it DOES take a decent amount of strength and it's not really a good place for a beginner to start.
Speed comes from what you put behind you. - Judi Ketteler
I am no worrying about IT band issues here as that appears to have been a red herring - but building lower quad strength in that leg. The PT I saw said the problem with my knee is directly due to not having enough lower quad strength in that leg to properly support a patella that wants to go "walk-about" from time to time. I am already doing clams (on both sides) and side step ups aren't normally a problem (though they hurt when that knee is flaring, like now). My focus right now is to focus on quad strength and adduction/abbduction to provide proper support - I only do these things on days that I don't have a group training session.
Thanks for the video Irulan, I've been expressly told to not do "free standing" single leg squats at this time by both PT and my 2 trainers because it is too easy for the knee to go where it shouldn't go - I've been cleared to do TRX single leg squats, but not free standing. And to do that safely, my leg has to be able to bear my weight. I've tried it a couple of times and...it wasn't pretty.
I was at first resistant to the idea that this was all related to quad strength given my leg press/squat max weight (how can I have a weak quad if I can do...) but they have the degrees and experience to know what they are talking about, and they've helped me improve in so many other ways that I trust their advice.
I agree that single leg stability work is very important, and for more than one thing. I have no problems at all doing such work with my left leg, but with my right? It isn't a pretty sight, but I will incorporate more of this outside of group training as the quad gets stronger.
Last edited by Catrin; 10-06-2012 at 12:09 PM.