It's been a while since my last posting, and yes, it was in a decidedly political vein. What is happening in America is still alarming. It is deeply puzzling and saddening, and I often wonder how so many good people of conscience can remain silent. The subversion of America's institutions rises above the divisive politics of our times; this is not a Republican vs. Democrat issue. Personally, I don't care much for either party.
But enough on that ... these days political commentary abounds, and I have made my contribution. It's time to get back to knees. I thought I'd highlight today a few questions and comments that came up on this blog during the last four months (I'm going to label them all questions, though some obviously are not). I have done a little light editing.
Q: I find it fascinating that cycling can be beneficial for bad knees despite being a repetitive motion.
A: Welcome to Joint Land! Seriously, joints benefit from movement. Repetitive motion (when gentle enough) is often exactly what is needed. Remember too, that it is through being squeezed by movement that cartilage is nourished and disposes of waste products.
However, getting the balance right (enough movement, but not too much, with the right amount of force on the joints) is tricky, which leads us to ...
Q: For me it would be very important to understand if you walked on pain and what you felt during the day. I walk even 8,000 steps a day, a maximum 1,500 consecutively. The sensations improve, but my knees feel a little weak. And, if I don't feel burning while walking, at rest (both sitting and lying down), it gets worse. If I overdo it, my knees feel "full," my kneecaps a little blocked and unstable, even when walking in the pool. Always feeling burning doesn't give confidence in the therapeutic program.
A: It's hard to figure out exactly the right type of exercise, and the right amount. However, knees that feel full could indicate swelling, which suggests you might be overdoing it. However, again, I'm not a doctor or even a physical therapist. If I were you, I'd think about working closely with one and trying to get these symptoms under better control.
How much "pain" should someone be expected to tolerate on a recovery program? This may not be all that helpful, but my personal feeling: as little as possible. That's why I dialed back my own movement program quite radically at one point in Hong Kong, after coming to a rather shocking realization: my knees were a lot weaker than I thought. Going back to square one in my attempt to heal was depressing, but in the end, the adjustment worked well for me.
Will it for you? Or might you need something else? I don't know. I'd look for a good physical therapist, someone whose approach you can trust, and try working with that person. Failing that, Doug Kelsey has written on excellent book on healing knees; it can be bought on Amazon here.
Q: Recently my life changed completely. Doctor's appointment turned out to be completely unexpected and hit me hard, but at the same time it might have saved me. Ended up having surgery in both knees: medial plica removal in both, left knee required autologous chondrocyte transplant. My ortho (the best in Austria, doctor for the Austrian Ski Association) discovered that my hole is actually 1 cm wide and on the weight-bearing area. I will just say sometimes surgery is the only way, so make sure to get a proper doctor.
A: Sometimes people assume I'm anti-surgery. To be clear, I'm a surgery skeptic -- I think it's probably overdone. Yet there are surgery success stories, and I'm delighted when someone comes forward with one. It's fine to try healing your bad knees on your own, giving it your best effort, but then if that doesn't work, there's nothing wrong with considering surgery.
There are people who bitterly regret their surgery. There are people who wonder why they waited so long to have their surgery. To better ensure you fall into the second category, do your research first, and if there's a reasonable chance that your knees can heal naturally, think about giving them that chance.
All for now! Hope you all had a good summer, and yes, my knees are still fine!
