tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post4150553601877762631..comments2024-03-13T11:19:08.598-07:00Comments on Saving My Knees: Open Comment Forum: Your Turn to Speak!Richardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-12354063910049582392021-08-12T09:12:38.510-07:002021-08-12T09:12:38.510-07:00Can I ask what your treatment plan was for this ch...Can I ask what your treatment plan was for this chronic peripatellar synovitis and how things went?<br />Many Thanks. Lindsaynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-59069657833118329392018-05-31T18:25:25.171-07:002018-05-31T18:25:25.171-07:00I have patello femoral pain syndrome and now am do...I have patello femoral pain syndrome and now am doing the exercise that my orthopaedic doctor gave me and I am getting better! Sit in a chaire that supports the upper part of your leg and raise your leg, hold for 5 seconds and relax for 5. Do this 30 times once a day. Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-91370183721609001792017-10-14T14:09:13.445-07:002017-10-14T14:09:13.445-07:00I love your self characterization: "the elder...I love your self characterization: "the elderly overweight lady who does not want them to cut me up." I completely sympathize!<br /><br />First, if I were you, weight loss would be my big goal, front and center. I wrote a post once about "How can you lose weight when you can't lose weight"? You may find it worth a look:<br /><br />http://savingmyknees.blogspot.com/2014/01/comment-corner-how-can-you-lose-weight.html<br /><br />I'm not sure I've exactly had a story quite like yours, but then again, everyone is unique. I know that someone who reviewed my book (quite favorably, I'm happy to say) was elderly and was told she needed a knee replacement. She started doing walkarounds in her apartment, and building from there, and I think in the end she avoided surgery.<br /><br />But weight loss is the big thing. It's not the only thing -- your knees won't magically feel fine if you lose 100 pounds -- but you will be in a much, much better position to succeed. Good luck!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-36813647479105058292017-10-07T17:16:14.862-07:002017-10-07T17:16:14.862-07:00Hi Richard. I just finished reading your book, an...Hi Richard. I just finished reading your book, and for the first time in over 6 months got on my trike and did about 5 minutes. This last three weeks were horrible. I am 72 and weigh 250. I lost 25 pounds recently and still have knee pain. Still loosing though. My X-Rays and MRI showed "bone against bone." The surgeon said you need two knee replacements. He gave me a cortisone injection and sent me on my way never expecting me to resurface after the big issue of my weight. I know I need to lose the pounds. Have you had similar stories of success come your way with the elderly overweight lady who does not want them to cut me up?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10315241061397825005noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-42142080770341875052017-01-28T13:47:22.286-08:002017-01-28T13:47:22.286-08:00Thanks for writing! Best wishes for you going forw...Thanks for writing! Best wishes for you going forward. Actually now I try to say "get on knee joint time" -- it can take a long time for knee joints to get better, and your end goal isn't to have perfect cartilage anyway. It's to get rid of the pain and discomfort. Check back later and let us know how you're doing; this is a great community of people here!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-59864169287994861192017-01-21T14:36:43.640-08:002017-01-21T14:36:43.640-08:00Hi Richard, I have just finished reading your onli...Hi Richard, I have just finished reading your online book Saving My Knees. The similarities are uncanny, chondromalacia diagnosis, in my case which led to a further complete loss of cartilage in one spot at the end of femur bone in the trochlea (argh!!). At that point I started a journey seeing 4 different PT over the course of last year, including 2 different Knee specialists. All of the PT were head strong on the muscle first approach, which in each case always resulted in set backs. They just cannot help themselves but rush this process!! Understanding how cartilage requires time ( & lots of it) no wonder this happened. The Specialists in hindsight were great, but at the time left me feeling only more despondent as PT always failed me. Both Specialists indicated there was no need for surgery, even stating this is no indication I would ever need a knee replacement. Both specialists are very well respected & one stated there is "no cellular cure, no matter what some doctors will tell you" then he went on to joke about what medical schools those doctors would have gone to!! So this was said to me in May 2016. Without me continuing with a lengthy history of my past 'bad knee year', I just wanted to touch base and say how your book makes so much sense to me. Having been an very active person all my life the biggest challenge has been missing out on exercise, an outlet that has always provided me with good mental health. Need I say more on that point - I suffered just the same as you described. So I begin another journey now, getting on cartilage time and finding the right amount of walking that suits what my knee joint can handle for now. Current goal: reduce the setbacks by finding my knee joints' happy place. Thanks for writing your book, I know this is going to be a timely & tricky process but I have hope. I am new at this blogging so hopefully my message posts.Emmahttp://avingmyknees.blogspot.com.au/2016/12/open-comment-forum-your-turn-to-speak.html#comment-formnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-31221564147009940172017-01-15T13:13:08.353-08:002017-01-15T13:13:08.353-08:00I did a post here: http://savingmyknees.blogspot.c...I did a post here: http://savingmyknees.blogspot.com/2013/05/how-i-saved-my-knees-in-dialogue-format.htmlRichardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-66404872832977842772017-01-15T13:12:39.423-08:002017-01-15T13:12:39.423-08:00Claire, see the post I just put up five minutes ag...Claire, see the post I just put up five minutes ago re: your point about "there's no clue as what made the cartilage improve." Correct, it's a natural study. But I point out why the fact that it's a natural study makes the results even more encouraging.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-1109970141614797522017-01-09T11:32:49.220-08:002017-01-09T11:32:49.220-08:00Look here - http://kneeexpert.com/Look here - http://kneeexpert.com/TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-25318489728443457092017-01-08T17:26:43.680-08:002017-01-08T17:26:43.680-08:00Can you give me Dr. Dye's complete name and ad...Can you give me Dr. Dye's complete name and address so I can look up his work? Or send me a link? ClaireClaire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-45993939379070790262017-01-08T13:01:11.037-08:002017-01-08T13:01:11.037-08:00The main thing to remember is that PFPS is not a r...The main thing to remember is that PFPS is not a real diagnosis. It is code for "your knee hurts in the anterior (front) area and we don't know why".<br /><br />In my experience an ache is much better than a constant burning/tingling plus an ache as it indicates you do not have the severe loss of tissue homeostasis Dr Dye talks about.<br /><br />Is is a sharp catching pain on stairs, or just a dull ache?TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-76452500381419151932017-01-08T07:05:40.086-08:002017-01-08T07:05:40.086-08:00Thanks for your suggestions, Try Again. I have bee...Thanks for your suggestions, Try Again. I have been diagnosed as having PFPS. Mostly what I feel is an ache on the inside of my knee cap, which my massage person said was a tight muscle. Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-90710399032606359242017-01-07T23:07:49.624-08:002017-01-07T23:07:49.624-08:00Claire said "Yes, my physio said stairs are g...Claire said "Yes, my physio said stairs are good for me, but I don't think that's true. Also his exercises don't seem to be working."<br /><br />If your problem is the type of PFPS symptoms Dr Dye describes (burning, aching, stiffness, loss of function but with no obvious cause on x-rays/MRIs etc.), then I'd be confident saying your physio is wrong, esp. re going down stairs which is typically worse than going up.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-31219077412688301082017-01-07T11:57:37.482-08:002017-01-07T11:57:37.482-08:00Really, how did you knees get better?Really, how did you knees get better?Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-55281561104041687682017-01-07T11:55:34.980-08:002017-01-07T11:55:34.980-08:00So from what I understand from the study, there is...So from what I understand from the study, there is no clue as to what made the cartilage improve on one group. Is that correct?<br /><br />Yes, my physio said stairs are good for me, but I don't think that's true. Also his exercises don't seem to be working.<br /><br />Have you read any studies on Genecol? I'm trying that now. It's a combination of glucosamine (500) mg.and collagen. You take 3 before bed.<br /><br />I think drinking water is also good, but I can't seem to drink more than a couple glasses a day!<br /><br />Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-41592728681067889412017-01-07T11:04:14.353-08:002017-01-07T11:04:14.353-08:00If you tolerate stairs well, I suppose they can be...If you tolerate stairs well, I suppose they can be great ... but many people don't. The study wasn't specifically on growing cartilage under the kneecap. It was a "natural history" study -- so no one underwent a certain regimen; changes in their cartilage over time were simply measured. Here is what I wrote in the book:<br /><br />"In one study, published in 2006, Australian researchers tracked changes in the knees of eighty-four healthy people. Various locations in the joints were graded using the standard zero-to-four scale. The subjects started out with a total of nineteen spots of really bad cartilage that scored either a “three” or “four” (meaning that the tissue was at least half worn away, or even gone altogether).<br /><br />Amazingly, over a two-year period, these sites recovered the best. More than half of them improved — one went from bare bone to full thickness. About a fifth stayed the same, and about a quarter got worse."<br /><br />This is the abstract of the study below; it may be behind a paywall now. You might find the full thing if you Google around. The big takeaway to me was: changes in cartilage are dynamic. Some defects got better, some got worse. If cartilage damage was irreversible, one would expect them all to get worse. But a roughly equal number got better as got worse.:<br /><br />https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16567605<br />Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-60832602782860444912016-12-31T20:03:14.599-08:002016-12-31T20:03:14.599-08:00Thanks, Richard. My physiotherapist said stairs ar...Thanks, Richard. My physiotherapist said stairs are good! Seems everyone has a different idea. I did read your book, but can you send me a link to the study on rebuilding cartilage under the kneecap or tell me where it is in your book?Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-83321143452929178042016-12-31T14:02:30.337-08:002016-12-31T14:02:30.337-08:00My knees are normal, or probably better than norma...My knees are normal, or probably better than normal considering I am (gulp) 54 years old now. I try to avoid suggestions/advice, but swimming sounds good (if your knees tolerate it well -- if they don't, you can always wear floaties on your ankles, as I did) and stairs are usually bad. Maybe you can find a way to limit the up and down on stairs? And yes, glucosamine is probably worthless.Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-79014131662614571952016-12-31T13:58:31.905-08:002016-12-31T13:58:31.905-08:00Hmm. Did she read the studies? The main one I cite...Hmm. Did she read the studies? The main one I cite (it's discussed at some length in the book) shows that changes in cartilage appear to be dynamic, with defects getting both better and worse over long periods of time. On an MRI, cartilage has appeared after a period of a year or two where there was previously just bone. I'm not sure that exercise regrew it, or how it regrew, but there was none and then there was some.<br /><br />As for my cartilage: I'm honestly not sure what happened inside my knees. I know that they healed (as in, I no longer have knee pain and they feel pretty normal). I know that the awful crunching noises I once had are a lot quieter now (but still there, yes). Am I sure the cartilage healed? Or is it that the synovial fluid is just much healthier? I don't know how much is one and how much the other.<br /><br />I doubt an MRI now would show much change in my cartilage -- if you read the book, you'll remember I had "mild" chondromalacia. So an MRI isn't suddenly going to show a big hole that's been filled in. However, a couple of those studies I cited -- they found cartilage that appeared over bare bone. Tell her to get reading! :)Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03960907174716515553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-73304713052091879982016-12-31T13:33:44.579-08:002016-12-31T13:33:44.579-08:00Yup, the rubber-bands definitely helped me R-X, an...Yup, the rubber-bands definitely helped me R-X, and rapidly led me to other leg strengthening exercises such as deadlifts, kettlebell swings & I'm now doing sissy squats (which worked for another poster on here). The key for me is loading to strengthen my wasted quads, but not at high levels of knee flexion.<br />I'm at about 80% fixed now, but still on anti-inflammatories (Celebrex)as per the Dr Dye recommendation as they were the only thing that allowed me to get on top of the chronic synovitis. Plus icing if I over-do it.<br />I now do short run/walks (5kms) and rides (up to 20km/45mins) regularly. I'm hoping to get off the Celebrex in Feb.TriAgainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-31719094888919498862016-12-31T12:03:43.306-08:002016-12-31T12:03:43.306-08:00To Richard Bedard,
I am curious how your knees ar...To Richard Bedard,<br />I am curious how your knees are now. Are they without pain?<br /><br />I have the same problem as you. I've had it since a fall 51/2 years ago. Before that I had some click in my left knee sometimes when I got up from a sitted position. I'm definitely better. I most of the time only have an ache in my left knee. I do some knee exercises and stretching. I think If I relaxed more it would be good. I'm always up and down stairs, doing this and that. I am starting to take collagen with glucosamine, Genecol is the brand name. I had been taking glucosamine with condroitdn and MSM, but stopped because I didn't think it helped. I'll see if this new combination works better. I swim 10 laps, 3 times a week and enjoy the sauna after. Sometimes my left knee hurts afterward! Any suggestions?Claire Salzberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18359081669086043256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-81441473108517477072016-12-29T16:53:56.903-08:002016-12-29T16:53:56.903-08:00John Sarno thinks much pain in the back (and knees...John Sarno thinks much pain in the back (and knees) have a "psychological" origin. Not that it is in your head, but that the cause is emotional stress which causes oxygen deprivation and pain. I'm not sure what I think about that but one thing that has always stood out to me is that he thinks you should walk and exercise normally with zero restrictions. Basically to ignore the pain since it is harmless. I wonder is there is some relation with this and people who just decide to take a leap of faith and exercise through pain (within reason) and recover. Not to say there is some definite mechanism, but something is going on.Tommynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-58079653743123210532016-12-29T16:19:13.002-08:002016-12-29T16:19:13.002-08:00Thanks T Howell. I have read of a few people who d...Thanks T Howell. I have read of a few people who decided to get "aggressive" (or met an aggressive therapist) after trying everything else and it fixed them.Tommynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-85674603251964650032016-12-29T10:29:04.428-08:002016-12-29T10:29:04.428-08:00Sveto-
To clarify- My pain inhibition originated...Sveto- <br /><br />To clarify- My pain inhibition originated behind the patella and kept me from using my quads to lock-out my knee when seated. It took me 2 1/2 years to accomplish that feat. In the first year post-op I lost several inches of quad circumference/muscle mass on my surgically altered side and an MRI at that time revealed advancing bone disuse osteopenia. Today I am cycling at a high level again and my quads are within about an inch of each other. I have always been right-side dominant and a bit less muscled on my "weak side." <br /><br />R-X Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9142068982446715373.post-15967803201072027182016-12-29T09:54:09.797-08:002016-12-29T09:54:09.797-08:00Hi Sveto,
I had severe pain induced muscle inhibi...Hi Sveto,<br /><br />I had severe pain induced muscle inhibition post-op on my patella where it was "shaved" and found a TENS unit to be of use. Even if a TENS doesn't build muscle, it at least electrically stimulates muscle when you can't manually do the deed and in my opinion helped me stave off absolute disuse atrophy. Does it have other benefits: like helping circulation, or psychologically? I thought so. Something here about "action being the antidote to despair," at least to some degree with cartilage, as long as you are healing, however slowly. <br /><br />Also- As you know I was big on rubber-band exercises using straps placed just under my patellas (I developed CRPS and severe bilateral inflammation/chondromalacia post-op too) to "redirect force" as the sports-MD's and PT's are fond of saying, while also helping keep the point-load close to the joint and reducing torsional force on knees whilst doing exercises. "R.E.I." (an outdoor store franchise here in the US) carried a product called "Pro Gym Extreme" that had everything in it except imagination. Not sure they still carry it, as that was 4 years ago. I shipped that kit to Australia some time ago to a fellow chondro sufferer, along with some sketches I drew. Not sure if he had success with them?<br /><br />Racer-X Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com