Problem with hamstring PT no help

[MaxineMarieM]

According to my PT the pain I am feeling on the outer part(side) of the back of my knee(hamsteing) is a painful tendon OK........so how do I get rid of it? I never get a straight answer. He explains it is part of my hamstring and as it gets stronger the tendon will be better hence no pain. Does that sound right? There has got to be something I can do to help it? I massage it, put heat on it and have tried ice. When I am exercising at PT it doesn't hurt as much but afterword OH BOY! Any sugestions?

 

[kneesrus]

Maxine Marie,
I am guessing, but from experience the Hamstring tendon is tender because you have not been able to straighten your knee fully for sometime. If that is the case, then try sitting on a rolling chair or stool and scoot forward, working your hamstings. Afterwards, ice on the sore area. Another tip, is to make sure your heel stikes the ground first when walking. This forces the knee into extension and stretches the hamstrings. The most important motion to gain is full extension. If you don't, your legs will be different in length.
Best of luck, not an uncommon problem.
David
L TKR 12/19/07

 

[PhoenixS]

I had this, and still get twinges when I overdo things.
The hamstring is a pissy BIG muscle and my OS says the lateral one is one of the strongest in the body.

I could barely do heel slides and any work on my hamstrings was immediately halted by a sharp knife like pain on the lateral aspect of my knee. Trial and error (mostly error:shk, led me to a group of exercises and stretches that worked for me.
I started with isometrics at the gym, on the curl machine at different angles. I set the weight high so it wouldnt move and just contracted and released.

I still lift no weight with it because it hurts when I do. I also found out that as the hamstring got a bit stronger my knee got a bit more stable.

10 years of non-use left me with significant atrophy, and I now understand I'm not able to correct this in a few months. I'm on the year plan!

I got on the bike and just spun at very low resistance (set the seat high if you dont have alot of flexion). VERY slowly, it came around.

I also liked a heating pad on the hamstring while I iced the knee.

Drugs also are helpful when I do too much:hehe: (which is at least several times a week)

 

[jugornot]

I picked up a Total Gym off of Craig's list for a song. It has an attachment that lets you work your hammies and at very low setting it has barely any weight (6% of your body weight.) It is a challenge to get use to entering and exiting the machine. It also has some interesting things you can do. You can use the hammie for getting extension and stretch. And very carefully you can use the squats to check the flex. Both of my knees are approximately the same, but I can still feel some stretch in my new knee. I watched for about a month before I picked up a high end older model for less than $100. In PT they started me on this very early.

Bill

 

[ckub]

I have an old one I picked up also but no book can you explain what ex you do for the hamstrings, thanks.

 

[Josephine]

You could also see a chiropractor and get him to do some deep massage on it which would get the spasm out of it.

 

[jugornot]

I have an old one I picked up also but no book can you explain what ex you do for the hamstrings, thanks.

You have to have the attachment. When you have it you place it at the top of the TG. You then sit down on the slide and hook your feet in the attachment. Lay down and pull yourself up using the back of your legs. When I lifted weights we did whats called a reverse leg curl. You could use ankle weights and lay on your stomach and curl your leg as in a reverse curl. I don't find these helpful.

On a side note you must be able to do a setup to get out of the TG. It is not the best design as far as mounting or dismounting. If I misunderstood what you said please forgive me. And you should use a lower level to exercise. Your hamstrings are usually no where near as strong as your quads. Blame that on gravity. You can also use one of those big exercise balls. Just lay down with the ball under your legs and your knees bent. Then just force your heels down into the top of the ball. You can also stretch it with the ball. I like rolling it in and out gently working from full extension to fully flexed or whatever you can manage. The ball can also help relax your back from the same position. I used the ball to replace the cpm machine when it went back. HTH

 

[ckub]

thanks I do that with the ex ball now. What does the attachment look like for hamstrings not sure if I have it.

 

[jugornot]

thanks I do that with the ex ball now. What does the attachment look like for hamstrings not sure if I have it.

There are different models. Mine is a combination pull up bar/foot support. It looks like an H with one side of the H crooked. It mounts to the rail with the straight side down. The crooked side goes up. If you angle it towards the height adjustment it is for the feet. If you mount the H with the crooked side down it is for pull ups for your arms. You angle your feet in from the side toes facing up. your achillies goes against the big foam pads against the straight part of the H.

http://www.totalgymcatalog.com/acce...&match_type=&gclid=CNHk8K2v_aMCFUHt7Qodhho2IQ

Go to this web page above and look at the bottom for wing attachment. In the picture it is set up for the hamstring pull. HTH


Look at the video at the middle of this page

http://blog.peertrainer.com/fitness/2009/04/hamstring-workout-using-total-gym.html

 

[ckub]

thanks for the info it was a big help!!

 

[wrappergirl]

Im having the very same problem. Mine is being attributed to the fact that my knee was very crooked before (valgus, knock kneed) and now that its straight the outer tendons, ligaments etc are all being stretched. When I bend past 90 degrees it really kicks in and sometimes is really bad. I'm also having sciatic pain pretty bad and just today the knee started making a catching feeling like when my bone spurs or cartilage use to catch, its a catching feeling, it really bothers me. Where its all artificial parts why would it do that? Why wouldn't it be smooth movements when I walk or bend it?
It happens when I walk with each step or when I bend it, its really depressing to me, to have gone through this and still have problems with the new knee. Will this go away, does anyone know? Thank you

 

[Jamie]

Wrappergirl, I believe you will notice a difference after several more months. It takes time and you are actually only about a month out....VERY early in recovery. Relax....take things slow....and give the parts time to adjust to each other (I mean your soft tissues adjusting with the implant). It will come.

 

[Josephine]

Like the lady said - eventually!

 

[wrappergirl]

Thank you Jamie and Josephine, I was told the same thing by my therapist and OS. They said the muscles in my thigh are not strong enough yet to hold the new patella in proper alignment and when the muscles, ligaments and tendons become stronger then the clicking and odd feelings in there should stop. My OS was very happy with me being at 95 at 4 weeks. I start on an exercise bike today and its my last day of in home PT, Wed. begins outpatient PT. It's been nice having the therapist come to the house.
This forum is so very helpful! thank you both again, have a great day!!

 

[Daffodill1]

WOW,,,is this what is going on with me? I feel like I have rubber bands squeezing, both sides of knees today are screaming, (it is also stormy here), and I also have pain down shin. Walking with heel hitting floor first on that leg is impossible right now, takes several hours for that to happen, so I am on tip toes, which puts strain on knee. Hamstring is so terribly sore, but strong, don't have any trouble lifting legs at all, but pain is there.

And behind knee it feels to me like a corded rope is there, but no one seems concerned about it. Today, I also feel like I swallowed a bag of marbles and they landed in that knee. To be fair and honest, I really overdid on Friday, not so much yesterday, but did walk on it some, and today, just enough to put roast in oven and get some things together to work on in my recliner or sofa.

I haven't felt like this in weeks, and the terrible thing is beach trip begins Thursday, I do go to PT tomorrow, think I will have them see me Wed as well for gentle stuff if you guys think it will help.

I hope one or more of you have some idea of what the heck is going on, because I am slowly going crazy with just a little bit of "oh what have I done, or what has this knee gone and done!"

 

[Jamie]

Margaret, I still think you have some plantar fasciitis issues. You should not be walking on tip toes every morning. Doing so and "working it out" until you can put your foot flat can tear that ligament in your foot. It takes months and months to heal if that happens. I know, because I have had that exact problem twice before and am just now recovering from my second bout with it.

I still believe you need to have an orthopedic doctor who specializes in feet take a look at it for you. There are specific stretching exercises that can be done to help before it gets so bad that you have to wear a foot brace full time. You also may be able to wear a night splint (it's really like a rigid open boot) that keeps your foot at the proper angle through the night. Then your ligaments are not constricted in the morning. That is what is causing you to walk on tip toes.

 

[PhoenixS]

Relax, it is all normal. Unless your leg and foot are cold and blue. :shk:

You must have learned by now that any action you do to your knee can AND will be met by an equal and opposite reaction!!!

It took me a long time to get it too. Hamstrings are the most annoying muscle. I'm not a big fan myself. I get pain directly in the back of my knee and that travels up to my butt. This is soooooo fun!

I like moist heat and gentle massage.
You never really know what little movement can water off your knee. So there is no point in trying to remember what you did.

Discuss this at PT and don't let them hurt you. Let them know you are going away.

Don't stress about the beach trip. I freaked out about Disney and I ended up having a good time. You will get into a rhythm at the beach and figure out what you can and cannot do.

Have fun. It is cold here today.
Sandy

 

[Josephine]

Wish I could give some advice too but this is a tad out of my line. It sounds horrible, Margaret. Hope it gets better for you soon.

 

[Daffodill1]

So sorry, I didnt mean hamstrings, I meant quads! big difference, you would think by now I would know the difference in the two, but it is the quad that is sore and irritating as u know what.
I have put a big ole ace bandage around foot, starting at the bottom arch, keeping it firm, and then wrapping that around lower leg and ankle. Slept with it on that way last nite, and this morning can feel a difference, came home from work and have it on again, it is going to stay on to make my foot lay flat, which it does when I have the bandage properly on it, lol..hubby has to come behind me and rewrwap if I can't reach it all the way, so maybe this will be the same as having a soft splint that I have read about in this instance. But it does feel good, and last nite I didnt have any of the big toe salutes like I usually do, along with cramps, so keep fingers crossed . Just remember, hamstrings are in the back, quads are in the front and feet are on the floor!:D

 

[Josephine]

LOL! Margaret, you still have a sense of humour! That's wonderful! And wonderful you have found something to help. Hope it continues to help.