Good morning Smarties! As many of you know, I continue to have a problem with flexion, so my PT has developed a new protocol this week that actually seems to be helping. I don't know what my ROM is right now, because he doesn't measure it every week, and honestly, I appreciate that. He's much more concerned with function than numbers; phew! Regardless of having no numbers to report, I can say that what we are doing has made my knee feel better! It's definitely looser and walking has become much more natural. The following is a list of the new tricks that may be of benefit to others who also find themselves in the non-bendy club. No guarantees, of course, but I think it's worth a try.
1) Heat quad and hamstring for 10 minutes BEFORE doing leg extensions or heel slides. What a difference!
2) Place a soccer ball or similar beneath the knee for leg extensions. (I had a very sore quad....now I do not!)
3) Hold heel slide position for 20 seconds instead of 5. Do fewer (10, instead of 20) but hold longer.
4) Massage. This can be done at home using fingers, a rolling pin, a hard rubber ball or an actual massage tool on a gentle setting.
5) Extension: He says this affects flexion. I believe him. Lie on stomach with a rolled towel placed beneath the quad. Hang heels over the bed and let gravity take the leg down for approximately a minute. Pick OP leg up with good leg and bend gently upwards toward the derriere until you feel a good stretch. Hold for roughly 20 seconds. Try 3-5 of these.
6) Toe raises: Sounds weird, right? Stand in front of kitchen counter, hold on and slowly stand onto toes. Hold for 30 seconds. Tighten glutes and quad while doing.
7) Walk the line: Picture a perp walk from a movie when someone has been pulled over for a DUI. If you have a floor or carpeting with a line in it, try to keep your feet on the line as much as possible. Proceed heel to toe, with the longest stride possible while attempting to maintain a straight line. This exercise places more weight on your OP leg than regular walking. It gets the OP leg and knee used to being used properly and supposedly opens new, neurological pathways. It's also rather fun.
I find it helps to stretch my formerly tight calf as well, which leads to better gait in general.
Obviously, none of this hurts, during or afterwards. If it did, I wouldn't be doing it. Looser is better!
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You must take some *ahem* fashion photos for posterity that will be sure to elicit howls of laughter years from now.
He had visions of me falling in the driveway, getting stuck in the car and every other sort of predicament a worry wart can conjure up. I knew I'd be just fine.
