June 4, 2008
Kneecaps and Knitting
My physical therapist did his pre-surgeon visit evaluation on me today in advance of my Friday appointment. Friday is supposed to me my big release day, when I get told I have no restrictions. It’s not going to happen. Extension is great; flexion is equally fabulous at around 150 degrees. The only problem is this nagging pain I’m still having surrounding my lowest incision area near the tibia.
It’s been bothering me for three-four weeks now and it’s not getting better despite me backing off squats, lunges, and other stressing exercises. I’ve heard nightmare stories about a screw coming loose and although I’ve got several of those in my head that I can tolerate, one in the knee is not at all desirable. My PT does not think that’s my problem, although he said they’ll x-ray it on Friday to rule that out. I asked him if he thought I could have a tibial stress fracture and he doesn’t think that’s it either. So much for google diagnosis.
He pulled on my leg to test my ACL and my ACL is solid. There is no doubt about it. He also tested my leg strength. My hamstrings are stellar, but the quad muscle is still lagging behind. Because of this, my PT thinks that my problem with the knee is my kneecap.
Today, he taped it and had me run through my exercises (avoiding those that have really been hurting) and I think it helped a bit. I’m leaving the tape on until I go to bed tonight to see if it helps with going up and down the stairs. Although the pain is still there, it does seem to be a bit more dull. Perhaps it’s just tape toxins leaking into my system that are making me feel better. Who knows at this point?
My PT also said that maybe I just need to be on an anti-inflammatory for a little while to get the last of the swelling and irritation out. Right now, I’d like a magic wand to make it all go away.
I’m thinking my good friend Adam would like the same thing right about now, since he has also screwed up his knee. I should start a group for injured martial artists to take up a new interest. . knitting perhaps.
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Knitting helped me quit smoking. 😉
Hmmmm….knitting….there are large needles involved and stringy stuff to get tangled in….sounds a little bit dangerous to me.
If only Bionic Woman technology was real.
Hmmm…so would it be the Black Belt Mama Knitting club?
I wonder what the tape is doing that helps… interesting. I know that for me, I will sometimes wear a brace on my elbow. The compression helps stabilize the joint. More importantly for me is that it helps keep the joint warm.
You haven’t posted recently about your training. You went to class one time. Right? Have you been back?
Karl: Sounds less likely I’ll tear an ACL that way.
Sizzle: I’ve tried knitting. I sort of suck at it. I’m good at crocheting though and it is therapeutic. I only know how to crochet baby blankets though and everyone stopped having babies.
Deryck: I think I could make anything dangerous. Yesterday, I banged my head on cinnamon on my pantry door when I bent down to get something. Ouch.
Avitable: Tell me about it!
Marguerite: That’s what I’m thinking.
Steve: Since my quad isn’t doing the job yet, the tape is supposed to stabilize the kneecap. I haven’t been back except to watch. I dipped my toe in the water and it was a bit too cold.
Does this mean you’d be handing out knitted black belts? Cool!
Regarding tape, I watched a physical therapist apply a strip of tape in a spiral pattern from a client’s tibia and up around the femur. I didn’t catch all of it, but in this the PT was trying to adjust the two bones in relation to each other. The client seemed to think it helped. Not sure exactly what it was doing, but it seemed pretty cool.
I bet that is hard for you, If my knee was messed up I would go crazy! Hopefully it is just the swelling that is causing pain. Good luck!