"I couldn't possibly fail to disagree with you less."
3 January 2005Do the Geneva Conventions apply?Well, I started physical therapy today, and had I any secrets to tell, I'd have talked. In fact, I'd have yelled. Actually, it wasn't as horrible as it could have been, considering. But, as any woman will testify, men have a low threshold of pain, and mine is lower than usual these days. The big issue is range of knee movement. I'm managing around 95 degrees, which isn't particularly awful, but what they'd like to see is more like 130, and as a practical matter, the last increment of performance is always the hardest to achieve. (The other knee does 125 and up with relative ease.) So now I have a series of exercises to perform which should improve the range, and indeed at the end of the session I tested out at around 102. Of necessity, deep-knee bends are going to be rather shallow for a while, but if I can do all these repetitions on schedule, things should gradually improve, though not to the extent that I'm going to be looking forward to a 10k run. Posted at 12:18 PM to General DisinterestAfter I had torn miniscus surgery I went in for the PT and I have to say, it made quite a difference that I had a medical plan at the time that allowed lots of therapy. Not that it was pleasant. There was one exercise that involved a Cybex machine, an ace bandage and an invisible stiletto in the kneecap, or so it felt to me. I have maintained tone in the 6 years since, mainly through swimming at the Y. A combination of laps with sissors kick and laps with frog kick help build up the muscles around the knee without any pounding. (It's generally good exercise in every respect.) Think about it. Posted by: The Proprietor at 2:09 PM on 3 January 2005So what did you do, how did you do it and has it been that long that I've been out of the loop (yes, in that order, without the later having any emphasis). :-) Posted by: AntTeaQues at 5:57 PM on 3 January 2005I am old and decrepit and arthritic; there is surgery available for the third of these. :) Posted by: CGHill at 7:11 PM on 3 January 2005Physical therapists are the sweetest sadists in the world. But the more you do it, the better you'll feel! /preaching Posted by: Dan at 9:10 PM on 3 January 2005Yep, they're not only sadists, but they tend to be inordinately proud of it. Last one I had the pleasure of visiting had a sign on his door that said, "Your pain is my paycheck." Nicest guy, though... Posted by: Deb at 6:14 PM on 4 January 2005Well, after doing this site for nearly nine years, I think my masochist credentials are impeccable. |