Physical Therapy suggestions for knees

[drift_g35]

Unfortunately I was not blessed with the best knees. I am only 24 years old, 6ft, and 200 lbs. I have a long term goal of competing in the 24 hour sniper challenge next year, and have started training early. However I am a week into it and I can barely walk due to the pain in my knees. I have brought it up to my doctor and he doesn't think I need to do anything and the pain will go away. I ice them every night, but that only brings relief for a few hours. Does anyone have any suggestions for some physical training exercises for my knees?

[JM Ver. 2.0]

Unfortunately I was not blessed with the best knees. I am only 24 years old, 6ft, and 200 lbs. I have a long term goal of competing in the 24 hour sniper challenge next year, and have started training early. However I am a week into it and I can barely walk due to the pain in my knees. I have brought it up to my doctor and he doesn't think I need to do anything and the pain will go away. I ice them every night, but that only brings relief for a few hours. Does anyone have any suggestions for some physical training exercises for my knees?


That sucks... My ankles are trashed... The only thing that helps me get them back to normal is walking. But that sounds like it would make your day worse.

[BuffCyclist]

I've been told the stronger your leg muscles are, the less impact your knees will take doing various things.

But, don't take my word for it, I've been wearing my knee brace for almost 2 weeks after getting injured at work. Still waiting on results from ultrasound, but it didn't look good...

[MrPrena]

My knee and ankle is trashed from severe problems within 5 years.
On top of that, one of physician prescribed me a beta blocker for my hypertension.
From the beta blocker, I was on a cain for good 4-5 month. After finding out it was from the beta blocker, I got off of that.
RIght now, I am doing PT at home. Putting 5 lbs weight on my ankle and do a knee exercise at home. The 5 lbs weight feels like 50 lbs :(

[drift_g35]

Yeah it does suck. Makes me regret making my own 'Jackass' videos with friends as a kid. I guess everyone was right. I'm not invincible haha

[Tim K]

Go see an actual physical therapist. They are specialists in the field and know more than most doctors. They can diagnose what's wrong and give you appropriate, targeted physical therapy. Asking around for ideas is about like asking what others do for chest pain without knowing the source of your chest pain.

[jhirsh5280]

Work on strengthening your hammies and low back. Both those areas will help take the strain off your knee joints. I'm 6'8" 245lbs and played professional baseball for 10 years, my knees weren't the greatest but those are areas I focused on. Where in your knee do you get the most pain? Also fish oils and a joint complex couldn't hurt.

[drift_g35]

Work on strengthening your hammies and low back. Both those areas will help take the strain off your knee joints. I'm 6'8" 245lbs and played professional baseball for 10 years, my knees weren't the greatest but those are areas I focused on. Where in your knee do you get the most pain? Also fish oils and a joint complex couldn't hurt.

Tops of the knee cap is the most painful area.

[Monky]

Drift if you're really concerned I can recommend a few good orthopedic guys who do a lot of knees. If you're going to a GP for knee problems you might as well be taking a Ferrari to a Jiffy Lube..

It would all depend on what's wrong with your knees, what exercises you should be doing. You don't have to have a prescription for PT. But you certainly don't want to do the wrong things and make it worse.. it could be a leg strength, gait, or stabilization problem. It might be your ankles don't flex right and your knees are compensating. Lots of things that could cause it.

I'd suggest going to a good 'knee' doc.. if he tells you to man up ask him for a recommendation for PT.

[sniper7]

I'd talk to a professional.

Then look into a doctor up in vail. I don't have much info other than I was told he basically does liposuction, breaks that down for the adult stem cells that can be found, injects it almost immediately into the knees and it rebuilds the natural cushion. Supposedly has been done for a lot of pro athletes like pitchers in their elbows and shoulders.

[jhirsh5280]

Tops of the knee cap is the most painful area.

Painful to the touch? Only during exercise? Sounds like tendinitis in the quad insertion to the patella. Should probably consult a PT. I've worked with the fine folks over at the Steadman Hawkins clinic in the tech center and can vouch 110% for them. Also a pretty good place in centennial based in the SportXcel gym on Fulton. Keep icing and get on some anti inflammatory meds (ie Advil) in the mean time and try to take it easy.

[Delfuego]

Stationary bike is the best thing you can do for your knees (quad muscles) take it from the man with with lots-o-screws in his knees. And ice baby, lots of ice-ice baby. Motrin and Aleve help old knees too...

Maybe check out some orthotics for your boots!

[Great-Kazoo]

Unfortunately i have no experience with knees, PT, or actual replacing of. However IF i was to go to an EXPERT (the first time) i would see Colorado Limb Consultants . They fix bad surgeries. or do their best to resolve issues others said there were none of.
http://limbconsultants.com/physicians/

[BuffCyclist]

Unfortunately i have no experience with knees, PT, or actual replacing of. However IF i was to go to an EXPERT (the first time) i would see Colorado Limb Consultants . They fix bad surgeries. or do their best to resolve issues others said there were none of.
http://limbconsultants.com/physicians/

Couldn't agree more with Colorado Limb Consultants, if you need to see a specialist that is. The entire staff there is friendly and you don't have to wait to see the doctors (unlike most offices where you can wait 30-45min or more).

Dr. Ross Wilkins is very nice, professional and knowledgeable. I went to him when I had my knee surgery in 2006 (bone grafting of femur and medial meniscus repair) and every appointment I had with him, he was on time and was in the room with me for nearly the entire appointment.

Oh yea, and for PT I went to Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. That staff was also very friendly, though check with your insurance before you go because sometimes you need a prescription for PT unless you want to pay for it out-of-pocket, in which case, it's quite expensive.

[muddywings]

Any prior trauma that would have caused this issue?
I am not generally a big fan of running to PTs due to pain that is unrelated to a specific injury or medical procedure. My general philosophy is PTs are great for fixing injuries but the greatest for just fixing pain. I will qualify this with the fact that my wife just finished PT Assistant program and we are in agreement here. I have a good friend that is also a PT and she quietly whispers that advise too. My wife and I also have had surgeries that required PT.
So, that being said, at your age I would guess something is out of alignment or something is damaged due to something being out of alignment.
I came down Barr Trail (after the incline) and the top of my knee was hurting a lot the next day. Iced it. Motrin 3x a day-10 days. Nothing. Went in to a sports medicine chiropractor and he felt around the kneecap and felt that the tendon was misaligned. He worked it a bit and pushed the tendon back in place. In and out in one visit. Advised it would be sore for a bit then should start feeling better. If not, could use one or two more treatments. Few days later, 1000% improvement. He advised if I kept running on it, I would have torn the tendon. (In other words....listen to your body).
Now granted, I saw Dr. Leahy who invented Active Release Technique so he's da man. I would look into sports medicine doctor but highly recomend someone who is trained in ART.

[Tim K]

Stationary bike is the best thing you can do for your knees (quad muscles) take it from the man with with lots-o-screws in his knees.

This is a great example of why you should go see a pro. Cycling is very good for many knee problems, but not all. I've been worked on a lot, and cycling is the one remaining thing I can't do. It actually makes my problem worse.

[BuffCyclist]

This is a great example of why you should go see a pro. Cycling is very good for many knee problems, but not all. I've been worked on a lot, and cycling is the one remaining thing I can't do. It actually makes my problem worse.

How's your seat height? Having too low of a seat can cause/exacerbate knee problems. The best way to adjust a seat to the proper height is to sit on the bike, put your heels on each pedal and back pedal (keeping heels on the pedals). Your heels should stay on the pedals and the legs should straighten almost completely. That way, when you switch to your toes on the pedals, your knees will not be completely straight.

If that hurts, try raising the seat higher.

[drift_g35]

Little bit of an update. I switched my Super Feet Orange insoles into my hiking books and did a 4 mile hike up to Maxwell falls yesterday. No issues, shin splints didnt act up and my knee's are doing pretty good. I am still going to go see a different doctor but the insoles definitely helped a lot. Before I was only using them in my running shoes.

[Delfuego]

Glad to hear it! Amazing what Orthotics (footbeds) can fix. I would still recommend the bike and ice route also. It is great for quad muscle strength which really help your knees. You can use a stationary bike to both warm up before and cool down after your hikes. Ice and Motrin can help you rebound for the next days hike too. If you have access to a gym, a stair-master or versa-climber is a great way to rebuild leg strength.

[Great-Kazoo]

Little bit of an update. I switched my Super Feet Orange insoles into my hiking books and did a 4 mile hike up to Maxwell falls yesterday. No issues, shin splints didnt act up and my knee's are doing pretty good. I am still going to go see a different doctor but the insoles definitely helped a lot. Before I was only using them in my running shoes.

if you're using OTC foot forms spend the $3-500 and get the correct ones from a podiatrist. THAT will make a world of difference.
I'd also suggest a good massage therapist and or acupuncturist. Chiropractors (good ones) can and do help, ask them about doing Cuvoid syndrome adjustments.Iit's the small bone in your feet that slips out and pulls on the tendon, causing inflamination and PAIN. The podiatrist suggest the spousal unit see a chiro and have an adj on her feet done. Her relief was instantaneous, with follow up treatments and using ice on the inflammation, it worked wonders. She also spent the money on prescription orthotics vs OTC / Dr, Schols which helps too.

[ZERO THEORY]

In for answers. OP, I think I'm going to give foam-rolling a go. The knee pain is really doing my head in.


I've been told the stronger your leg muscles are, the less impact your knees will take doing various things.


I'm a religious squatter (3x a week) and deadlifter. My bad knees are still bad. Lifting heavy helps them, but they still get beaten up. Bursitis in the back of the left knee, and I don't know what in the patella on the right. I've had an ultrasound on the right knee and nothing came up.

[Delfuego]

Squats are terrible for you knees, and worse for your back. Your likely do the damage to yourself. If you want to build leg muscle mass; do weighted leg presses from your back on a machine. The knee extension machine exercises are better for you also.

Bicycling, stair climbing and swimming will help the knees w/o hurting them...

You only get one set of knees, and they have to last your whole life (60-80 years). Take care of them. I am still pretty young and have arthritis and screws in my knees and believe me it sucks!

[drift_g35]

Does anyone know if this is true: I was once told that you can only get 2 knee replacement surgeries or something like that in your life, and you should wait as long as you can before you do it.

[XC700116]

Drift if you're really concerned I can recommend a few good orthopedic guys who do a lot of knees. If you're going to a GP for knee problems you might as well be taking a Ferrari to a Jiffy Lube..

It would all depend on what's wrong with your knees, what exercises you should be doing. You don't have to have a prescription for PT. But you certainly don't want to do the wrong things and make it worse.. it could be a leg strength, gait, or stabilization problem. It might be your ankles don't flex right and your knees are compensating. Lots of things that could cause it.

I'd suggest going to a good 'knee' doc.. if he tells you to man up ask him for a recommendation for PT.


^^THIS

[XC700116]

Does anyone know if this is true: I was once told that you can only get 2 knee replacement surgeries or something like that in your life, and you should wait as long as you can before you do it.


Generally yes, left and right and that's about it depending on the extent of the replacement, and they WILL wear out, not might but WILL. No doc in their right mind will do a replacement on a 24 yr old guy unless you're wheelchair bound and probably won't do it then.

[Great-Kazoo]

Untrue. if it were i'm screwed. CALL COLORADO LIMB CONSULTANTS. 303-8670072 Stop dicking around. Better early than later. TRUST ME.

[RonMexico]

I've been told the stronger your leg muscles are, the less impact your knees will take doing various things.
.
^^^^ this and a foam roller.

[BuffCyclist]

^^^^ this and a foam roller.

OH DEAR GOD, not the foam roller!!! [LOL]

Seriously though, they work wonders, but you have to be consistent at using them and they honestly hurt like hell for the first week or two of using them (once per day at least). The various foam colors have different firmnesses, I think the white is soft, blue is middle and black is hardest. I have a black, use it every other day now, but always before/after a workout.

[Gman]

I'm in here looking for ideas, too. Years of 'toughing it out' and 'playing hurt' has be royally paying for it now. Feet, ankles, and knees are a mess. If I knew then, what I know now....

Got it from my physical therapist that leg extensions are one of the worst things you can do. Cycliing is good for full range of motion and low impact. Aleve (naproxen sodium) is about the only NSAID that gives me some relief.