Doing many quad sets and hamstring stretches helps, but I still have knee pain. Is there anything new I can try?

February 2nd — admin

I’ve had knee pain since I was 13 (I’m now 18). The doctor calls it patellofemoral pain syndrome. I’ve done a million quad sets and hamstring stretches. It helps but I still have pain when I try to increase my training schedule for track and field events. Is there anything new I can try?

Treatment for patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) has traditionally relied on quadriceps strength training. Some patients also benefit from neuromuscular training, which focuses more on motor control than improving strength.

So far no one has found a “one size fits all” kind of program. Some people seem to get better with one type of exercise while others have less pain and more function with other types of training.

Some time ago researchers saw that hip strength may be an important key to PFPS. One by one studies have been done to confirm this suspicion. Most recently physical therapists at the Nicholas Institute of Sports and Medicine and Athletic Trauma in New York City studied hip strength and flexibility as it relates to PFPS.

They found that 60 percent of patients with PFPS got better after a six-week training program. Exercises to improve hip flexor strength and flexibility resulted in decreased pain and improved function.

The goal was to prevent inward rotation of the thighbone (femoral rotation). Maintaining good alignment of the patella as it moves up and down over the knee reduces the tension on the soft tissues around the knee. This new treatment approach may help you as well!

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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I’m heading into arthroscopic surgery. What kind of recovery should I expect?

December 29th — admin

I’m heading into arthroscopic surgery for my right hip. The surgeon is going to take a look around but for sure remove some pieces of cartilage that are floating around in there. What kind of recovery or rehab should I expect?

Hip arthroscopy is becoming a more common orthopedic procedure now with more and more hip injuries among the athletic crowd. Better imaging technology has also made it possible to find what’s wrong or what’s causing painful symptoms. Loose bodies in the joint is just one of the many reasons why arthroscopic procedures are used so successfully.But you are right — there is a postoperative program. And it’s important that patients complete this program in order to restore full joint motion, strength, flexibility, and function.The specifics of the program depend somewhat on the type of surgery that was done. For example, removing free-floating debris in the joint is a much simpler procedure than repairing deep holes in the cartilage. Likewise, repairing a torn labrum (fibrous rim of cartilage around the hip socket) may only require a simple home program. But there are some procedures that take longer to recover from and involve a slower pace of recovery.And competitive athletes will follow a four-step process of rehab progression. These four phases include 1) mobility and initial exercise, 2) intermediate exercise and stabilization, 3) advanced exercise and neuromotor control, and 4) return to activity.A physical therapist will show you what to do, how to do it, and how to advance or progress the program. You will probably start out on crutches for the first week to 10 days and gentle active motion of the hip. When you have full motion, the exercises assigned next are designed to restore strength and normal contract/relax sequences of all the muscles around the hip.Core (pelvis and trunk) stabilization exercises are recommended next along with balance training. And finally, if you are active in a sport or specific activity, you’ll be shown how to prepare to return to that sport. The goal is to participate fully without fear of reinjury.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Referencing my total knee replacement, the doctor kept talking about the “envelope” of my knee. What is this envelope?

November 7th — admin

I went to see a doctor about getting a total knee replacement. She kept talking about the “envelope” of my knee. I guess it has something to do with what kind of replacement I get. What is this envelope?

The envelope of a joint, especially the knee refers to the amount of load it can take before injury occurs. This concept is important when having a knee replacement. You want an implant that can hold up under everyday wear and tear. If you are more active than the average adult, then a different type of implant may be needed.

You can actually increase the envelope…in other words you can increase how much load or stress the knee can take before it’s overloaded. You can do this by losing weight (if you are overweight). You can also strengthen the muscles around the joint and increase your flexibility as two other ways to increase the envelope of function.

Doctors advise against “putting up with the pain.” Many times a patient who tries to wait it out becomes weaker and weaker. Before you know it, he or she is doing less and less. They become less flexible. They may even gain more weight because of the inactivity.

When it comes to knee pain and rehab, there’s more than one way to “push the envelope” so to speak.

For more information on this subject, call The Zehr Center for Orthopaedics at 239-596-0100 or visit www.zehrcenter.com. The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of a visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic.

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Can a stretching program lower the chances that my elderly mother will fall?

July 7th — admin

There is evidence that limitations in hip flexibility could impair walking ability in the elderly. This increases the risk of falling. As you walk, the hip extends in the back leg. A new study showed that the hip joint doesn’t extend as far back in the elderly as in younger people. Elderly people at a high risk for falls showed even less hip extension.

So a stretching program that helps improve hip extension could potentially help elderly people avoid falling–and the pain and hospital stays that falling can cause. Before starting any form of treatment, your mother should talk to her doctor. She also needs to address any other problems that may put her at risk for falling. These can include balance, strength, or vision problems.

The information contained herein is compiled from a variety of sources. It may not be complete or timely. It does not cover all diseases, physical conditions, ailments or treatments. The information should NOT be used in place of visit with your healthcare provider, nor should you disregard the advice of your health care provider because of any information you read in this topic. For more information on this subject, visit www.zehrcenter.com

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