Medical Monday: Part Two--My Therapist Takes A Knee

   Today was another Medical Monday and, quite frankly, way too long in coming. I'd finally decided to see a physiotherapist for my bum right knee and today was the day we met for the first time.
   I decided to go to the local office of the CBI Health Group for my physio. There are all sorts of good places for physio in London but CBI is literally a three-minute drive from my place and the easier a place is to get to, the more likely it is I will get to it.
   I filled out the usual info forms and then Alison, my physiotherapist, showed up, introduced herself, and took me down to the physio room. 
   After hearing my sad story, watching me both walk and run, and bending the knee every which way possible, she came up with a theory.
   She noticed from my gait that I had a bit of a hip drop. This has caused the IT band to stretch into a position it is not accustomed to and has caused misalignment on that right knee. The tendons, ligaments, and meniscus appear fine so she is reasoning that the knee is not tracking properly and bone is wearing on cartilage.
   Part of today's treatment involved the use of a TENS machine and taping of the knee before I left.
   The TENS machine (and I'm guessing that most of you have had some sort of experience with one) works by attaching electrodes around the area of your body which is in pain and then running electrical current through that area. Basically, it creates a very strong, tingly sensation. 
   The TENS technician applied the electrodes to my knee and then turned the machine on, asking me to let her know when I could feel it. It took awhile but I could finally feel the tingling and told her that she could turn it even higher. Well, she did this and before I could say anything, the whole inside of my right thigh started to spasm! She turned it down quite quickly and got it back to a comfortable level. She then left the room.Now, what I wasn't expecting was that the machine, all on its own, would suddenly make my knee jerk and spasm. I was about to call someone when it stopped. It was fine for awhile and then started up again, causing more spasms. I finally figured out that the machine was simply cycling and giving my knee a wide range of different intensity levels. 

Home with a tape job! Not sure what's
taped to what, but the knee feels good!

   After the TENS, Alison returned and taped the knee. She figured the tape would last a couple of days and I am curious as to whether it will help or not. One thing I can say, though, is that tonight the knee feels great! I was sent home with exercises to do and was also told what and what not to do at the gym.
   So far, so good. It is such a good feeling to finally be doing something constructive with the stupid knee. Hopefully, running soon. Then....sprinting!

Medical Monday

   The day before yesterday was Medical Monday (yes, I enjoy alliteration as much as the next blogger) and I found myself headed off to do bloodwork, get x-rays done of my problematic right knee and then, to top it off, set up an appointment for a physio assessment for that same right knee. Then, after all that was completed, it was off to the gym for a workout!
   I went about all of this with a little bit of glee in my heart. Part of this had something to do with the fact that it was finally a sunny day. Sunshine's been scarce in these parts and to once again experience it was a true mood-elevator. Principally, though, I was happy because I was actually doing something.

There's the bastard. On the left. YOUR left.

   My knee has stopped me dead in the tracks from doing many of the things I'd like to be able to do, training-wise. I have this desire to be training for running sprints and a right knee that will allow me to hike and run through a forest but will not enable me to run full-out is stifling. Even attempting a swift jog a couple of weeks ago gave me grief for several days afterward. So, setting in motion some of the things I need to do to finally deal with this situation was a welcome change to limping around and feeling sorry for myself.
   

It seems as though I may have touched down gently...

Today, my doctor's office called and informed me that the x-rays of the knee were normal. Now, my knee is certainly not "normal" but the fact that the x-rays did not indicate anything structurally wrong was encouraging. The best part about this result, though, is that it kind of rules out arthritis as a major contributor. I was kind of worried about this, I have no qualms in stating. This also allows me to meet my physiotherapist next week and tell her that I'm already this far into the investigation and what the results were.

Is there no end to my dirty
right knee pics??

   Having said all this, today the knee doesn't feel all that bad. This has been the trap I've fallen into ever since I injured it last spring. The knee will give me tons of grief but then gradually start to feel better, at which point I think I'm healing all by myself, so I don't get the medical attention I probably need. This was the cycle I was on all last summer and fall. In fact, the knee did heal enough that I was able to run on the trails and gradually increase the mileage. I enjoyed all that but now I want to run fast and the knee won't let me.
   Today, one of my co-workers (one who actually follows this blog) asked me if I had hooked up with physio yet. I told her I had and where it was and she herself had been a patient there and said they were very good. This was encouraging and I will go there next Medical Monday and let them do their magic!

   

"I Come Bearing Bad Knees"

   I had my semi-yearly physical earlier on this week. My priority at the moment is to figure out exactly what is going with my bum right knee. I hurt it last April and, even though I've managed to do a ton of running and hiking in the interim, there is still a nagging pain that won't go away.
   As it happened, I didn't actually get to see my regular doctor because there was an intern (not the right word) who is currently assigned to my doctor's office. He seemed like a very bright young man, though, and I was happy with the visit. He did the usual check-up things and then we settled in to talking about my knee.

My bum right knee, in a better (albeit dirtier and bloodier) day!

   He went through a range of motion test, pressed it here and there and discovered the 2 or 3 sore spots. After all was said and done, he was of the opinion that arthritis was involved and gave me a Rx for an x-ray and physio. I could have seen a physio when I first got hurt but the knee always seemed to be on the mend and so I never ended going. This time, though, it's physio for sure.
   I am not sure about the arthritis thing. I'm certainly at the age when arthritis enters the conversation but, at the same time, I know my body pretty well and it's not that the knee is constantly sore, it's that the knee feels like it's gonna give out now and then. The x-ray, I guess, should at least be definitive on the whole arthritis thing. After that, we'll go from there. I did ask about the possibility of getting an MRI but this is complicated a little by an almost 65-year-old chunk of metal in my brain. No real desire to have metal fly out of my head and clamp on to an MRI machine!
   The worst part about all of this is that I've temporarily shut down any kind of a workout that affects the knees. I've actually been pretty good about getting to the gym regularly but I've necessarily avoided doing leg work because it just aggravates everything. Kind of pisses me off because I'd just joined Ontario Masters Athletics with a view to running some sprints and, right at the moment, I can't sprint!
   So, likely this coming Monday I'll get in for that x-ray and there happens to be a physio place in the same building so I may stop in there as well. Maybe even get some bloodwork done cuz they do that there, too!
   The joy of it all....