release to water activities

Today I saw Dr. Ghate for my 8 week checkup. Next one is in two more months, January 5, 2011.

In his typical 2 minute visit, he released me to participate in water activities, submerging my knee in water, something prohibited due to risk of infection up until now. He also picked up on the point that I do not extend my knee fully when I walk. After years and years of walking with the damaged knee, there is now the possibility to extend my knee to fully straight. The only thing(s) holding back my knee from full extension are the muscles, and many of them; hamstring, quad, inner leg line, outer leg line, glut, a lot. This has been the working assumption but Ghate suggested that it may be sciatica rather than IT band pain. I will investigate with Natalie in PT.

He specified and demonstrated a walking style for me to practice: kick the knee out leading with the heel, strike the heel first upon the ground, roll the full foot through the step. I have been sort of swinging the leg from the hip and not straightening the knee. He wants me to practice daily walking in this manner.

Speaking of straightening, I attended the 'gentle yoga' class under the leadership of Gabriel Halpern at Yoga Circle. His mantra about knees is 'until you can straighten, you cannot bend'. I had forgotten although I had heard it previously. I will try to attend his class at least once per week although I find that other things vie for the time (12:30p-2p TU, TH).

From Natalie, who I went to immediately to share my news, I got five exercises to do in the pool:

• walk forward in the pool, extending the knee fully
• walk backward in the pool, extending the knee fully
• walk sideways in the pool, alternately leading from each side (like the band walking on land)
  
• stretch the hamstring on a step
• bend the knee in the water

So now my workout includes:

• 10 minutes on the stationery bike
• 10 minutes on the treadmill
• 10 minutes on the elliptical (resuming for cardio)
• 20 minutes in the water
• leg lifts (forward, back, each side -- forward with weight)
• knee stretch (hanging off bed with weight)
• hamstring stretch, stretch to each side, stretch out hip flexor and groin
• etc....