A Tentative Tip
This idea I am working with lately may not be a sure thing, but it's certainly worth a try. In the last several months, my right knee has been talking back to me when I get up from a seated position or climb out of the swimming pool at the Y. Then last Friday, a friend who has had a knee replacement told me that she has been faithfully doing the knee exercises that her doctor told her to do. Knee exercises? What?
She said that they are simple. Before she gets out of bed each morning she is to lie flat on her back and with her legs straight, she presses her knee firmly against the mattress, almost like trying to bend her knee backwards. I decided that it was worth a try, because, I remember the very simple, easy exercises my mom was given to do to build up her muscle strength during her recovery from heart surgery. She had gone down to the point where she couldn't walk alone, but simple things like moving her legs back and forth in bed, bringing her heel up toward her body, really built up her strength and she was walking again. I thought it was so lame to assign her such slight exercise. What good could sliding her foot back and forth on the bed do? But I was so wrong. It was the beginning of building her strength again.
Since Friday, I've been doing that knee exercise, and I feel sure that I feel the benefits already! I thought I'd tell you about it, just in case you may benefit from a simple little exercise, too.
Submitted by
nj
at 1/24/2006 3:44:52 PM- Oh, John, don't bend your knee backwards, just press in that direction. If you're standing straight, just tighten your muscles till you feel that stress there in the back of your knee. I'm really thinking it's helping me.
Submitted by
Sally
at 1/25/2006 9:05:27 AM- You're so right, Nancy. Sometimes, those simple painless little things we can do help a lot. I've found lately, since I have a problem with my right leg, that if I massage it rigorously, after my shower, using body butter it brings much wanted relief.
Submitted by
Sally
at 1/25/2006 9:06:23 AM- I think I should have said 'vigorously'. :)
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Good for you. My light exercise Saturday was to ride 30 miles on my bike. Like you, I thought it was pretty lame, and it turns out I was right. I could hardly walk Sunday. Next time I'll try sliding my legs back and forth in bed. However, bending my leg backwards sounds too much like a career ending football injury. Thanks for the tip.