Help with a knee injury?

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Help with a knee injury?

Postby Dragon_Gyatso » Mon Oct 01, 2012 4:47 pm

Hi,

I looked across the boards regarding this topic but none of the previous posts seemed to completely address the issue I am having.. Perhaps I am too picky?

Approximately 8 months ago, maybe 6, I injured my knee.
This happened when I was running and crashed quite hard on my knee.
I later attempted to enter into four six stance, and was fine until about 5 seconds after when I attained a horrid pain in my knee.

Its been some time since I practiced Tai Chi and recently started up again. (I practiced on and off for those 6 months, I just didnt have a lot of time).

I notice now that whenever I enter four six stance (only on the injured leg) I get this horrible pain in my knee. Its not the knee cap, its right below. After I run, I get the same pain.
I cannot go too low on that knee.. and sometimes i can barely enter four six stance.
I can stand without pain. The only time there is a problem is when Im bending at the knee and there is a lot of pressure on it. I have been practicing squat stance to strengthen the knees, i dont go as low into four six stance on that leg, I practice duck walking to strengthen the knees, and I rotate the knees to loosen them up. Maybe Im just practicing too hard? Im not sure what I should do.
The pain is fine sometimes and isnt apparent when I practice so long as I dont go too low.. but afterwards it tends to hurt and I cant bend on it.
I will admit the last few days Ive been intensely working the knee.. so again, maybe Im just working too hard on it?
I can enter the tame the tiger stance, (with the knee and foot pointed outwards) there is a little pain but its generally ok.
I can perform the snake creeps down without much trouble. Its mainly four six stance, or say bringing my leg out as Im doing diagonal flying. I am generally fine in the bow and arrow, I bring my right leg in, and my left knee (the injured knee) is fine so long as Im not bent too low, but i can only bring my right foot out a little because I cant bend the knee to low.

Im rambling and this is long.. But Im not sure what to do.
Stop practice? half the amount of practice on the knee? stop practice on the knee all together? keep going with the knee strengthening drills? Ive noticed the duck walking and squat stance and so on do help, but again.. I dont know what to do.

Tai Chi has done so much for me since I started.. I just feel better about life.. and to have to stop would be devastating. I know others have had worse knee injuries than i.. But I just dont know what to do.

Help please?

Thank you!
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby Brian » Tue Oct 02, 2012 1:21 am

Go and have your knee(s) checked out by a doctor...x-ray,cat scan etc...whatever it takes to find the underlying problem.
From what you have described, you obviously haven't given your knees time to heal properly, and you MAY be causing even more damage by continuing to practice as you are.
Far better to stop training for (say) 3 months in order to heal/strengthen, than to end up never being able to train again because you didn't do the right thing!!

I'm saying this from experience..2 bad knees and a recent hip replacement!! So...GO TO YOUR DOCTOR!!

Regards :)
Taiji, QiGong and Meditation
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby joeblast » Tue Oct 02, 2012 6:19 am

a few times a day, every day, and gently, this can be done sitting even - lift leg, bring your knee to a 90 degree position, this allows for the most range of movement for the tibia and fibula - do ~9 lateral rotations of the ankle/foot and then ~9 medial rotations. it will help the lower patellar ligament. /\ :)
Even in mildly complex systems, any outcome is the wrong thing to target, with the process being where the focus should be.
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby caesar » Tue Oct 02, 2012 7:00 am

Gyatso,

let your knees rest for a while (needed) and practice (for example) waist movement on a chair? :)
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby Dragon_Gyatso » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:01 pm

Thank you so very much to each of you who replied to my post.
I am grateful for each of your opinions! :)
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby pete5770 » Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:55 pm

Go see a doctor for Gods sake. Medical advise on a forum??? Are you crazy? :roll:
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby caesar » Tue Oct 30, 2012 4:55 pm

pete5770 wrote:Go see a doctor for Gods sake. Medical advise on a forum??? Are you crazy? :roll:


The same advice (to go see a doctor) was actually the very first reply in this post, on this forum where Gyatso asked for help. It's good to go see a doctor, but I don't see it as crazy to also ask for help, advice and experiences around (including forums.)
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby pete5770 » Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:29 pm

caesar wrote:
pete5770 wrote:Go see a doctor for Gods sake. Medical advise on a forum??? Are you crazy? :roll:


The same advice (to go see a doctor) was actually the very first reply in this post, on this forum where Gyatso asked for help. It's good to go see a doctor, but I don't see it as crazy to also ask for help, advice and experiences around (including forums.)


No. Way too many people on forums giving advise to people who should be seeking professional help. Key word being "professional". This does not apply to forum professionals. Once again, say no to forum med advise. Gyatso needs to find out what's wrong and not cruise around on forums until he / she finds someone who will tell him / her that "everything will be OK". Everything might not be OK and there is no way anyone on a forum has even so much as a small clue, one way or another. Even an reputable MD wouldn't give advise on a forum.
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby caesar » Tue Oct 30, 2012 5:41 pm

It's okay to keep an open mind and hear what others say, right now I'm doing it myself while listening to what you are trying to say.
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby Dragon_Gyatso » Tue Oct 30, 2012 6:22 pm

I stayed off the knee, iced it everyday for about 30 minutes, and slowly started bearing weight on it only a few times a day.. getting into certain stances to build leg strength, etc.

My knee pain, thankfully, is gone.
It was just a case of overuse.

But thanks again everyone.. Lol

EDIT**
I lied.. Its patellar tendonitis.. with overuse..
But again, its fine now.
And I know how to deal with it..
I mean running is still a problem..
But, fencing stepping helped a lot in recovery.

But yes, its good now.

;)

EDIT***
pete: You raised a valid point... seeing a doctor is best, which is what I was advised to do before by someone who posted on the board.
But caesar raises a great point as well..
Its good to be able to draw information from others and view it objectively.

Kudos to you both.
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby wpgtaiji » Tue Oct 30, 2012 11:41 pm

You could try Convict Conditioning, and start at level 1 for squats (shoulderstand squats). Do the method as set up for a stark beginner (regardless of how FIT you think you are). The reason is to rehab the legs, and to strengthen the legs and knees. If you are on a come back, do 2 months of one workout per week (8 total) of shoulderstand squats. 3 sets of 50 reps (work up to it if you are like me and out of shape a bit, then when you get to 3 by 50, do it for 2 months). The one session per week means NO OTHER LEG STUFF that week! You are focusing on strengthening the legs, tendons and ligaments (muscles may get work, but shoulderstand squats are pretty easy on the muscles if you are in shape). Of course, this is after you have got the pass from the MD!

good luck
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby joeblast » Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:39 am

If one doesnt have the basis of knowledge to tell the difference between good advice and not so good advice on a topic like this, then of course rely on a doctor. If one can, then best to find assistance from whatever sources one can find. We're not talking about a serious medical issue here, this is a strained ligament - and the question was asked in context of a martial arts stance on a martial arts forum. I dont see what the problem is in asking for the advice of other practitioners. There are no solid guarantees, that is why at the far end each of us is the ultimate arbiter of the information - seek the proper path to understanding to know when just a few exercises are needed, when to go spend however much money getting all kinds of pictures taken of the site. If DG can do the stance at all then the likelihood of the issue being so serious as to require surgery is rather low and the doctor will most likely send him to a PT...so that the PT can prescribe the necessary exercises. I'd ask are you crazy if DG was displaying symptoms of an internal injury and was asking us, but this is a banged up knee we're talking about, not a ruptured spleen! All about context.
Even in mildly complex systems, any outcome is the wrong thing to target, with the process being where the focus should be.
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Re: Help with a knee injury?

Postby wpgtaiji » Wed Oct 31, 2012 8:00 am

mate, the references to SEE A DOC are to LEGALLY cover your butt. LOL
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