"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2005-02-16, ant penned:
"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
http://health.allrefer.com/health/ch...es-images.html

that article is incredibly simplistic.

Well, I was just looking for something that mentioned the "pain when
sitting"
symptom. I have found more detailed articles in the past, but we've both
talked to doctors, so we probably have heard it all before.

Mine hurts going up or down stairs, or when clicking into my skis.
However, now I'm tape-free because skiing with my kneecap in the right
spot (from taping) eliminates the problem. I have some funny
excersises to build the right muscle but they are annoying to do. They
involve co-contracting the weak muscle. Oddly, when I'm not skiing,
the problem becomes worse and going up or down stairs is very
unpleasant. I don't tape when not skiing, which is part of the
problem.

I guess I'm lucky in that mine don't hurt when *doing* things anymore;
just
when I'm sitting in place too long. I guess it's a not-so-subtle message
to
get off my butt.

What exercises have you been given?

Well, to stretch the outer quad, so you lie on your face, grab one foot,
and then hook the under-leg's heel over the knee to pull the outer quad of
the upper leg down.
the strengthening is to co-contract the inner quad whenever possible. but to
sit with legs out front, prop leg with a rolled up towel under the back of
the knee, and then lift the lower leg while contracting the inner quad and
holding it. then loading up the foot with weights while doing the same
thing, and holding for longer periods, but being sure to contract the inner
quad while doing so. I found that annoying and tended to cheat on it. taping
is easier and very effective, and it also awakens the dormant quad muscles
to re-build and re-activate. Today I did lots of big powder bumps sans tape
and there was zero pain and the knees were strong.

ant