Here we will address the knee pain and weakness suffered by the elderly, obese, and out of shape people. Most people don't realize that the majority of knee pain is actually coming from trigger points. This is why some people are tested and after receiving the results, they are told their tests revealed nothing out of the ordinary (or everything is normal); however their knee pain is still present. Some patients present with the same pain after rounds of surgeries and physical therapy and other forms of care. There are even times when there may be some type of degeneration in their knees. Degeneration in a joint is not always the culprit causing the pain you are feeling. Your knee may be misaligned due to the damage to the joint, however, the muscles (trigger points), in many cases will be the primary cause of your knee pain. The muscles can cause the same problem with your spine. I have seen degeneration in several joints in the spine and the patient will exhibit no sign of pain. (Therefore, degeneration doesn't cause all the pain you may experience in your joints. It depends on the severity of the degeneration and the misalignment). Trigger points will refer a pain pattern to specific areas. These particular points reside in the muscle or muscle tendons and the treatment is to have an experienced practitioner turn them off. In addition to pain, weakness will hamper the functionality of the knee.
Here are some exercises that have helped my patients to strengthen their knees after experiencing weakness. The weakness can be addressed by standing in front of a chair as though you're going to sit down. Simply sit down and then stand up. You will do this exercise several times a day throughout the day. Some of you may find this exercise difficult. To make it easier, start by sitting down. Slide forward in the chair while in the sitting position until your buttocks are resting on the front part of the chair. Now, right before you stand, take a deep breath and then stand, releasing the breath on your way up. Start with a chair that has arms and work your way up to a chair that doesn't have arms. If this exercise starts to hurt, stop until your knees feel better and start more slowly next time.
Next, sit up straight and perform leg extensions by simply straightening both legs from a natural sitting position with the knees bent. Squeeze the muscles supporting the knee for a count of three. Return to the bended knee start position. Repeat this movement eight times, and then rest. Perform the entire action twice more (3 sets total). If you are having difficulty performing this action with both legs simultaneously, start with one leg first, and alternate to the other leg. After both legs are stronger, start to perform this exercise with both legs at the same time. Once your knees start to feel stronger, you are ready to add a walking program to your exercise regimen. Please consult your doctor before attempting these exercises.
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