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Exercise to improve balance

Posted , 4 users are following.

anon_private
anon_private

Hello,

I am doing a common exercise to improve balance. It involves standing on one leg with other hanging at the side with the foot against the calf.

I am a little wobbly and am experiencing a mild discomfort in the right knee. No problem with the left knee. I alternate between lifting the left and right leg.

I am wondering if the wobble is stretching a muscle/muscles in the knee that accounts for the discomfort, and that this will subside with practice.

The problem does not affect any activity, including walking for long distances.

The exercise seems to be widely recommended in both Yoga and more conventional therapies.

Let me know what you think

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • CHICO_MARX
    CHICO_MARX anon_private

    Posted

    Your "wobble" and pain is likely the result of inadequate muscle strength in your quads, glutes and core.  These ALL get atrophied quickly when you have a TKR and it takes a while to rebuild that strength to support the knee.  Meanwhile, your new knee is taking all that pressure that the muscles should be addressing, therefore the pain.

    ?The solution is time and work.  You have to actively rebuild that strength so the muscles do the work, like they should, instead of the knee.  Here's a plan...

    https://patient.info/forums/discuss/post-tkr-exercising-565527

    ?Do the work and over time it will all resolve.  I found that a balance board (~$15) was a good way to address "the wobble".  At the beginning, ALWAYS have a hand on a wall!!!  Over time as your muscles get stronger, you should be able to balance a whole lot better all by yourself.

    ?Hope this helps.

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX anon_private

      Posted

      Then you're waaaaaay ahead of us that had knee replacements.  I'd get a balance board in a heartbeat!!!

    • deb06149
      deb06149 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      I have a problem,I'm 10 weeks in on TKR left knee. My foot has now decided to swell. It hurts under my arch and by my baby toe. What can I do. Thanks

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX deb06149

      Posted

      I'm not a doc...IT...47 years.  So I'd suggest rebooting Windows into Safe Mode and...

      ?Kidding.  First, 10 weeks is still early...the first three months are horrible, as you are well aware.  People have all sorts of problems, especially swelling.  The answer is always stop doing what you're doing, ice and elevate.  

      ?Now to use my IT experience.  When someone comes to me and says "My program was working fine and now it's not.", the first question is always "WHAT DID YOU CHANGE?".  The same method applies here.  If you've had no foot swelling for 10 weeks and now you do, the question is "What are you doing now that you haven't been doing?".  

      ?Have you walking farther?  Got new shoes?  Started a new exercise routine?  Transitioned from a walking aid to none?  The fact is that you've changed something...what is it?  Many TKR patients get sciatica because we change our gait to avoid pain and misalign our hips or SI joints.  I got mine at 5 weeks...quick chiropractor fix.

      ?For you, whatever change you made could manifest as foot and not hip pain as we're all different and each of us experiences the recovery differently.  So put your thinking cap on and figure out what's different between then and now.  The answer will be self-evident.  When you find it, change it.

    • deb06149
      deb06149 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Thanks makes sense. I'm on my feet more then before and no cane. I do also have back problems which have been aggravated by p.t. So I now need a procedure done on it.

    • CHICO_MARX
      CHICO_MARX deb06149

      Posted

      For me, the simplest, non-invasive path is always chiropractic.  Yes, some people have a problem with that but I've had lots of success with it over many decades.  I've seen chiros for sciatic and SI joint pain as well as for back and other problems. 

      The only time it didn't work was when I had a severe sciatica episode caused by a bone spur literally "crushing" my sciatic nerve root at L4.  The only solution was my neurosurgeon who got rid of the spur and performed a decompressive laminectomy so it didn't happen again.  Immediate relief...residual nerve pain gone in a few days. 

      ?I always look for the root cause of a problem instead of taking meds for the symptoms.  Hate the meds, especially the nerve ones like Lyrica and Gabapentin.  My search for the cause always starts with chiropractic and then further if I don't get the results I want or if my chiro tells me that it's beyond their expertise.  Step by step...

    • deb06149
      deb06149 CHICO_MARX

      Posted

      Not sure if a chiro would help me. I have spinal stenosis, arthritis, degenerative disc disease, 2 cysts, facet joint problems, so when either side acts up he does a radial frequency ablation, which lasts 6 months to 2 years trying to avoid surgery.
    • catherine73953
      catherine73953 deb06149

      Posted

      Make sure you stretch your tendons, massage your leg on the inside and especially outside.  I use a hand held massager and it is great!  I am 6 week post op and so much nerve, walking, and swelling has gone down with the use of it, started yesterday.  Also push your knee backward while standing, you will feel the swelling start to go down immediately.
  • catherine73953
    catherine73953 anon_private

    Posted

    If our wobbly, like there is a shake in your leg than that is the muscle trying to rebuild because it is not strong enough.   If your wobbling than it is because your balance isn't good yet.  Some will never be really good at balancing their body and some will be good.  I think your fine doing what your doing depending on how long your post op.  I would definitely make sure you hold onto something for balance. 

    • anon_private
      anon_private catherine73953

      Posted

      As I said: 'I have not had a knee replacement or any surgery.

      I am simply trying to improve my balance. This exercise is designed to improve balance.'

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