yesterday was my 2nd to the last PT session for the knee rehabilitation / VMO program i enrolled in moro (as advised by doc canals). and can i just say it was the best i had??! ;-)
since 5th jan, i had been religiously seeing my PT for some drills and VMO strengthening exercises. to follow such measured and detailed routine is actually a donkey work to me, but the promise of sports science and physical therapy is something i only have at the moment to be back in shape. and though there have been significant improvements to my knees – no longer using crutches, can walk straight now, can bend it in full extent – my frustration when i can actually go back to my normal activities (running, diving, biking and surfing) is getting perceptible too. it’s been months, a little more than 3 months to be exact, but up to my last PT session i can’t even stand on my right leg afraid that i would put too much weight on my aching knee. there’s always discomfort whenever i’d go up or down the stairs. something is tight inside and my knee wobbles if i have to walk faster. there was even one time i attended an introduction to bikram yoga, but i ended-up not finishing it cuz it’s too painful to bear.
then 3 weeks ago, spoke to Doc K’s PT asst and said the drills became easier to my leg and that i see no improvements with my knee lately. that day i was handled by a new PT, Doc D. boy he is very thorough with the exercises he gave me! he never left me during the entire an hour and a half session. he wanted to give me new activities that would isolate my VMO so my program’s goal to stabilize my patella (knee cap) can be achieved. i wanted to tell him can he be my PT from now on. not that i don’t like Doc K, my original PT, but i think he is too busy to focus to my case. he is handling a lot of UAAP athletes, PBA players and the likes and i am just one of those ordinary patients that need a-not-so-special attention. when i got home, after my PT session with Doc D, i really felt better. i was able to do some full squatting on a balancing board, something which i haven’t done since my day 1 in the center. i have improved my knee bending reach and i cut the difference from 3cm to 1cm. with the kinesio tape i felt relieved too whilst doing all the drills. and i lurve how he assisted me with my stretching. woooah! he keeps on saying ‘pls bear with the pain ma’am, it’s gonna be painful’ as my leg & my foot are being stretched , but i wanted to say, ‘i really don’t mind pains that actually give you pleasure in the end.’ come on! my knee has been incessantly painful since december and i really think i can do anything or bear anything (for that matter) to finally eliminate the nagging knee pain.
but next session, i was again handled by Doc K. he though changed my program after my request, but i still think he is too preoccupied. after my session, i sms TBR (who also sees one of the PT in the clinic) and vented out my frustration. unknowingly she too is getting tired of all the things she’s doing to mend her ITB. so decided to encourage each other instead and not to aggravate our present state. hey! that’s what friends are for, yes? lifting up one’s spirit when the going gets tough. hahaha! then, last night, Doc K again had to leave cuz he has to cover an ateneo game (he is part of the ateneo PT team). so i was endorsed to a new PT, Doc J. woot ! woot! from assessment drills to stretching to eccentric drills to massaging my calf with spasm i have nothing but commendation for him. i felt like i’m a national athlete that needs his full attention. haha! no i don’t wanna be babysitted, but i think i deserve to be assessed and checked with the same consideration as other high profile athletes in the clinic. we’re all paying our rehab fee, which is not cheap, really, if i may add. he was actually surprised that i am still having pains and he found out that the pain is actually at my patellar tendon. he said it’s normal to those that had contusion on the patella. because of long inactivity the leg forgets its correct walking / running / sitting mechanism, thus putting strain to my knee. i admitted to him even without Doc K’s approval, rode a surfboard 2 weeks ago and got stoked in surfing which i suspected had aggravated the pain. so he then said that stick with the new program first and gradually (with Doc K’s consent, as he is my assigned PT, he’ll let me go back to all my activities). if there’s one consolation though he allowed me to be back to my swimming training with R (total immersion – which deserves a separate posting). i wanna asked before i left if i can have him permanently, but i thought better and left it unsaid until i finish my last two sessions this week and re-enroll to a new program. i’d definitely request him to be my new PT.
after last night session, whoopee!!! i see better days ahead of me! :-) i’m excited to be back in shape and in celebration of that i’m joining my running buddies, happy feet family, solemates and my fellow iamninoy advocates for the condura run for whalesharks on the 22nd! woohooo! i know it’s just gonna be a 3k fun run..but i am happy to celebrate small victories like it. ;-)
see you fellas on the road! i will soon (gently) pound the roads once more :-)
coffee mug 