St. Joseph of the Lakes

It is amazing at what a piece of tape can do! I saw a therapist for my left knee a couple of weeks ago and she confirmed that I actually had a problem (which I already knew). Once we both knew the problem she began to apply a piece of kenesio-tape to the outside of my knee and stretched it toward the inside of hte knee finally pushing it onto my skin where it began holding my kneecap away from the outer bone. Immediately the deep aching pain disappeared. It seemed too simple and good to be true. As I walked toward my car after the session I noticed that although I did not have any pain in the knee I began developing a severe pain in my left ankle that almost hobbled my by the time I got to the car. It continued throughout the first week, as the tape held the kneecap another tendon complained loudly about the re-direction that was taking place. I saw the therapist the next week and let her know and she shook her head with great understanding and she said: "I was afraid that was going to happen; it is a very common follow-up to what we did last week." She had me sit down on the bench and she began taping my ankle this time wrapping it from the inside toward the outside and then going up the ankle where it began applying pressure to the complaining tendon. I took a couple of step and realized that I could now walk more easily. This is the first time in three months that I could actually take a step without pain.

Athletes often time tape themselves up before they perform their sport. I never quite understood what difference that made until my therapy sessions. Now I am going to have to tape myself up to meet the demands of my profession. I also am getting exercise instruction as the goal is to strengthen my leg muscles to see if they will become strong enough to see if they will actually be able to hold my kneecap in place. I will be meeting with my physical therapist once a week for the next two months and then we will evaluate whether or not I can avoid another knee surgery. According to the doctor it would be a rather extensive piece of work in which they would have to reopen the knee and do physical adjustments to make sure the knee cap is in the right place.

What I find interesting in this whole process is that I am not all that unique in my post-knee replacement malady. No one has been surprised and in fact they have been pretty matter of fact about what do for it. I am glad that I am not a guinea pig that the experts are just toying with to get an understanding of my condition, but instead I am the recipient of their expert knowledge. I thank God for the skills of nurses and doctors as I contemplate the suffering of my borebears who never had any of the medical opportunities that we do today. Hopefully with their guidance and my persistence I will be able to avoid another surgery with a pretty lengthy recovery. Keep me in your prayers, I will update you as I learn more myself.