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Finally an answer to the knee / scoliosis relationship

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  • Finally an answer to the knee / scoliosis relationship

    After several months of worsening knee pain, I visited a seasoned orthopedic surgeon. He has diagnosed me with chondomalacia which was mentioned in a post by Tableone. My doctor explained this is normally diagnosed in young athletes because it is due to over use of the knees. He said scoliosis patients who have significant fusions are being diagnosed with the same problem. I'm far from an athlete. The,doctor explained it like this. Since we are fused we have lost a significant amount of range of motion, therefore we lose muscle tone in our thighs. When that happens, you no longer have those strong thigh muscles to support your weight and movements. In my case, I have also had the restrictions of casts and bracing. Which has added additional restrictions and weight. He was very surprised that I was not diagnosed with the problem as a child. When a child is diagnosed, they can do a repair, chondomalacia is inflammation, so the goal is to get the inflammation to go down. He has recommended Mobic and ice. Hopefully this information answers some question for other fellow knee pain sufferers. I just wanted to add one more thing. now that I know what is wrong with my knees, I searched the relationship of chondomalacia and scoliosis on the Internet and there is quite a bit of information about the relationship. I'm quite surprised that there hasn't been a response to the previous knee posts from the people who research and other experienced posters.
    Last edited by Jamie1955; 08-18-2015, 06:04 PM.

  • #2
    I can only speak for myself, but since being fused my thighs are much stronger as I use my thighs to squat, since I can't bend over anymore. But all that squatting is probably also hard on your knees.
    Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
    ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
    Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

    After 38* lumbar

    Xrays
    Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

    After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
      I can only speak for myself, but since being fused my thighs are much stronger as I use my thighs to squat, since I can't bend over anymore. But all that squatting is probably also hard on your knees.
      I thought the same thing, but the doctor pointed out specifically which muscles in your thighs support your weight and take it off the knees, those are the muscles that we are no longer able to strengthen as well as we could before being fussed. In my case I have been casted, braced and numerous surgeries since childhood. If you just had your first or second surgery as an adult you may have time before the knee issue starts to really affect you. He gave me a chart of excersises that can be done ting in bed. Liz I just read your first post and if I am correct you just had your first surgery. If I could offer any advice to you is, save those knees as much as possible. Use your grabbers for everything possibly. I know it feels like you are building muscle and you may be doing that but you may be losing some of the important ones as I did as well. It's just what happen to me. Can't say it will happen to everyone . Again I'm one of the ones casted, braced and numerous surgeries. Totally different ballgame for your one and only surgery.
      Last edited by Jamie1955; 08-20-2015, 05:19 AM.

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      • #4
        Interesting, do you know the names of the muscles he is speaking of? It seems like there would be some exercise you could do that would isolate those muscles. I agree about continuing to use the grabbers if it is not too inconvenient. I don't have any knee problems (except a little creaking) but it just generally seems to be a good idea not to load your spine whenever it can be avoided.
        Before 39* lumbar at age 18, progressed to 74* lumbar and 22* thoracic age 55
        ALIF Jan 13, 2015, PLIF Jan 15, 2015 with Dr William Stevens, Honor Health
        Fused T-7 to S-1 with pelvic fixation

        After 38* lumbar

        Xrays
        Before: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...7&d=1414268930

        After: http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...6&d=1424894360

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Lizardacres View Post
          Interesting, do you know the names of the muscles he is speaking of? It seems like there would be some exercise you could do that would isolate those muscles. I agree about continuing to use the grabbers if it is not too inconvenient. I don't have any knee problems (except a little creaking) but it just generally seems to be a good idea not to load your spine whenever it can be avoided.
          I'm not sure of the names of the muscles. I know one of them runs from inside of your leg to the knee and I think the other one is above your knee but not positive on that one. I just want to stress to anyone who is not yet having knee problems, preserve your knees. I had to stop my regular walking from sciatic pain and that's when the knee problems got worse. I would imagine those that do regular walking are staying tone in that area or at least tone enough to not loose those muscles.
          Last edited by Jamie1955; 08-20-2015, 06:56 PM.

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