Originally Posted by
hillcrawler
Maybe that question was for me. I have been told to sit on a couch while my legs are straighten. Put a pillow under my heels and press down with my knees for 5 secs. 200 times a day for 3 weeks. Another orthopedist had told me to do this with the pillow under my knees. She told me this is going to make the matter worse. I think what she is trying to achieve here is activating the VMO without activating VML. When the pillow is under my knee and press down with my knees, i can see the muscles contracting on both side. Since my kneecap is shifted outside i have to strengthen inner muscles.
Yes. Sounds like isometric exercises for the VMO. IMO, it doesn't much matter where you put the pillow. It's just there to assist you in isolating the VMO rather than complicating things by flexing the hip. As you point out, you can feel the VMO with your fingers and use this to help get the feel of contracting it. IMO 200 times a day is only part of the story. I think you need to tense it hard and repeatedly to the point of fatigue to build strength, as you would in any other strength building exercise. Also, I think pedaling with force more on the balls of your feet than toward the outer edge of the foot is very helpful.
Disclaimer: I'm not a doc, therapist, or anything else....