Originally Posted by
79pmooney
My experience with chrondomalacia patellae - I was diagnosed 40+ years ago. The doc (we were both racers) said that I needed to strengthen the little quads just above and outside the kneecap to keep my kneecap tracking correctly. (The improper tracking causes wear on the cartilage.) The exercise he recommended was to sit on the floor with straight legs and lift one a few inches, locking those little muscles tight and holding that for 30 seconds. He told me to get to know those little guys really well; that they were the secret.
He also stressed that I had to 1) keep my hamstrings loose, 2) keep my knees really warm, I now wear special super warm knee warmers under regular cycling knee warmers up to 80F and 3) build up my conditioning at a rate my knees can accept (and listen to them).
I don't know how much of this carries over to your condition, but that doc's advice has been a Godsend to me. I still do all three.
Ben
Just goes to show Zombie threads can have some value. I read this post, and went right down on the floor to try it out. Left leg up, went into spasm almost immediately. Right leg up and I was still feeling it in the left.
Managed to do the right, just for a few seconds. I will work my way up to 30 seconds.Thanks