THESE KNEES ARE MEANT FOR WALKING

PERSPECTIVES ON HEALTHY LIVING
By Coralie Darsey-Malloy

You can’t help getting older…but you don’t have to get old.
--George Burns

While sitting in the surgeon’s office waiting for the results from the MRI on my knees I took a few moments to consider the various circumstances that had led me to this point.  I am an active person and from early in life my knees have been put through their paces and have always served me well. When I was younger they came back from torn ligaments and a broken ankle that affected the biomechanics of the knees…for awhile. 

As far back as the   early 90’s a doctor at the Pan Am Sports Clinic recommended   having them “scoped” when X-Rays showed osteoarthritis involving the patellofemoral bilateral joints in the knee and surrounding area. I chose not to have surgery then but could not help but wonder if I would be able to avoid it again.   Could it really be that my” age” and years of hiking on uneven terrain, rock wall climbing, riding (and falling off) a number of horses, digging and weeding a multitude of gardens have finally damaged them beyond repair?   There was a considerable amount of pain and swelling in the knees that was affecting activity and comfort levels and it had me concerned.

The trip down memory lane was interrupted as the surgeon walked through the door, sat down, opened my file and said in a matter of fact way. “I have the results of your MRI here. You have torn the meniscus in your knees…that is the U-shaped cushion under your kneecap.  This area   will not heal and your   only option is to remove the torn meniscus, and some of the surrounding tissue. Granted, it will affect your gait and mobility but in my opinion that is the course of action you should take. He did not look in my direction as he made a few notes, closed my file, opened his day-timer, picked a time for the surgery, wrote it down and handed me the particulars.

With everything happening so fast I barely had time to interject with a comment that I would prefer to consider some other forms of therapy before “going under the knife.”  After briefly glancing my way he opened the file, scribbled a note and left without another word.  Had he given me a little more time I would have indicated that in the event that the complimentary systems did not work out I would be back to discuss the surgery; but the opportunity never arose.

As my husband and I left the building I recalled the precautionary words of our family doctor when she set up the appointment. She reminded me that surgeons like to cut and are usually not interested in “other options.” Her prophetic words   had proven to be true. Having said that I know that surgery does have its place for knees that are so damaged that it is affecting the quality of life.  However, even with the level of discomfort I had been experiencing at the time I did not feel that was true in my case. 

I decided to take the same track I have with any other health challenge…a whole person, proactive approach. The following day I made calls to our family physician and trusted chiropractor Dr. Rick Foul at the Pembina Chiropractic Center on Pembina Highway in Winnipeg.  After looking at the results of the MRI he suggested calling Dr. Neil Craton at Legacy Sports Clinic because of his excellent reputation and conservative approach to surgery. I gave his name to our family doctor and she sent a referral over and an appointment was made with Dr. Craton for a month later.

Our family physician has always supported complimentary healing systems and respected my decision to hold off on the surgery. She sent me for physiotherapy and their assessment from was encouraging.  The therapist was impressed with my flexibility and overall strength and gave me a series of exercises to strengthen the quads and ligaments surrounding the knees including a daily cycling regime.  Evidently, it is one of the best exercises for both the meniscus and osteoarthritic knees. The rotating motion   keeps joints limber without stressing them.  Her precautionary advice hit home when I learned that swelling and inflammation can create further damage. So whenever the knees were swollen and sore I iced and rested them.  I also added acupuncture to my knee restoration program and within a few weeks there was a noticeable reduction in pain levels and an increase in mobility.  Even though I had been supplementing my diet with glucosamine I found a powdered form that was even more effective that what I was using before.

When I went for my consultation with Dr. Craton he did a thorough assessment, took some X-Rays and discussed the results in a reassuring manner.  As we viewed the results together he said that there was some degeneration of the joints but that he had seen similar knees in active 30 year olds.  I was relieved to hear that in his opinion surgery was not needed. He also said that if I could prevent further degeneration it may never be necessary.  After his diagnosis he showed me some “wall squats” and suggested doing as many in a day as I could comfortably manage. He gave me the green light to continue adding GLH to my diet because research supports that it can reduce pain and swelling and strengthen cartilage. Towards the end on the consultation Dr. Craton suggested being fitted for special knee braces that improve the biomechanics of the knees and set up an appointment for an orthidist in the sports section of Legacy.

The orthidist made a plaster form of both legs so the braces would be customized to the requirements of my condition. The braces are designed to realign the knees and prevent further compression on the joints. They are available in a variety of colors and I chose yellow to contrast the black straps because I had reached a point in my healing journey where I felt like a bumble bee. Even though aerodynamically bumble bees are not “supposed” to be able to fly…they do.  The surgeon said that my only recourse was surgery I was able to find bring my knees back without it.

When I went back to have the braces fitted clear instructions were given.  He made sure that I understood that the braces are not a “cure.” They are designed to prevent further damage on the knees during high stress activities such as long walks, hiking and climbing but should not be worn all the time.  Initially they are only worn 1 hour a day and gradually increased so the body can acclimatize to a different alignment in the knees.  The good news is that our health care system covered the cost of the braces because they had been recommended by a specialist.

My final “step” involved replacing my old orthotics with a new set and purchasing a high end set of runners. As the therapist pointed out without proper foot alignment the knees often become misaligned…and damaged.  By supporting the body from the bottom up everything is more balanced.  She also made me aware of  air splints that I could wear to support my ankles while hiking, rock wall climbing or walking on uneven terrain and I purchased a set of those as well.
Admittedly, there was some out of pocket investments that were not covered by Medicare but it was worth every penny. Here I am a few years later and my knees have become strong enough to resume all my favorite activities. I accept that there is damage there and whether it is reversible or not is of no real concern to me.  As I become more aware and able to support my body through the ageing process I am becoming stronger and healthier than I was in my youth.  My knees, like my mindsets are far more flexible than they once were and I know there is a correlation there.

There are times when I am exploring outdoor trails I  may look like a female version of robo-cop with my ankle air splints  and bumble bee knee braces.  Sometimes  passerby’s smile at the quirky statement they make and I smile back with a knowing grin. Yes, these knees are made for walking and my intention is that they will be for many years to come.

Rather than opting for surgery and knee replacement I added physiotherapy, acupuncture and strength training and years later these knees are meant for walking, dancing and whatever else I feel like doing!

I am a free lance writer, author, life coach, seminar leader and public speaker. For more information check out our personal development company Fresh Beginnings at www.fresh-beginnings or the website for my book www.ibtbook.com
To email: coralieraiawritingroad@gmail.com
 a life coach, group leader and public speaker. She can be reached at (204)