40 yrs of age/active life style -yet haven't been able to continue healthy walks or treadmill activity since patella pain Oct 2003- cofirmed patella problem with orthropedic dr.- proscribed P.T. in DEC have not attented -due to work/children activities. Have done strenthing exercises from 13yr old daughter (plays very competitive premier socer & on ODP program in ct)has had various problems related to knee-(I already know how common patella problems are for females-I need to loss some weight, which I know would help my condition,cosidering buying a "Gazelle Cardio all body low impact piece of fitness equipment" but would appreciate an opinion from someone on your staff who might have knowledge of this...New hydraulic version seems well made but costs $400. I'm anxious to get in better shape- but diet isn't enough...thanks for any feed back you ight have!!!

-- Lisa Batterton (Lisab1977@aol.com), May 21, 2003

Answers

I am not personally familiar with the device about which you are asking. However, we do have a lot of info on the site about the patella. The key to exercise for people with patellar problems is not to load the knee with the knee in any more flexion than possible. Machines like the Stairmaster, for example would not be 'patellar friendly". A treadmill works very well, as does general walking on a flat surface, during which the knee is usually not flexed more than 20 degrees. An exercyle will probably not be well tolerated. A cross country ski machine may work if a very short stride is taken with the ski, but not a long stride. Above all, avoid quadriceps strengthening exercises that load the front of the ankle and ask you to extend the knee against a weight or resistance. This is not a very sound biomechanical exercise and will not be tolerated by anybody with a patellar problem. In fact it may bring out symptoms in people who have a patellar problem but didn't know it until they start this exercise. Weight reduction will also help. The forces on the patella are magnified by the lever arm of the femur (thihg bone) so that in going up and down stairs you are placing a force on you kneecap that is nearly 10x what you weigh. For example, if you weight 200 lbs, you are placing a force on your kneecap that is close to 2000 lbs. That's the bad news. The good news is that if you lose 1 lb. your kneecap will experience a load reduction of nearly 10 lbs. It is amazing, but true.

-- David Hungerford (dhunger@jhmi.edu), August 06, 2003.

Weight is not an issue here. I am 32 yrs of age and weight 160 and have had patella problems ever since my very first knee surgery in 1989 for torn ligaments. I have had 4 knee surgeries and have done physical therapy which has not helped. I am currently looking for some other method to try and ease my pain. I have also tried cortizone shots which also do not help. Any suggestions for me?

-- D. Cotton (kasey4571@yahoo.com), October 11, 2003.