Patellofemoral pain syndrome following Microdiscectomy

I mentioned that my knee had started to play up when I wrote my 2 years post-operative post.

I went to the GP who told me I had fluid on my knee and nothing else of merit,  fluid is a symptom not a cause, so I came away no wiser.

My plan then was to start the squat challenge to try to improve them.  Luckily I didn't and I went to see a physio instead. Turns out that, for once, was a wise move. The squats would have broken it completely!

She told me I have tibial tuberosity patellofemoral pain - "ooooh" I said and my eyes glazed over "Now tell me how to get rid of it!"

When I had my severe sciatica, before my operation, my leg wouldn't work a lot of the time.  I used to lift it with my arms a lot, even just to get it in and out of the car.  I had noticeable muscle wastage on my right thigh.  Even after my operation, as I started to improve and started running again, I noticed my running trousers didn't grip properly on that leg and didn't stay up properly.

I wasn't given a physio routine after my op, I got no post op recovery support in terms of getting back to fitness. I just walked until I could run and started running.  With no quad muscles!

This meant my knee was talking a beating it didn't deserve and it finally gave up the ghost.

Since I've been paying to see a physio she's given me exercises to do to build my quads back up again, and the knee pain is getter better slowly.   Much like my back issues, this is an injury I could have avoided if I'd have been better informed.  Isometric exercises are important to build back muscle strength when you lose it for any reason.

Part of me thinks these injuries I keep getting from trying to keep fit just aren't worth it.  But the lovely physio cheered me up immensely,  She said:

You can either be fat and unfit and suffer all the medical issues that go with it or exercise and be fit and suffer the injuries that go with.  Life is all about choices!  She was joking obviously, she does understand the route is to be fit and avoid injury but she made me smile for the day.

It has set me thinking a lot though about how one medical issue seems to lead to another and how easy it can be to end up in a vicious cycle of medication or physical issues.  I guess the answer is to get on top of things early.


On the upside the crops are so high at the moment, in some places I am up to my neck, that running is almost impossible and I'm back to walking through them and walking is the best exercise there is.  Easy on the joints, fast enough to be good for the heart and still slow enough to be able to take in the beauty around.