# Eureka they figured it out  Damn Knee



## Xue Sheng (Mar 11, 2010)

Not bad, 6 months 3 sets of x-rays, 1 MRI and 3 doctors later they figured it out

Torn Cartilage

The end of the month I meet with the latest Doctor to see what he wants to do and hopefully after that is all done I can be back training :bangahead: &#8230;.. ABOUT DAMN TIME!!! :tantrum: The weight gain has been rediculous :disgust: first the fractured heel then the damn knee, I have to get me back on a bike as soon as this knee is better.

But things WILL be different 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 ...... and I have (for the first time in years) seminars to go to this summer :supcool:. So it better DAMN well be healed by late spring.


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## wushuguy (Mar 11, 2010)

:ultracool good to hear that you'll recover!


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## CoryKS (Mar 11, 2010)

Great news!  Well, not so great for trees.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 11, 2010)

CoryKS said:


> Great news! Well, not so great for trees.


 
Trees should be afraid...very afraid :EG:


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## Brian R. VanCise (Mar 11, 2010)

Hey Xue I am crossing my fingers for you speedy recovery!  Oh, and also for the trees!


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## Blade96 (Mar 11, 2010)

Yay. Diagnosis. and now recovery!


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## bluekey88 (Mar 11, 2010)

Good luck Xue.  Now, listen to the docs as you recover


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## grydth (Mar 11, 2010)

This is indeed excellent news.... but remember to make a gradual return and to follow your doctors' orders.


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## blindsage (Mar 11, 2010)

Awesome!  You must have hit some trees in front of them and scared a good diagnosis out of 'em.


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## Jade Tigress (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks for the update Xue. Listen to the docs and recover quickly! Keep the upcoming seminars in mind when you're tempted to overdo it. :asian:


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## Drac (Mar 12, 2010)

Xue Sheng said:


> Not bad, 6 months 3 sets of x-rays, 1 MRI and 3 doctors later they figured it out
> 
> Torn Cartilage
> 
> ...


 
6 MONTHS?????? I was lucky to have my diagnosis in 3 days..I hear ya about the weight gain..I just get to the point of taking off all the weight I gained when I quit smoking, then they put me on meds that made the weight come back..3 months of PT and I was able to return to duty..


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 12, 2010)

But I&#8217;ve been listening to the doctor for about 2 weeks now already that should be enough&#8230;. I mean what do they know anyway&#8230;. They have years of medical training and experience&#8230;where I have 8 credits of anatomy and physiology&#8230;.. must&#8230; go&#8230; practice KNEE STRIKES!!!!! 

Thanks everyone&#8230; I&#8217;m being good and listening to what they are saying. That :uhohh: and my wife has threatened to beat me if I don&#8217;t  &#8230;. ever see Jet Li&#8217;s movie Kiss of the Dragon&#8230; she knows all those points :anic:&#8230; so I best listen 

I do truly want to be ready for the seminars so I will be good. I have 2 Xingyiquan and 2 Yiquan seminars to go to this summer&#8230; they are short but I am going a bit loopy without trainnig so if I want to go I have to listen. I was going to go to another in May for Xingyi and Taoist Qigong but sadly I do not think I will make that one , and this from a guy who swore of seminars.

The end of this month I should know more, that is my next meetnig with the Doctor




Drac said:


> 6 MONTHS?????? I was lucky to have my diagnosis in 3 days..I hear ya about the weight gain..I just get to the point of taking off all the weight I gained when I quit smoking, then they put me on meds that made the weight come back..3 months of PT and I was able to return to duty..


 
Oh I forgot to mention that they drained it twice too :disgust:

My wife put me on a Chinese type diet&#8230; which is not really all that bad, unless I find myself at my parents house for dinner&#8230; then I get in BIG trouble :uhohh:. Basically I can eat whatever I want for breakfast and lunch but dinner is small and mostly vegetables and tofu&#8230; little or NO CARBS at dinner. This has seemed to stop the weight gain and I am hoping when I can exercise again the weight goes away.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 23, 2010)

OK, I&#8217;m officially losing it...

I do not see the Doctor until next week to see what he wants to do, cortisone or surgery, but I feel like I have an electrical charge under my skin that wants to go do my taiji forms, long, fast, weapons, tuishou, silk reeling ANYTHING!!!!:tantrum:

Problem is that I am sitting here just reading about Taiji and I have been talking with my Sifu&#8230;..I am trying REALLY hard to be good and not do anything but it is getting really hard. I am about 2 seconds away from sitting at my desk and doing this :hb:


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## grydth (Mar 23, 2010)

Why not try some Tai Chi without using your knee?

I've seen 2 different instructors who taught ways to do their forms sitting down, without the leg moves, for those with disabilities. One woman had despaired - just after beginning training she had fallen at home, suffering catastrophic damage to her knee and ankle. I know she was able to learn two shorter forms this way.

I once even saw a book entitled "Tai Chi in a Chair"..... 

While it is certainly not the workout you are used to, perhaps this will give you some sense of staying with the art, and may give some of the tranquility associated with Tai Chi.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 23, 2010)

grydth said:


> Why not try some Tai Chi without using your knee?
> 
> I've seen 2 different instructors who taught ways to do their forms sitting down, without the leg moves, for those with disabilities. One woman had despaired - just after beginning training she had fallen at home, suffering catastrophic damage to her knee and ankle. I know she was able to learn two shorter forms this way.
> 
> ...


 

Thanks, good idea and I may give something like that a try because you can only do this so long :hb: before you have a REAL BIG headache.... well I am off to get some Advil now


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## terryl965 (Mar 23, 2010)

Xue I am glad you finally found out the problem, I am hoping all goes well and that you heel real fast and can get back to those tree's...


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 31, 2010)

2 tears one small one a bit bigger.

Surgery, maybe

Basically at this point; buy an industrial strength knee brace and see if it will recover. If it does not then surgery, but at this time it is not recommended since it is getting better on its own. slowly

The saga continues


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## Brian R. VanCise (Mar 31, 2010)

Hey Xue,

Hang in there and no that some times these things do work themselves out. (ie. heal)  When my knee blue out back in the nineties I thought for sure I was going to be having surgery.  Instead I wore the big knee brace and then a sleeve after six months and eventually it became better and is now perfect! 
I did train the whole time while I was injured as well though I had to be careful with what I was doing.


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## Xue Sheng (Mar 31, 2010)

My family Doctor (also a martial artist) said that he felt that I could go back to training if I get the brace. He too has had to go this route in the past.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 21, 2010)

FINALLY!!!!

I get the rigid knee brace next week and with any luck I can be back to training by mid May early June

I also discovered I can get away with some light Yoga at the moment


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## KELLYG (Apr 21, 2010)

Xue,

Do you have access to a swimming pool.  I would think doing forms in water would be less stressful on your joints but still allow you to practice? 
Just a thought.


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 21, 2010)

I tried that and I could not kick the left leg, it made it hard to swim and swimming in a straight line was not possible


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## Xue Sheng (Apr 26, 2010)

Amazing, I walked up a flight of stairs normally this morning... that is the first time in about 6 months.

I dont have the knee brace yet, I get that later this week, but I have been doing some stationary Yang style training, some light yoga, and meditation the last couple of weeks.

I also may look into a diet based on Ayurveda that a friend of mine, who is a Yoga therapist, is trying to get me to follow. Apparently I am extremely Kapha Who knew


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## Xue Sheng (May 18, 2010)

Well I've have had the knee brace for a few weeks now and the knee is getting better and I was able to do 2/3 of the Yang Long form. It was in higher stance that it should be but I'm just glad I could do that much in a high stance.


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## bluekey88 (May 18, 2010)

Take it easy and be patient.  Take your own advice


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## Xue Sheng (May 20, 2010)

bluekey88 said:


> Take it easy and be patient. Take your own advice


 
I'm trying REALLY hard to follow my own advice. Luckily my knee appears to be at a stage, where if I dont, it mildly reminds me that it does not want to do that. However it is sometimes hard to sort out if it does not like what I am doing or if it is just muscle stiffness from lack of use for the last several months. Either way, Im not pushing it because I want to get this damn thing off so I can get back to training.


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 22, 2010)

Emphasis on DAMN KNEE :disgust:

I have absolutely NO idea what the HELL I did but yesterday at work I got out of my chair at my desk and my knee went CRACK.

After that it was a little sore and today I am back in the damn brace and walking with a cane.

I guess I will see how it is tomorrow and if it is not better I am back to the doctor. :disgust:


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## bluekey88 (Sep 22, 2010)

It's a conspiracy.  Your knees have clearly fallen in with the trees... 

Seriously, I hope it's nothing serious and you'll continue your progress soon.  Hang in there and be patient.

Peace,
Erik


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 22, 2010)

bluekey88 said:


> It's a conspiracy. Your knees have clearly fallen in with the trees...
> 
> Seriously, I hope it's nothing serious and you'll continue your progress soon. Hang in there and be patient.
> 
> ...


 
I'm trying, if there is no progress by tomorrow I will be going back to the doctor


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## Sukerkin (Sep 22, 2010)

So sad to hear that the tale of woe has taken a retrograde step my friend .


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## xJOHNx (Sep 22, 2010)

Xue Sheng said:


> Emphasis on DAMN KNEE :disgust:
> 
> I have absolutely NO idea what the HELL I did but yesterday at work I got out of my chair at my desk and my knee went CRACK.
> 
> ...


Was the crack loud and audible?


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 22, 2010)

xJOHNx said:


> Was the crack loud and audible?


 
No it was more of an internal feeling


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 22, 2010)

Sukerkin said:


> So sad to hear that the tale of woe has taken a retrograde step my friend .


 
Ahh it is what it is... I'm getting use to being injured

At least so far, it is not as bad as the first time when I was introduced to my garage floor and had to crawl and hop my way to my family room


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## oaktree (Sep 22, 2010)

I am sorry to hear of your injury. Chen Xiaowang also injured his knee too he discussed it in one of the issues of kungfu tai chi magazine.

Thought you might enjoy this:
http://www.martialdevelopment.com/blog/tough-guys-martial-arts-for-health/

This might give you inspiration so no matter what pain you go thru other martial artist have gone thru it as well and conquered their challanges.

What treatment is your wife using to help with the pain Moxa? Needle?

What treatment options are you looking at?

Pain and injury sometimes are life telling us to exam things look at things differently. Other times it is a test to see who we really are.

I think if you look at problems in this light as something that teaches and helps you will gain a new perspective on things.

But thats just what I think I could be wrong.....:uhyeah:


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## Xue Sheng (Sep 23, 2010)

oaktree said:


> I am sorry to hear of your injury. Chen Xiaowang also injured his knee too he discussed it in one of the issues of kungfu tai chi magazine
> 
> Thought you might enjoy this:
> http://www.martialdevelopment.com/blog/tough-guys-martial-arts-for-health/
> ...


 
Thanks I shall check it out



oaktree said:


> What treatment is your wife using to help with the pain Moxa? Needle?


 
Needles and lots of nagging 



oaktree said:


> What treatment options are you looking at?


 
I have been to 3 MDs and it took them 6 months to figure out I had a torn meniscus. Pretty much they slapped me in a rigid knee brace and said it will straighten itself out. It was doing great until the other day. However it appears I am going through a compressed recovery period. What took weeks last time has taken only 2 days this time. 

Surgery was given only as an option if I want it but it was not recommended.



oaktree said:


> Pain and injury sometimes are life telling us to exam things look at things differently. Other times it is a test to see who we really are.
> 
> I think if you look at problems in this light as something that teaches and helps you will gain a new perspective on things.
> 
> But thats just what I think I could be wrong.....


 
I do believe you are correct, I am getting a bit of a different perspective and I do actually feel someone is trying to tell me something, I am just a bit slow on the uptake as well as a bit stubborn and not wanting to except what I feel I am suppose to....if you want send me a PM and I will tell you more


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## Xue Sheng (Nov 9, 2010)

Well another unwanted knee update

My knee appears to be doing much better. I walked all over the San Diego zoo without a brace and it not only felt fine but afterwards it felt stronger. I also did Sea World twice without the brace and it felt fine.

May be time to kick it up half a notch


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## Xue Sheng (Feb 24, 2011)

Lets see the first post was on 03-11-2010 and I had been dealing with this knee issue for about 6 months prior to that and today 02-24-2011 is the first day I actually noticed that my knee was feeling good and felt strong. Not bad almost a year since the original post and 1.5 years since the injury. And immediately prior to that I broke my foot and it got better just in time to hurt my knee. It has been a fun couple of years.

I can honestly say the taking the time played a big factor in heeling, meaning not doing things to hurt it and wearing the knee brace, however I have not had to wear the knee brace for a couple months now. Two weeks ago the knee was ok but I was still having issues from time to time but today, so far it is doing ok. And what I believe got me here to the whole feeling strong and almost normal again bits was the last two weeks of training Chen style silk reeling again.

Its not back 100% but it will do for training


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