Super Legs are going to be the death of me
“Super Legs today or no Super Legs?” I sheepishly asked ‘M’ my trainer at physical therapy.
I dread this moment in my
physical therapy fitness workout. The moment half way down my chart, half way through my program, where the word
Super Legs is written. The moment where I know my trainer’s mood and answer will determine the amount of pain I will be in the rest of the day and the following day.
‘M’ cocked his head in contemplation. I watched his eyebrow as it creeped up his forehead at an evil slant and I just knew what his answer would be.
“Yeah! Super Legs today! You can handle it!” ‘M’ said smiling, challengingly.
Ugh! Sigh…I thought, resolving myself to Super Leg torture.
“How are your knees feeling after yesterday?” He asked.
You mean yesterday… when you made me do Super Legs too! I thought to myself.
They fucking hurt like heck!
“Ok. Kind of sore!” I replied.
Because I’ve learned that complaining gets you out of nothing in physical therapy and my knees are sore all the time anyway so it doesn’t matter.
“Hurry up and get your knees better so I can really POUND on you! Your knees limit me on what I can make you do.” ‘M’ explained half joking, half serious.
“I’m doing the best I can.” I stated.
With two reconstructive knee surgeries on my left knee, three years of physical therapy, and a right knee suffering the same bone birth defect/injury and needing reconstructive repair that we’re trying to delay with physical therapy-- I have certain limitations in exercises and life where my knees are concerned.
“Ok! Let me see some Super Legs!” ‘M’ exclaimed a little too enthusiastically.
‘M’ is the DEVIL!! I realized as I searched for the step stool that is one-part of the 4-part exercise called Super Legs.
Super Legs are: 2 sets each of:
20 squats,
20 lunges each leg,
20 step-ups each leg,
and 20 jumps.
I know what you’re all thinking. You’re thinking: simple, easy stuff. What is she complaining about a little squatting, lunging, stepping and jumping for?
Well let me explain… my knee caps (patella) are misshapened and they grind on the knee bones instead of tracking properly and they want to dislocate. My left knee has dislocated several times and was fixed with reconstructive surgeries. My left knee still has pain, still grinds on bones, but it doesn’t dislocate anymore because there is now a muscle attached to the knee cap (not normal) and holding it in place. This attached muscle causes my knee to be tight, which combined with the grinding makes squatting, lunging, stepping and jumping difficult and painful. Then there is my right knee. My right knee hasn’t dislocated yet. However, it now hurts worse than my repaired left knee because it had to work harder and carry my weight during my left knee’s recovery from surgery. My right knee grinds on the knee bones worse than my repaired left knee and has sharp shooting pain that feels like my knee cap is actually separating from the muscles and tendons surrounding it while doing squatting, lunging, stepping and jumping.
And that is why after a physical therapy session with Super Legs in it-- my knees hurt the rest of the night and the next day.
And yet… I squat, I lunge, I step up and I jump through the pain because I know it’s good for me. I know it will make my knees better. I know I’ll be able to do more things physically because of Super Legs. Even though Super Legs are going to be the death of me…
“You love those Super Legs! Don't ya.” ‘M’ yelled at me, pushing me, as he observed my diligent Super Legs.
“Oh Yeah! Love em’!” I lied.
Going up and down regular stairs is a BITCH for me, Super Legs… that’s a whole new concept of the word BITCH! I thought to myself desperately wanting to shove ‘M’s Super Legs up his nose.
My Photos...