I Began My Day WIth Some Leg Lifts and Now I'm Wearing a TENS unit.
By Marsha
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
Midland, Michigan
September 5, 2016 10:45am CST
If I want to steer clear of surgery on my knee, I know that one thing I need to do is get more faithful with exercises. Today I began a few sets while laying down. I can't get down to the floor, so I do some on the bed itself. I used to do ones my mom got when she got her hips and knees replaced and they are similar to ones I did some years back when I went to physical therapy to try to prevent more issues.
I first stretched out my hip and upper thigh muscles by bringing my leg up and over near the pillow. Then I did some leg lifts laying on my side, with the upper leg. Later I did the same after flipping to the other side. I also laid on my back and began with my leg straight up. I was surprised I could get it up there this morning. I hope it was due to my wearing the tens unit a bit before bedtime last night.
My doctor did tell me that if I would exercise my quads they would support my knees cutting down on the pain, but when he told me that, my pain wasn't what it has been recently.
A co-worker volunteered to bring me her tens unit to see whether that would also help. TENS stands for transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. I have a pad on either side of my knee and have the dial set at 5.5. Maybe I could go higher, but I don't really know how to know when it's too high, so I'm leaving it here right now. Last night I had the pad on a different area of my knee and had it set up to 10., but I could only feel one of the pads working.
I didn't wear the immobilizer last night, and I was surprised at how limber that leg was this morning when I got up. I was able to walk normally and bend the knee like we do without thinking about it. Lately, I've been walking without bending that knee at all.
I may wear the TENS unit most of the day. My brother is visiting from Arizona, so I took today off and the next two days too to spend more time with him and the rest of the family. I will be working windows Tues and Wed if it doesn't rain, so my time here this week may be somewhat limited.
Plus, I've been trying to get a bit extra cleaning done too.
11 people like this
11 responses
@CinnamonGrl (7086)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
5 Sep 16
I am very interested in the TENS unit. Most of my problems are in my neck and back though and I was advised not to use TENS because of all the hardware in my back. But my knees have issues as well. I'm wondering about it for my really bad knee. I think I"ll ask about that. I also should be doing the exercises. I think you've inspired me! I hope you are able to clear up your issues without surgery.
2 people like this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
5 Sep 16
I'm guessing I might need surgery eventually, but I will know more next month after I see the specialist. I sort of don't see how exercising can help eliminate the bone on bone pain or feeling, but oddly enough I don't feel that all the time. So, possibly the exercising does make a big difference.
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
5 Sep 16
@MarshaMusselman It might have something to do with building muscle to support the joints.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
5 Sep 16
@yukimori That's why I think it's supposed to help.
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
5 Sep 16
I have a TENS unit. You'll absolutely know when it's set too high--it'll hurt.
If you happen to need to get more electrodes for it, look on Amazon. I still haven't found anywhere else that can beat their prices on them. They're great little devices. Hope it keeps helping with your knee issues!
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10192)
• United States
5 Sep 16
@MarshaMusselman It really depends on the day and my pain levels. I have it for my fibromyalgia and/or an old injury from an accident I was in. If I'm really in a lot of pain and the medications aren't helping much, I sometimes just turn it all the way up and use it like that. The impulses from the TENS interfere with the pain signals from the rest of my body, so it can be fairly helpful like that.
Most of the time, though, I have it set to where I can feel the impulses but it doesn't quite hurt. That seems to be the typical way to use it, anyway. There isn't necessarily a single setting that constantly works, either--I find that my tolerance can vary based on the day.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
9 Sep 16
@yukimori After using it for the past several days, I'm finding that when I begin, a lower setting up to 10.0 works just fine, but it's sometimes fine with 5-7, later in the day when my knees are sorer, I can move it up to 15.0 and a few times I had it at 30.0. I've not gone much above that yet, but may try it if needed.
I wore it at work yesterday, but may need a doctors slip to continue. I'm not sure whether it really did a lot of good while there, since I stand mostly in one place for two hours at a time and when I then walk, I can't walk normally.
The mornings, after a good night's sleep and after wearing it the day before has helped my knee be more normal again until I have to stand for long periods, or even some short periods. It's then hard to bend my knee properly when walking.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
6 Sep 16
I really hope that it works for you.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
6 Sep 16
So do I. I did fairly well yesterday even though I had stairs to climb. I made sure to get up and walk around when we spent a lot of time sitting to help and that seemed to do the trick overall. I may wear it more today since I took it off before going yesterday. Today I have a window job with variations on depth of surface but I've done it before, so maybe things will work out okay.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
5 Sep 16
I don't know yet, as I only began using it after church yesterday and then again after work. But, my knee was better than it's been in about a week after waking. The only thing I did different was use the unit before heading to bed. I won't know how well it works, or if it is doing me some good until I've used it awhile.
@crazyhorseladycx (39503)
• United States
7 Sep 16
those units 're wonderful. 's fer the settin'? adjust 't to where yer most comfy. i'm glad yer back to doin' the 'xercises.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
12 Sep 16
I've also dug out a glider that I purchased some years back but never used much. When I'm sitting at my computer I try to remember to get up after a bit and get on it to use it for ten minutes. That way my knees get some movement when I'm at home.
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@andriaperry (118793)
• Anniston, Alabama
5 Sep 16
I hope it all works out, those TENS do help a lot, I used one for my back when the disc were out of place.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
5 Sep 16
Did you use them so you didn't ever need surgery, or just enough so you could wait awhile before going forward with something?
