From: meryem@core.rose.hp.com (Meryem Primmer)
Subject: Re: Tendonitis
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 21:54:03 GMT
Organization: East of the Sun & West of the Moon
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1.8 PL6]

I tried sending e-mail, but it bounced.
==================================

The problem may be due to how you move.  If you don't move (walk, run, 
whatever) correctly, you may be putting undue stress on your knees and 
injuring and re-injuring them.  Drugs, packs, even exercises to strenghten 
the leg muscles don't solve the basic problem; they only treat the symptoms.  
If you've gone to doctor after doctor and haven't identified a CAUSE, 
incorrect movement may be the culprit, especially if the problem first 
manifested itself after an injury or a change in activity level, such as 
increasing your exercise level.

A solution may be "Movement Education."  One such technique is the Feldenkrais 
Method.  In movement education you visit the "practioner" who will first
diagnose how you are moving currently by gently moving your body into various 
positions and observing how you stand, sit and lie down.  After determining 
what, if anything, you're doing incorrectly, you are guided through a number
of slow, gentle movement "lessons" which retrain your body to move correctly.  
Nothing is supposed to hurt during the lessons!  It's a very customized 
method of training because everyone's body is unique.

Knee problems can be due a variety of faulty movements: walking with your 
feet turned out or in too far, not rotating your hips when you walk or 
even leaning your torso too far forward or back, resulting in your center
of gravity being off and causing undue pressure on your knees.

I found out about Feldenkrais when I was suffering from chronic (20 year)
lower back pain that started after a number of back injuries during ballet
when I was a teenager.  My back pain had gotten so bad that I could hardly
stand for 10 minutes at a time.  I tried a number of doctors who perscribed
a variety of drugs and shots until they were talking "surgery."  However,
none of them ever could tell me the "cause" of my problem.  It turned out
to be very bad posture which I had developed to compensate for the original
pain.  Over time, the subtle unconscious adjustments I had made to how I 
stood, sat and walked started causing more problems (sacroiliac, in my case) 
than the initial injuries had.

Most people who go for Feldenkrais lessons find relief in about 6 one
hour sessions.  You are in luck because a Feldenkrais training center is
being set up in Evanston.  There are several practitioners in the Chicago
area.  My sister (I'm from Chicago and my family still lives there) went
to see one for a while when she started having problems with sciatica.  
You can try looking in the phone book or I can get some names for you if 
you send me e-mail.

A similar technique is the Alexander technique.

I was very skeptical of Feldenkrais at first because it's not "traditional"
medicine, but I was in so much pain and "traditional" doctors couldn't help
me, that I was willing to try anything short of surgery.  Since Feldenkrais 
is non-invasive (no drugs or anything) I figured I might as well give it a 
try.  Much to my delight and amazement it helped!  I am now pain free!

Regards,
Meryem Primmer
Hewlett-Packard Company
Roseville, CA
meryem@core.rose.hp.com



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