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Our user asked: "hi, when i was 18 i had a surgery done on my knee for osteochondritisdesicans it healed fine and have had no problems since, but I never had any sort of physical therapy afterwards and my left quad muscle has been noticeable weaker and smaller than my right. I also can not bend it fully, ex- when i stretch i cant have my heel reach my gluteus like i can with my right, it sort of reaches a point where it feels like i have to force it and it could be painful or do damage, I still can do athletic things and have just managed to get used to it and adapt. is there a best way i can get flexibility and power back in it now at age 30 ? thanks"
Ask a PT Response: "From what you describe, the prognosis to achieve additional flexibility and strength/power would be good. Achieving flexibility is not obtained in a day and will take some time. For my patients that may have this issue, I would usually have them stretch their quads both before and after exercise. For more aggresive stretching they may be instructed to perform the stretch with a belt around the ankles with a weight tied around the end of the belt which is allowed to hang in oder to sustain a prolonged stretch. As far as developing an increase in quad strength machines at the gym such as a leg press (seated, angle, supine) may be recommended to them. However, I would not recommend they utilzie the leg extension machine (bar across the lower leg and kick out) as this could contribute to unwanted stress to the knee. Partial lunges, squats, etc would also be recommended for them. For my patients that may have a history of osteochondritis dissecans, I would take great caution with incorporating high impact activities with their treatment so as to minimize stresses to the cartilage. E-stim is another tool which I may consider utilizing with my patient as well. I hope this helps."
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