Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Taking advantage of the topography.

We have a  40 degree hill outside the front of our gym that I'll frequently use when treating patellofemoral issues.  The two exercises pictured are backward walking up the hill, then frontal plane walking down the hill with the affected leg on the down side.  The exercise creates a great  "integrated isolation" in the lower quad/VMO muscles.  The movement naturally creates a slight backward lean of the torso which tweaks out the glutes and erector spinae.  I like the athlete to do enough reps that it creates a good burn in the lower thigh; about a 2 minute rest, then 10 sets.

For some reason, running the movements doesn't work as well; not even as a progression.  A good progression is weighting them (pictured), or resisting them with a belt & bungee cord.  Sometimes athletes ask me what the difference would be walking backwards up a stairway.  My simple answer is it hurts and it doesn't work.

It's great for any patellofemoral issues, i.e. "jumpers knee", patellofemoral stress syndrome.

4 comments:

Pat Donovan said...

I love it Joe...I use retro inclined treadmill walking all the all the time for our knee injuries. Also like retro biking on a spin bike without the seat. Great for "building" the thighs up and another favorite for our post surgical athletes.

Hope all is well buddy...Keep up the great job...

PAT

Joe Przytula said...

like the retro biking also Pat. I don't have the guts to take the seat off- but it would sure solve my problem of atheltes sitting on it with their street clothes!

Jack Martin said...

Joe,
Great ideas. I'll be trying these myself as my lateral meniscus surgery last December has started hurting again. I am spending too much time getting aerobic work on the eliptical and arc trainers. Frying my brain. Any other suggestions. Martin

Kevin Moody said...

Joe,

Just tried some retro & side walking on the treadmill with an incline pitch. Had to slow the speed down for the side walking. Could definitely feel the quads working on the retro walking but wasn't getting much on the side walking. However, I was only experimenting and did not have a lot of time play with it.

Any thoughts?

Kevin Moody