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[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by ThurgreedMarshall

I have severe arthritis in both knees. Tore my acl in my left knee in the mid-90s and damaged cartilage and meniscus. Spent the next few decades going back and forth tearing meniscus and cartilage in each knee and having surgery (4 more times) as I kept playing basketball and overcompensating. Pushed through the pain.

Started HIIT and lifting way more seriously 4 years ago. Doctor told me absolutely no squatting since I basically have no cartilage or meniscus in either knee. Ignored it. Lost a ton of weight and built the muscles around both knees.

I used to feel pain constantly. Forget going up and down stairs easily or sitting for extended periods of time. After dropping weight and building those muscles, the pain has lessened considerably. The conventional wisdom even among the most sophisticated orthopedists is to never work a knee damaged like mine the way I have been. Before my latest surgery, the doctor told me he wouldn't do it. The pain I was having was keeping me from lifting the way I wanted no matter how much I tried to push through it. I told him I know my body and to just do it. He said okay, and after quite some time, the pain during workouts is mostly gone and I'm probably stronger than before the surgery.

That said, I had to give up basketball altogether. I've been pushing through pain for 25 years. But it's absolutely impossible now. I'm sure there are many examples of doctors being wrong about the message pain is meant to send. And the benefits from building the muscle around the damaged structure is discounted. But sometimes the structural damage is just too much (hi PLF!). That's where I am for lateral movement and extreme jumping (hell, even running). But for squatting and all crossfit-type movements, I'm good (hi Hank!).

TM

Hi!