quad is dead , help!

Sorry it took me so long to reply. I just had another scope on my knee two days ago so i have been busy. I am not a doctor or physical therapist, but i know what works for me. I don't know if you know what this is by quad sets work. It is when you straight your leg as straight as possible focusing on using your quads. Tighten you quads and straighten your leg, hold for 5 seconds. Start with sets of ten. I also do planterflexion and extention. It is important not only to work your quad, but the other muscles of your leg. That is just slowly pointing your toes and bringing them back. Lateral leg raises help too. Just tighten your quads and slowly raise it off the ground keeping it straight. Another one I do is Extenstion of the knee. To do it at home, I wrapped a coffee can with a towel and placed it behind me knee, it is the same height as the expensive pillow thing they use at therapy, the using my quad and hamstring I straighten my leg by raising my lower leg focusing on using my quad. I also do heel slides, in a sitting position, I slowly slide my heel back and forth across the floor using my muscles in my quad. Also in a sitting position, I raise my leg slowly. Holding for 5 seconds in between each set. These are just a few things I was taught to do at therapy, and it seems to work. It took a few months before I actually saw an improvement, but it worked for me. I am not a doctor or physical therapist though. I am just sharing what has worked for me. When I used my focus will doing my exercises it helped contract my quads even more so. I also finished my exercises by applying my tens unit and ice for 20 minutes. Good luck to you. I hope all goes well. Don't forget to stretch out before any exercise program so you don't hurt yourself even more. After you get better at the basics, try practicing walking up and down steps. Or riding a bike. Good luck, Cyndi

Hi Kerrie I have the same problem - I have been told it is the muscle forgetting what it is meant to do!! The only way I have managed to get any kind of quad movement (and this depends on your pain level) is to stand on tip-toes and try contracting the muscles. For lifting the leg whilst sitting, another way I have tried (with some success on good days) is to put a towel under your leg (just below the knee /on the calf) and gently pull the leg upwards with it like a sling whilst trying to contract the quads - don't know why it works, but it seems to remind the muscles how to do it and is probably a bit less work for them initially. It doesn't always work though and I may have to have electrodes to help me too at some point as my quads are really weak!! Hope Cyndi comes back with details of her exercises for you!!

I have the same problem, but it is getting better slowly. My doctor has me going to physical therapy 3 times a week, along with 2-3 times a day doing my routine at home. He also prescribed a FOCUS stimulating machine for home use. My focus has help a lot. I use it when I do my routines, even when I am just sitting around watching a movie. It stimulates muscle contraction. And for me at least it has been working well. I hope this helps. Cyndi