Finally, in October, when things weren't improving, I went to see my doctor. An Xray confirmed that I didn't have an arthritic knee, which was a relief to discover.
I decided to try physiotherapy, and - a month later - things are getting better. I have become more aware of "listening to my body," more aware of moves that irritate the problem (which the physiotherapist thinks is a torn cartilage). His approach is to try to strengthen my leg without irritating it, until it heals.
There is a diagram in the physio office. Studying it, I realize that a lot of muscles and tendons come together in the exact spot where it hurts. Perhaps that's why it gets irritated so easily.
The physiotherapy clinic also houses a massage office where, once a week, a Chinese masseur treats his patients. When he's not busy, he sometimes watches us doing physio exercises nearby.
One day last week, he approached me when I was trying - with difficulty - to walk up and down steps. Stairs are my most painful movement.
"Let me treat you for 15 minutes, when you are done here," he said. "Maybe I can help."
After my physio session, I walked over to his office. He felt my left knee, asking where I felt pain. After examining it carefully for tender spots, he went to my right elbow and began to massage it. He must have been massaging linking nerves, because, amazingly, I could feel changes in my left knee!
After a few minutes, the pain lessened and I was able to walk the steps in the physio gym almost painlessly.
I wish I could say that my knee was magically cured, but the next day the pain was back. However, a few nights later, I awoke with a dull ache in my knee. Lying in bed, I was suddenly aware that my right elbow also had the same dull ache. I gently massaged the elbow... and soon fell asleep.
All this has left me with a profound respect for what I don't know and understand about the workings of the human body!
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