tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33260975.post5856104922110625957..comments2009-02-06T12:41:45.917-05:00Healthlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00214540427594649163noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33260975.post-8572088150357115192009-01-16T15:09:00.000-05:002009-01-16T15:09:00.000-05:00Hi Jolie,<BR/><BR/>I commented somewhere else but forgot where so I couldn't see if you replied. :)<BR/><BR/>I am 53 years old and have NEVER been able to squat, lunge, or bend without pain. I also have almost no sense of balance. 17 years ago I was run over while walking and had three ankle reconstructive surgeries. I am a medical transcriptionist and have to commute an hour a day so I sit way too much. I suspect any leg length discrepancies plus this lifestyle contributed to a disc bulge. One of the manifestations of this, or else a knee injury, is that I cannot bend to touch my right foot and when my right leg is crossed, instead of being at a 90 degree angle, it's about a 70-80.<BR/><BR/>However...when I tried to practice squatting, even holding onto a barre at the gym, I somehow aggravated either the above mentioned knee injury and/or the disc bulge. I had severe radiculopathy from knee to ankle that would not go away even with standard PT exercises.<BR/><BR/>Then I tried your improved piriformis stretch and began to sit in my chair with neutral spine and the problem cleared up almost instantaneously.<BR/><BR/>However, I am scared that trying to squat again will aggravate the same problem. I can get up and down from a chair, climb stairs and half squat, but I can not get up from a lunge without help or squat further than 90 degrees without excruciating pain in knees and thighs. Even when I try to keep my back straight and heels on the ground I don't seem to be able to do this past about 90 degrees (holding onto something) without my back pitching forward. I have an additional problem in that there is hardware in my left foot so at any provocation my heel tends to come up off the ground with stress.<BR/><BR/>I have ordered your pain book and ab book which should be arriving any day now.<BR/><BR/>Any hints you can give me will be most welcome. Again, your neutral spine chair exercise and improved piriformis stretch are miraculous.f. kwanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00452735974513869619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33260975.post-49560380013470231022008-01-03T07:45:00.000-05:002008-01-03T07:45:00.000-05:00Great post! And not only because I'm in it. ;-)Davidhttp://www.hierennu.benoreply@blogger.com