I am trying to get some help for a friend of mine who I believe is
destined to spend a lot of money any many painful years trying to locate a
doctor, therapist, or some specialist that can help her with her knee
problems.  From listening to others, she is not alone.  And all those
who have tried to get some help ended up spending a lot of money, suffering
unnecessarily trying to get some satisfactory answer.

  Basically, she is like many of the growing health conscious who have
flocked to some sort of excercise regiment.  She participated heavily in
Aerobics for at least 2 years before, complaining about knee problems.
Even after cutting down to let's say 1 aerobics class a month she still
complains more about her knees.  Standing or walking for about an hour
will be enough to create problems to the effect that her knees will lock
and crack.  She has been listening to advise on exercises to strengthen
her knees, and at times her knees seem to feel worse, and sometimes
a little better.  Ultimately, there is no resolution what she should do.

  About 1 year ago when she first saw a doctor, X-rays were taken and
everything was NORMAL.  {*filter*} tests of all sorts were also run and nothing
related to knee problems showed up.  After, getting a recommendation to
see a highly recommended doctor and waiting on this doctors appointment
list of over 2 months, all she got was a nice bill and a few minutes of
"X-rays look fine, so what's your problem."  

        So for now the great wisdom she received after 2 doctors and nearly
2 grand of tests and advise is:
   1) wear shoes that are comfortable (no recommendations as to brand or
type)
   2) avoid stairs
   3) if walking bothers you then rest
   4) if your knees bother your then take some Advil
   5) avoid STEP aerobics              (she's stopped that for over a year)
   6) try stationary cycles for excercise (She already mentioned that doing
                                           so bothered her knees)

The SAD part is that she is only 26 years old, and other than her knees,
she
is very physically fit.  She spends most of her life now indoors,
preferably
in the seated position, to avoid aggravating her knees.

ANY ADVISE or SIMILAR EXPERIENCES??

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Wilson Cheung

CHRONIC KNEE PAIN

     Arthritic Knee Pain may be due to poor postural mechanics.

Ifthe feet hyperpronate [arches collapse], the tracking pattern
within the knee joint is affected.  Similar to uneven tire wear
patterns in cars with an alignment problem, hyperpronation
causes the innermargins of the knee joints to wear excessively.
We label this process mechanical osteodegenerative arthritis.
     Using medication [NSAIDs] to control pain or surgery to
replace the joint is 'putting the cart in front of the horse'.
You're treating symptoms, not the cause of the symptoms
[e.g., hyperpronation].
     Engineers shore up buildings with mortal and steel.  We
shore up the skeletal framework with Postural Control
Orthotics.
The objective in both cases is the same:  Secure Foundational
Stability.
     If you would like more information on postural mechanics,
send for a reprint on the published clinical
study [AJPM, July 1994]z: Knee pain and its cor-
relation to postural dysfunctions.

Send a self addressed stamped [$0.72] envelope to:

C/O Dr. Brian A. Rothbart
12059 Sugarland Valley Drive
Herndon, VA  22070