Ok to answer questions above.
Before I started making progress on the leg press which started in January, my legs wrent very strong at all, and I couldnt see my self managing to lift more than 100kg on the leg press. (Which now is pretty measley)
I this point I had tried squats whist holding dumbelss, and well I hurt myself (knee) and swore never to make that mistake again.
However, I have spent the last 3 months doing leg press and sldl's and have noticed that I do have better stability and form when doing this movement. (Which is why I think one day I might even be able to dl at some point)
However is taking me to having some leg strength, to even work 'think' I might be able to squat, which ironically is meant to develop leg strength.
My only reservation squats wise, is Im thinking to the future. On the leg press, the sky is the limit as it doesnt hurt the knee. Squats.... well I may be able to go light/medium, but as soon as I migrate to man squats, my knee issues will become a limiting factor and I wont be able to progress.
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Some one asked above about my physio etc.... well the physio is an NHS physio at an orthoeadic hospital in London.
The full story to how I injured the leg and my physio history is:
I actually ruptured my ACL in my left leg in 2000 playing football in the park. Back then I didnt know how serious it was and just left the swelling to go down. Few months later I tried to play football again, and litterally fell over with my first touch of the ball.
Went to see GP who refered me to a surgeon. I had my surgery and was told I had a ACL reconstruction, using a hamstring tendon and a menisectomy done.
But the bad news, is that the surgeon that did the graft has put the graft in a 'non optimal' position ie, it is 1cm out of it's proper alignment. I have been advised to not do anything about it, as to have another op to correct it, is very complex and not advisable.
So that was my bad leg, hwoever now my right causes me more issues.
Fast forward to about 4 years ago, I was in the gym doing hamstring curls as physio told me hams stabilise the knee, and I was using a weight too heavy for my self and suddenly felt sharp pain in my right leg. I thought thats not good and stopped.
No pain or issues at first, however over the coming weeks it started to ache, untill one day I extended my right leg and experienced a massive CRACK!
Since then, the knee aches like a (female dog) and cracks a lot! I was having issues walking down stairs as it would hurt etc...
I went back to GP and said, please can you send me to the best NHS orthopeadic hospital in london, as this time I dont have the luxury of messing about.
They sent me to the Royal National Orphopeadic hospital in london. The surgeon at first thought it ws cartilidge damage but the mri scans showed a little bit of degenerative damage but nothing too conclusive.
I ws given a choice, athroscopy or physio. I thought I'd try physio.
Physio, recommended single leg press, wall squats and glute excersies mostly.
Did help at all, and I went back eventually and had the atheroscopy, just for peace of mind to find out whatthe problem was.
They told me, that I had thined my cartildge behind knee cap and that I had a flap of carilidge removed. To be honest, knee actually feels worse now that pre surgery. But that just might be the condition getting worse with time rather than the surgery.
Having spoken to my surgeon post op, he told me there is nothing surgically that can be done further other than a partial knee replacemnt. Ie, they will shave what little cartiledge I have left and replce it with a peice of plastic.
I have since gone back to see a dfferent phsio at the orthopeadic hospital and he has me doing:
Pistol squats, but it's like only 1/5th of the movement, in order to develop my VMO.
Wall squats with a ball between my legs.
Glute excersies.
To be honest with you, all the above are useless, I have been doing the leg press, which has been the main excersies which has given me a little bit of a VMO. However this hasnt made any difference at all to my pain in the knee.
Due to thin/missing cartiledge knee gets irritated from constant rubbing so it causes me pain even at rest. All this excersies I have been doing recently has not helped.
For cardio I was doing Xtrainer and cycling, but stopped these ass it caused knee pain. I then tried jogging at a slowish pace and tryig to be light on my feet, but this too ws causing me pain.
The only cardio avialable to me is swimming and walking.
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So if Im to do squats, I need to do it in a way a beginer would do it. I need to find 3 excersies that will be beneficial too me.
I was initially thinking leg press, single leg press and step ups. But I could swap step ups for BSS or Squats.....
