Quote Originally Posted by truthseeker View Post
Hi,
Im trying to rehab my chronically dislocating right knee, Ive had ~150 dislocations/subluxes in the past 3 years. VMO was completely invisible, my OS thought it was paralysed. Finally got VMO engaging, using combination of e-stim and exercises designed to engage it.

Have good strength in quads now in terms of leg extensions with weights etc..

My question is this: I can extend my leg no problem with weights on the end and I can feel the muscles engaging and my kneecap feels stable. But if I do it with no weights I have no control at all in the last few degrees of extension and I feel as though Im about to dislocate. This causes problems walking, as every time I extend my leg I feel it trying to dislocate.

Any ideas why the muscles wont engage without resistance?
Thank you.
Hello, could you please hint to the initial injury that led to such knee instability?

Additionally, although I recommend leg extensions for rehab, what is your current status, are you able to do compound exercises such as a squat or lunge? The knee extension machine does not recruit as many Motor Units as would a load bearing squat for example. The more overload you can apply the more motor units will be activated. HOwever,!!! This is only to be considered if you have local stability around that joint. You know have your VMO engaging, and you will have to begin to initiate it further with unilateral exercises such as the lunge. However, you may need significant support such as a hoist to complete these as you mentioned suvere instability.

This way you will slowly begin to recruit and activate the VMO further, while adding increased resistance will recruit further motor units, and subsequently more muscle fibres for further growth.

As well the movement should not be forceful. In order to apply a force upon the muscle throughout range this means that the release or eccentric phase of the movement should be controlled and slow, tension should remain in your muscle throughout.

Please tell more about the history of onset, and your current treatment