Dear Lara:

Better walk then jog or run. Fast walking is the best aerobic exercise as far as minimizing pressure on joints, on the knees. You are never off the ground then coming down hard, creating that shock for your knees (and ankles, and hips, I suppose). Interesting, I talked to a 24 year old woman  only yesterday. She had a tear in her knee tendon or ligament almost ten years ago. She was playing soccer, another player ran into  her, her knee got twisted and she fell. She felt some pain, saw a doctor who gave her an elastic bandage to wear around her knee, she felt better, then worst, then had a surgery to repair that major ligament (or tendon), and ten years later, she sometimes feels pain there, if she walks  on cement for  too long (walking- and never running- on soft ground is always easier on the knees).

Did you share (I don’t remember at the moment) that you did have an MRI or some other test that would have revealed if you had a torn or damaged ligaments or tendons???

– as far as your father, no joking would make it “real awkward”, but his joking already makes it real awkward for you, I thought. I suppose no contact is an option.

anita