HELP KNEE INJURY Ab/upper body workout

I just suffered a knee injury and was diagnosed today with Bursitis my doctor said I can still work out my upper body but NO LOWER BODY WORKOUTS. I just started a 30 challenge with a exercise group I am in and I want to prove to myself I can win this challenge but not injure myself further are there any work out routines I can do that won't put stress on my knees? I won't take no for an answer and I am winning this challenge. I tried doing some of my own research but a lot of exercises involve me bending my knee and idk if that's safe for me when I have Bursitis

e.g and some is obviously out of the question for me to do

10 crunches
10 bicycle crunches
10 mountain climbers
10 Side V-ups
10 Dynamic planks
10 knee touches
10 toe touches
10 leg lifts
10 crunch claps

Replies

  • STEVE142142
    STEVE142142 Posts: 867 Member
    Just to let you know dr. Google doesn't know what the hell it's talking about. You may win the challenge but you're going to lose the war. Unless you see a professional you may do some serious long-term damage to yourself.

    In all seriousness as someone with chronic arthritic issues you should speak to either an orthopedist or a physical therapist if you want to do exercises to try to win this challenge.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    i dont know what your knee injury is, but all those exercises above will put pressure on you knee, some worse than others. There are a ton of upper body exercises you can do that dont put any pressure on you knee , just grab some dumbbells or a stretchy band and sit on a chair or lay on the ground and there are tons of things you can do.
  • Burger2066
    Burger2066 Posts: 126 Member
    I'm going to back what Steve said on this. I tore up my knee multiple times playing hockey through college. Slapped a brace on it and was "good to go", aside from that whole healing thing. I love working out and staying active. But I regret not doing what I should have done when it came to knee injuries. Put a list of workout moves together and discuss them with your doctor.
    You can do a lot of upper body work without having to use your knee at all. Planks don't really put pressure on the knee. But again, run it all by your doctor. I have an accounting degree and an automotive degree...neither spent much time on knee injuries. Haha.
  • Jm172017
    Jm172017 Posts: 20 Member
    Do not listen to your primary care doctor when it concerns exercise movements. Go see an ortho or better yet, see a PT. I'm a PT. Please go see a PT and make your life much easier.
  • Burger2066
    Burger2066 Posts: 126 Member
    ^^^ Yes, definitely talk to a specialist about it. I assumed it was a specialist that diagnosed you and not your primary. My sister is a physical therapist. Definitely good to know one when you have injuries piling up!
  • Lillymoo01
    Lillymoo01 Posts: 2,865 Member
    Jm172017 wrote: »
    Do not listen to your primary care doctor when it concerns exercise movements. Go see an ortho or better yet, see a PT. I'm a PT. Please go see a PT and make your life much easier.

    Please let that PT stand for physiotherapist and not personal trainer.

    A physio however is the way to go. They can not only give you exercises to strengthen your upper body but appropriate exercisese for your legs to help strengthen your knee.

    Get rid of the win at all costs attitude while you are at it. You only have one body and if you abuse it it is not always forgiving.
  • I never got notified by the messages but I have been exercising without major pressure no squats pushups or anything I have just been using dumbells and working my core out. My knee pain is mostly gone I only have it in the morning when I first wake up I don't see how planks don't put pressure on the knees. I also have/had Bursitis, not sure if I still have it anymore and Bursitis is the inflammation of the fluid filled sac in the joints such as the knee cap
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    after my knee injury i wasnt able to do planks. I didn't have the stability to hold my leg straight like that. I could do single leg planks, i would rest my bad leg over my good leg. this is how i had to do pushups. i personally dont think planks are a good idea if you have bad knees
  • Burger2066
    Burger2066 Posts: 126 Member
    It all depends on the knee injury. I had a torn MCL and meniscus and was able to do planks without issue. The docs and physical therapists wanted me to do everything I could to strengthen around the knee without impact on it. So they cleared me for planks as long as I didn't have pain during/after them. But bursitis is definitely different. It depends on what the specialist says, what state of the bursitis is in, and what initially caused it. If the pain is going away, like mentioned in his last post, and the specialist says it is ok, then it is probably safe to give a try. But the best advice is consult with your specialist, see a physical therapist if they suggest it, and if you're feeling pain during the moves they suggest then stop doing them and call the doc again.
  • Burger2066 wrote: »
    It all depends on the knee injury. I had a torn MCL and meniscus and was able to do planks without issue. The docs and physical therapists wanted me to do everything I could to strengthen around the knee without impact on it. So they cleared me for planks as long as I didn't have pain during/after them. But bursitis is definitely different. It depends on what the specialist says, what state of the bursitis is in, and what initially caused it. If the pain is going away, like mentioned in his last post, and the specialist says it is ok, then it is probably safe to give a try. But the best advice is consult with your specialist, see a physical therapist if they suggest it, and if you're feeling pain during the moves they suggest then stop doing them and call the doc again.

    I was told I stretched something out too much
  • Fallfrenzy
    Fallfrenzy Posts: 118 Member
    I whole-heartedly agree with seeing a physical therapist for safe exercises. If it hurts, don't do it again for a bit. I had a grade 2 MCL sprain, no fun! At one point it wasn't getting better because I was doing too many leg exercises even though I didn't think it hurt. With bursitis, I'm sure it is different.