Bodyweight exercises with an ACL injury

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WanderingRivers
WanderingRivers Posts: 612 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'd like to incorporate some body weight exercises to work on definition but I have an injury with my ACL in my left knee where it's only attached on one end. As such I'm somewhat limited with what I can do with my lower body and wanted to see if anyone had any recommendations to help me get more defined without any equipment.

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  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,108 Member
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    I have torn my MCL on the left and last Summer tore my meniscus on the right. When I first started working out again Pilates was my go to. Doing mat work helped me build strength and now I can do most exercises without pain.

    A simple thigh strength builder that PT gave me was lay on the floor and lift one leg at a time only 3-5", hold for a few seconds working up to 10sec holds, then switch legs. This helps the muscles that support knee stability and I felt it in my lower abs too
  • WanderingRivers
    WanderingRivers Posts: 612 Member
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    Cool. I'd been looking at a few but it all seems like squats and stuff and I'm just like I know they won't work thanks to the injury.

    Thanks. I am gonna have to give those a go. I hate this injury because I've had it for over a decade and it's never gonna get better and it limits me on so darn much.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
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    You still have pain and/or discomfort?
    You shouldn't. Many people tear their ACLs and get over it and have no further problems. Some play sports and lift weights without pain and with no incidents where the knee swells.
    My point is: Maybe if it is still that bad, you should get checked out by a doctor. If you have pain and/or swelling still, it is more likely that you have a cartilage or meniscus injury, not your ACL.
  • WanderingRivers
    WanderingRivers Posts: 612 Member
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    Oh yes. I was hit by a car. The knee that took the initial impact has issues to this day. My ACL is only attached on one end. The other is no longer attached. So yeah, it still bugs me to this day.
  • Deadlifting_Away_Doritos
    Deadlifting_Away_Doritos Posts: 93 Member
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    KurumiSophia wrote: »
    Oh yes. I was hit by a car. The knee that took the initial impact has issues to this day. My ACL is only attached on one end. The other is no longer attached. So yeah, it still bugs me to this day.

    I have worked with athletes coming back from ACL tears and also injury prevention exercises. I would invest in some minibands and do shuffles, squat pauses, and agility ladders. ISO holds on one leg as well. The key is strengthening the hips to help stabilize the knee. Hope this helps.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,978 Member
    edited April 2017
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    Misread initial post. Deleted reply.
  • smile_laughter
    smile_laughter Posts: 3,680 Member
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    I tore my ACL 22 years ago, avoided surgery by working out and building muscle around the knee until 14 years ago. I had to get surgery after a 2nd injury. I can't recommend enough to meet with a physical therapist and get recommendation from him/her. I am not a doctor, but these are the things my physical therapist had me do.

    deadlifting_away_doritos hit it directly on the nail with his/her recommendations. Also, I had to do a lot of balance exercises. Here are some examples:
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/multimedia/balance-exercises/sls-20076853

    Here are some more simple things to do, but again......they helped me a lot with my initial injury.
    http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/knee-pain-16/slideshow-knee-exercises

  • Fit4LifeAR
    Fit4LifeAR Posts: 233 Member
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    What about getting it surgically corrected? I had severe knee injuries that even after surgery, could not be prepared. My doctor gave me two choices, live with the pain and start seeing a pain management doctor, or total knee replacement at the age of 35. I went a year trying to live it with, but I was so restricted and in so much pain, my quality of life was really beginning to suffer. Last June, at 36, I went ahead with the TKR. I am 6 weeks out of a year now, and working out better than I have in years. I am so glad I went through with it, as extreme as it was.
  • WanderingRivers
    WanderingRivers Posts: 612 Member
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    Fit4LifeAR wrote: »
    What about getting it surgically corrected? I had severe knee injuries that even after surgery, could not be prepared. My doctor gave me two choices, live with the pain and start seeing a pain management doctor, or total knee replacement at the age of 35. I went a year trying to live it with, but I was so restricted and in so much pain, my quality of life was really beginning to suffer. Last June, at 36, I went ahead with the TKR. I am 6 weeks out of a year now, and working out better than I have in years. I am so glad I went through with it, as extreme as it was.

    It's been on my wish list to have it repaired but I've never had the money to get it done. I'm hoping to be able to get a job that will allow me to make the money so I can get it fixed.

    I really don't have an option right now other then living with it and working around it.

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