Knee injuries and how to workout

ritzvin

ditto on seeing a PT. They'll know more about your specific injuries, and have experience on what is best to do for it. (They also work a lot with athletes, and won't default to 'just don't do anything' like a lot of doctors do unless you really have to).

sgt1372

I've got an unrepaired 3 way ligament tear (ACL, PCL & MCL) in my left knee (from skiing) and have had rt ankle and toe surgery (plate & 6 screws still in the ankle).

I have to be careful not to plant my left foot and twist my knee or it'll pop out BUT if I keep it straight (or wear the carbon fiber brace that I bought for it), there's no physical activity that I can't do.

I can ski (w/the brace), horseback ride, hike and backpack and lift (DL, SQT, Farmer's carry, lunges or whatever). Heck, I climbed over 6 ft walls at the police academy when the injury was still relatively new.

The key was to rebuild the strength in the muscles around the left knee and the ankle & calf of the rt leg.

How to go about doing this will vary depending on your injuries or limitations but for me it initially involved using a spin bike, walking outdoors or on a treadmill and using the seated quad leg extension and lying hamstring machines.

However, as others have suggested, please consult your doctor (preferably an orthopedist) or a physical therapist b4 engaging in any physical activity that will seriously affect your knees.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I tore my patellar tendon and had to come up with workouts that didn't use my knees at all for many months. I've told this story many times on these boards.

Yes, you need to consult an orthopedist and get them to sign of on PT. Ask if you can do any of the following:

1) Upper body workouts using machines with seats. I did lots of this.
2) Core workouts (flat back crunches, etc.)
3) Swim with a pool buoy (e.g., using upper body only)
4) Canoe or kayak (there is a rental company on the Charles river in Boston area that launches the boat and helps you in and out from a dock, no carrying required. I did this with a leg brace on and it was great.)

Best of luck (from one rando on the internet to another!)

STEVE142142

I'll give you my background 57 year old male. I've had a double hip replacement and I have an arthritic knee that needs to be replaced. The ACL has totally deteriorated and it's not there anymore.

The most important thing you can do is talk to an orthopedic surgeon and a physical therapist to work out a training routine to help your knee. Please whatever you do don't take any advice from anybody on this website as far as what to do. Even though they may have good intentions they could tell you to do something that's really going to screw up your knee even worse.