What are some exercises if you have an injured knee?

Lisa__Michelle

I was wondering if any of you have any exercises you can think of that I could do since I injured my knee? I can barely walk. All I can ever think of are crunches and pushups. Oh yeah, and I do not have access to a pool.

bytelaw

I tore my MCL a few months back, and during rehab I did all of my upper body exercises for a while on a balance ball, as well as using the stationary bicycle for cardio. Once it healed a little (so it could bear weight), I did a lot of boxing for cardio (heavy bag and boxing the "air" with weights in my hands. I also started back with planks, plank/pushups, and pushups, once the knee didn't hurt quite as much. I did tons of crunches, with and without weights and/or the medicine ball, and often did the crunches on the balance ball for a better workout. It might be worth consulting a trainer and/or a physical therapist to get a good idea of what you should be doing to heal and strengthen the injury (and what you CAN be doing to avoid further injury). I spent a month just "dialing it back" a little and trying to push through the pain, and set back my healing by a lot by doing that. It's hard to slow down, though, when you've started to see results from the exercise (and you're hooked on the "high", as I admit I am). Good luck with the healing, and don't get discouraged!

CoryIda

Yoga and pilates, modified to take into account your injury, may be an option.

elmct57

well, you have a tub--epsom salt soaks. and look on youtube for the chair exercise videos. you can work on other sections while your knee heals up. i do agree you should check with a physical therapist or sports doctor for advice--sometimes they'll do exercise printouts with pics for you that you can follow at home.

lyd21

I had surgery last year and I know it's super hard to stay the same weight let alone lose any. Don't let yourself get lazy is the main thing. But for upper body, you can do overhead arm claps, like jumping jacks without the jumping. If you're keeping a fast enough and steady pace you won't need weights. Just keep your arms straight and hands shouldn't drop below your shoulders. Your abs should be tight too, whether your sitting or standing. To work different muscles, have your arms straight out in front instead of the sides. I don't know if you're injured to the point you can't walk, but the best thing to do is strengthen your knee. A lot of people on here could give you exercises to do but you should see a physical therapist to make sure your form is right. If the form is off it could do more harm than good.
Good luck with working out! I'm working with you!

FlashBang

You will, of course, have to listen to your Doc and Therapist. I did low impact until I could get back out on the road. My poison of choice was a treadclimber but I used elliptical as well as stationary bike. My Doc told me to forget running and get me a bike, now I am a Triathlete. Stick to it, actively participate in your rehab and you will get better. If not then find exercise and sport that fits your limitations.