I would really, really, really appreciate input...

letsdothis2010

Hi all,

2 and a 1/2 months ago I had arthroscopic knee surgery for multiple problems from an injury to my right knee. I started rehab (on my doctor's orders) 2 weeks after the surgery. I've been working very hard and I've made a lot of progress in therapy. I'm still continuing therapy, but I'm also finally ready to go back to the gym.

I know this all sounds good, but there are a lot of problems as well. I was injured in May...it took 5 months to get the surgery I needed (I had no choice, it was a work injury). In this time period, I was in a lot of pain and I favored my other leg (the left leg).

As a result, my right leg muscle is almost non-existent. It's a bit better now with therapy, but there is a very significant difference between the two legs.

So here are my questions:

1.) My therapist uses equal weights and wants me to do the exact exercises to both legs...should this be the way it is? Aren't I making the difference even more pronounced between the two legs?

2.) I would really appreciate any suggestions for a strength training program (gym) to build the muscles in my legs. I don't want anything like this to happen again if I can prevent it...I really need to re-gain and build even more strength in my legs.

Any suggestions/scientific input/experience would be much appreciated as I am lost

mccorml

i tend to favor one side when i started working out and you just keep having to push the one side as much as the other is what i noticed and then once you hit a plateu you tend to equal out muscles because your body is at an equal level of not progressing so the other part catches up

letsdothis2010

I didn't think of it that way, but that's a good point. Thanks!

Holton

My therapy for ankle strengthening had me working the weaker side twice as hard as the dominate side. I would think the main focus would be to keep working all your joints to ensure that they are in sync! Work hard in your therapy and you won't be disappointed!

chris2991

1) Use the same weight with both legs like the therapist said. It seems weird but if you train one side more than the other you’re risking making the right bigger than the left. Just make sure the exercise is identical.

2) Before you start any new exercises you should clear it with your therapist, since you did have surgery on your knee. As for the exercises some you can do to build muscle are. Squats( you should only use your body weight if you coming of a knee surgery), step-ups, sprints and lunges.


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mccorml

muscle forms by creating little tears when your smaller muscle develops tears with the same amount of weight the body repairs the muscle tears stronger so that your body does try and consider this a threat idk its weird im sure your pt gets it

rybo

Do the weak side first, and do the same amount for both sides. It will eventually even out.

LotusF1ower

Hi all,

2 and a 1/2 months ago I had arthroscopic knee surgery for multiple problems from an injury to my right knee. I started rehab (on my doctor's orders) 2 weeks after the surgery. I've been working very hard and I've made a lot of progress in therapy. I'm still continuing therapy, but I'm also finally ready to go back to the gym.

I know this all sounds good, but there are a lot of problems as well. I was injured in May...it took 5 months to get the surgery I needed (I had no choice, it was a work injury). In this time period, I was in a lot of pain and I favored my other leg (the left leg).

As a result, my right leg muscle is almost non-existent. It's a bit better now with therapy, but there is a very significant difference between the two legs.

So here are my questions:

1.) My therapist uses equal weights and wants me to do the exact exercises to both legs...should this be the way it is? Aren't I making the difference even more pronounced between the two legs?

2.) I would really appreciate any suggestions for a strength training program (gym) to build the muscles in my legs. I don't want anything like this to happen again if I can prevent it...I really need to re-gain and build even more strength in my legs.

Any suggestions/scientific input/experience would be much appreciated as I am lost

ALWAYS follow the advice of those overseeing your medical care, ie your Therapist, they will have all your records there and know your history.

Therefore if your Therapist is saying use equal weights with exactly the same exercises for both legs, do so. If you do anything different and God forbid, something goes wrong, your Therapist will want to know exactly what you have been doing, they will know you have not been following their advice because of their experience in their field.

Your legs will even out, your Therapist knows this and knows exactly how to achieve it, hence their advice to you.