Torn meniscus

dotsoncck
dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Doing well with food choices, but having constant knee pain and unable to exercise. Had MRI today and waiting for results. Any ideas on other ways to burn calories?

Replies

  • mensasu
    mensasu Posts: 355 Member
    Can you swim? When my knee is acting up I do front crawl, but cross my legs at the ankle and don't use them. All my movement comes from my arms and believe you me that can be quite a work out just to keep me from sinking.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Doing well with food choices, but having constant knee pain and unable to exercise. Had MRI today and waiting for results. Any ideas on other ways to burn calories?

    Stay alive
  • skinnyjeans1224
    skinnyjeans1224 Posts: 76 Member
    I'm a month out from knee scope. I only did upper body workouts (weight training), no cardio or leg workouts. I gained some weight and had to push my goals back. Mainly because I eat out of comfort and missed pushing myself in my workouts. If you are good with nutrition you will be fine without gaining.
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
    Had the same thing 18 months ago and an arthroscope to fix it. Was out for a few months from anything extreme.

    Boxing is alright; just stand there and hit the bag, a lot. Try for 1 minute intervals of intense punching, then 1 minute of relaxed for 25-30 minutes.

    Swimming is also alright if you can get one of the 'peanuts' (buoy type thing shaped like a peanut) that you put in between your legs to keep them afloat. That way, you don't have to kick and can simply use your arms.

    Non exercise wise...Try learning guitar, and power-play for hours. Or drums; smack them for a little while.

    Oh, and fidget. Shake your good leg, always make sure your hands are moving/tapping etc. Increasing NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenisis) allows you to eat more.
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for the ideas. I will try upper body workouts and keep watching the food choices. It's just disheartening to be injured when I feel like I just got off to a good start.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    Just please please PLEASE be careful!

    My boyfriend had a torn meniscus. 7 surgeries later he still can't walk with out pain because he was too active while he should have been recovering.
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    I had surgery for the same injury about a year ago and that's when I began to gain weight AGAIN. Will try to really watch my food choices and do some upper body workouts. This is just a big downer.:sad:
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks. I believe this is a retear. I had a repair about a year ago. 2 months of rehab and 6 months of no exercises and thought I would be ok.....but apparently not. So painful daily. :sad:
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    Hopefully everything gets better quick! Just be careful :flowerforyou:

    Calorie deficit and you will still lose weight. So just make sure you are consistent with your food log and the weight will come off.
  • eandrsmom
    eandrsmom Posts: 119
    My MRI to diagnose the same is on Wednesday. :frown: Sending good thoughts your way!
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    Can't swim, but upper body workouts are possible. Will find it hard to stay motivated if I can't do some aerobics...:sad:
  • Heidi64
    Heidi64 Posts: 211 Member
    Exercise bike with very low resistance.
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for your support.:smile:
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    If you have to have surgery, please do rehab and don't over do it afterwards. I had surgery about a year ago and was told not to run again, but I started gaining weight and thought I could do more......should have listened.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    I had surgery on mine years ago,,,and 3 months later had my ACL done....Just take it easy, and really watch your diet.....until your knee is doing better.
  • dotsoncck
    dotsoncck Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for the support.:smile:
  • redlady82
    redlady82 Posts: 43 Member
    I've had a couple surgeries on my knee and they all involved stitching the meniscus or a menisectomy among other things. I'm sorry you're going through that it really sucks and I know it can feel like fitness is over but it's so not. Pilates is really great just avoid fully extending and stretching your injured leg out like you would with the other one for right now and do things that primarily involved legs in the air or swivelling from side to side while you balance on your hands and whatnot. I had a pilates influenced physical therapist on my last surgery and it was the best pt I had and now I'm back to doing everything I couldn't do after the first surgery/injury. Hang on there!
  • TheNewDodge
    TheNewDodge Posts: 607 Member
    Its a three week recovery period
  • CaseRat
    CaseRat Posts: 377 Member
    Its a three week recovery period

    Not always bud, depends on what type of tear you had, and what surgery.
    I had 2 months before I was allowed to start running. Even then, it hurt.
  • wolfgate
    wolfgate Posts: 321 Member
    That's why I'm here. Put on weight when I was laid up for 6 months (4 pre surgery, 2 post). Recovery does depend on exactly what they have to do.

    I started running again roughly 8 weeks later. Now, a year post op, I'm running about 30 miles a week without any knee pain at all. Holding at 30 miles as I'm running a 5k season this fall. Won my age group last 3 races as well, and I'm expecting a PR before the end of the year - particularly if I can get back down to ideal racing weight..

    So full recovery is possible. Hang in there.

    FWIW, I did a lot of stationary bicycling on low resistance before surgery. Was fine on the meniscus, and kept the leg muscles in some shape. I think it helped with recovery - but I would not do it if it hurt!
  • kwilson18
    kwilson18 Posts: 42 Member
    Its a three week recovery period

    Not always bud, depends on what type of tear you had, and what surgery.
    I had 2 months before I was allowed to start running. Even then, it hurt.

    Yep, it totally depends on what you have done. I was non weight bearing for 7 weeks after my repair, and it was months after that before I was back to normal. I actually got emaciated though because I was in college on crutches, and couldn't carry food in the cafeteria (and crutching several miles to class everyday is apparently a good fat burning exercise).

    I agree with the careful rehab statements- I didn't have good PT after and I still have limited ROM in that knee (this was 23 years ago). On the bright side so far the repair seems to be holding out (crossing fingers...)- I've found that it's really important for me to keep my quads strong, or my knees get wonky.

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