Exercise with a knee injury

felippez
felippez Posts: 1 Member
edited November 20 in Fitness and Exercise
I just had a half acl tear and I do not wanna do the surgery but I wanna workout, what exercises do you recommend to do without running too much?

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    edited August 2017
    No. You can't exercise through that injury.

    Get a referral to a physical therapist. Were you told by an orthopedic surgeon that it would magically heal itself?
  • puttputt24
    puttputt24 Posts: 30 Member
    Quad and hamstring strengthening
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    when i tore my ACL , complete tear, i continued to powerlift just fine. (after healing the original injury) Squats, deadlifts, etc, i did it all. I even competed several times. I did stop running only because of the instability if i stepped wrong., i did a the stationary bike and elliptical.
    And i could do all the strength training, anything slow and controlled. I ended up having surgery because my complete tear caused too much instability and i was always babying it. Hopefully you can live with your partial tear, lots of people live with it. Getting strong helps. Go slow and figure out where your instability is at , lots of people workout with complete and partially tore acls just fine.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    No. You can't exercise through that injury.

    Get a referral to a physical therapist. Were you told by an orthopedic surgeon that it would magically heal itself?

    yes, you can exercise with a tore acl. No it wont heal it self, but lots of people dont have acls and are athletic.

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    edited August 2017
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    No. You can't exercise through that injury.

    Get a referral to a physical therapist. Were you told by an orthopedic surgeon that it would magically heal itself?

    yes, you can exercise with a tore acl. No it wont heal it self, but lots of people dont have acls and are athletic.

    I stand corrected, I guess. I hope the knee is stable enough. OP, what does the PT say?
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    the instability is the hard part, otherwise everything else will work just fine.
  • pomegranatecloud
    pomegranatecloud Posts: 812 Member
    What exercises did your doctor say you could do? If you didn't ask then you need to follow up with your doctor.
  • puttputt24
    puttputt24 Posts: 30 Member
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,179 Member
    One of my mfp friends has a bum knee and is a gym rat. His 'bum knee" workouts include swimming and battle ropes.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    I had a grade 2 sprain of a different knee ligament. I'm assuming that's the same (I had some tearing but not a complete rupture). I highly recommend physical therapy. My PT really helped guide the whole process for me. He helped me to strengthen what needed to be strengthened, helped me keep moving and healing as appropriate, helped with modifications to make workouts safe and effective while I was rehabbing, made sure I met certain benchmarks before he cleared me to do things and told me what movements to avoid (and if/when they would be safe again), etc. I would not want to get that kind of info from someone who isn't familiar with me, my body, my injury, my movement patterns, strengths/weaknesses, etc. Meaning-I wouldn't want to get that info from a discussion forum.
  • danisa123
    danisa123 Posts: 3 Member
    I agree, you need to see physiotherapist for guidance to make sure you are progressing exercises properly. You can do exercises at home and touch base with physio to progress. This will definitely increase your chances of being able to return to leading an active life!
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student

    The OP should get any directions for exercise from the doctor and/or physical therapist who has examined them, seen their imaging, etc. Should not take random, even if good meaning information from the internet.

    A current PT student IMO should know better than to make such suggestions.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    You don't *need* to have your ACL surgically repaired.

    When I messed up my knee 8 years ago, the orthopedist told me "even if it is your ACL we probably won't repair because you're old" (I was 39 at the time, and very physically active. Luckily it wasn't my ACL then.) Last year I messed up my knee again, and this time it was a complete ACL tear. My new orthopedist (I no longer live in a medical desert), knowing my lifestyle, felt surgery was the best option (even though I am even older). While I was hobbling around with my knee brace I met lots of people who regaled me with stories about their knee injuries, and I met plenty of people (even younger people) who never had their ACL tears repaired. One of them is a freestyle snowboard coach who still competes in halfpipe and slopestyle!

    That being said, you should still consult with an orthopedist and get a referral to physical therapy so that you can strengthen the rest of your leg to compensate for your ACL if you're not going to have it repaired.
  • puttputt24
    puttputt24 Posts: 30 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student

    The OP should get any directions for exercise from the doctor and/or physical therapist who has examined them, seen their imaging, etc. Should not take random, even if good meaning information from the internet.

    A current PT student IMO should know better than to make such suggestions.

    Lol if OP has torn ACL a PT will tell to work on quad and hamstring for coactivation to limit anterior translation of the tibia on the femur. I'm offering a suggestion for what the OP asked.

    Don't attack me when I'm simply answering what the OP asked.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    edited August 2017
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student

    The OP should get any directions for exercise from the doctor and/or physical therapist who has examined them, seen their imaging, etc. Should not take random, even if good meaning information from the internet.

    A current PT student IMO should know better than to make such suggestions.

    Lol if OP has torn ACL a PT will tell to work on quad and hamstring for coactivation to limit anterior translation of the tibia on the femur. I'm offering a suggestion for what the OP asked.

    Don't attack me when I'm simply answering what the OP asked.

    Not attacking you, just question the advice to "strengthen the quads and hamstrings". As you know there are many movements that strengthen the quads and hamstrings. I'm pretty sure all are not appropriate for someone with an ACL tear, especially when you haven't examined or seen any images from the patient.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    edited August 2017
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student

    The OP should get any directions for exercise from the doctor and/or physical therapist who has examined them, seen their imaging, etc. Should not take random, even if good meaning information from the internet.

    A current PT student IMO should know better than to make such suggestions.

    Lol if OP has torn ACL a PT will tell to work on quad and hamstring for coactivation to limit anterior translation of the tibia on the femur. I'm offering a suggestion for what the OP asked.

    Don't attack me when I'm simply answering what the OP asked.

    Not attacking you, just question the advice to "strengthen the quads and hamstrings". As you know there are many movements that strengthen the quads and hamstrings. I'm pretty sure all are not appropriate for someone with an ACL tear, especially when you haven't examined or seen any images from the patient.

    Indeed--some very common exercises used to strengthen the quads and hamstrings--leg curls and leg extensions--are actually CONTRAINDICATED for ACL injury--open chain kinetics and all...
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    mitch16 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    puttputt24 wrote: »
    Work on strengthening the quads and hamstrings. The stronger they get the better they can act as a make shift ACL as you delay surgery.

    Current PT student

    The OP should get any directions for exercise from the doctor and/or physical therapist who has examined them, seen their imaging, etc. Should not take random, even if good meaning information from the internet.

    A current PT student IMO should know better than to make such suggestions.

    Lol if OP has torn ACL a PT will tell to work on quad and hamstring for coactivation to limit anterior translation of the tibia on the femur. I'm offering a suggestion for what the OP asked.

    Don't attack me when I'm simply answering what the OP asked.

    Not attacking you, just question the advice to "strengthen the quads and hamstrings". As you know there are many movements that strengthen the quads and hamstrings. I'm pretty sure all are not appropriate for someone with an ACL tear, especially when you haven't examined or seen any images from the patient.

    Indeed--some very common exercises used to strengthen the quads and hamstrings--leg curls and leg extensions--are actually CONTRAINDICATED for ACL injury--open chain kinetics and all...

    Yep, that's why someone with a diagnosed condition needs to get appropriate rehab exercises from a doctor and/or therapist who has examined them.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    a tore acl is really not that big of a deal. You have an injury, you go to the DR, they tell you its tore and you go home and put some ice on it. When it feels better, go work out, but know you may have instability issues. Its not some life threatening potentially disabling condition that has to be carefully watched over by a PT and Dr. Its not that big of a deal. Lots of people tear their ACL and never even see a dr and don't even know its torn. and they go to the gym and workout just fine.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    SonyaCele wrote: »

    Agree have heard of many people exercising with an ACL/MCL issue. Point is, before one does it, they should get their doctor/PT advice on appropriate exercises.

    The following was from the link you posted.

    Each patient and injury will be different so always take the advice of your medical professional or surgeon. See acl rehabilitation program for an overview of when each exercises fits in.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    SonyaCele wrote: »

    Agree have heard of many people exercising with an ACL/MCL issue. Point is, before one does it, they should get their doctor/PT advice on appropriate exercises.

    The following was from the link you posted.

    Each patient and injury will be different so always take the advice of your medical professional or surgeon. See acl rehabilitation program for an overview of when each exercises fits in.

    sure one "should" get the dr pt advice, but 99% of the time they are gonna tell you to do the generic exercises on any webpage you google for acl injuries. if you dont get a dr advice, its not the end of the world.

  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    No acl in my right knee - I manage mostly but trust me, if you have a partial tear you do not want a full tear, so be careful. I can pop my knee out while just swinging my legs out of bed in the morning if I'm not careful.

    Get a knee brace with side support and wear it while you do anything that puts pressure on your knees.

    Cycling is great for bad knees, I can cycle comfortably when I can't do anything else.

    Lifting is fine IF YOUR KNEE IS IN ALIGNMENT. But with a bad acl it's easy for it to get out of alignment. If it's being wonky, don't. You will hurt other parts of your knee. Do a toddler squat and sit there and think about whether it feels smooth getting up and down before you do anything heavy.
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