Knee therapy

43kelli
43kelli Posts: 31 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I saw my physical therapist on friday & he has me on a plan of only biking 20 mins 3 times a week to strengthen my knee. So I just came from the gym with my husband. I feel good, and I willbe trying to go Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays after work. I think my focus has shifted from losing weight to just being fit to walk on my upcoming vacation. One thing at a time, small steps. How is everyone else doing?

Replies

  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    That sounds like a plan! As I've said before, the only reason I go to the weight room is to rehab my knees and my shoulder. I've had two major knee surgeries over the past year and a half and I fractured my shoulder in March. My goals in level of how long it will likely take to get there rehab wise are being able to run for fitness (as opposed to for the bus), being able to bike up steep hills without knee pain, and being able to swim for at least an hour without shoulder pain.

    The running will take what feels like forever, biking up hills without pain will take some time, and swimming - I should get there within the next few months - hopefully less?
  • bikecheryl
    bikecheryl Posts: 1,432 Member
    Ya.... knee therapy. The biking will definitely help..... but so will the other exercises I'm sure he's given you to help strengthen the muscles around the knee.

    I do think you can do a little of both.... work on the knee and lose weight because any weight you lose will help take pressure and stress off the knees.

    lol.... it's balancing act.......... I know, I have osteoarthritis in both knees and am getting a double knee replacement later this year.

    Keep up the physio and biking and I hope you have a great vacation!

  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    Just starting back running here and man I am out of shape. The weather is getting nice and you have me thinking about getting the old bike out for some evening spins.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,138 Member
    Why can't you do both? You can still eat at a small deficit to lose some weight while you are rehabbing your knee. These aren't mutually exclusive things.
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    I've torn and had one ACL reconstructed, and I found that after I'd finished my course of rehab with the physical therapist, the surgery leg still looked a little atrophied compared to the other. Spin class turned out to be the best thing (for me) to even that out. It's harder to cheat and load the good leg with biking... I also found that spin shoes were helpful for regaining some hamstring strength (I had a hamstring tendon ACL graft) bc they distributed the weight more evenly between hamstrings and quads.
    I've now torn the other one and am having it reconstructed this summer. Until then, I'm trying to stick with as much of my normal routine (within doctor's advice) as possible so that I am as strong as possible going in to the operation.
    Good luck with your rehab! It sounds like you have a good plan!
  • 43kelli
    43kelli Posts: 31 Member
    Thanks everyone! The only thing I'm allowed to do is the biking. I can walk on my rest days but im to go easy. I do have other knee exercises to do but I'm to concentrate on the bikini. I will increase the resistance as it gets too easy. I will try to work on my food, but no promises lol
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    sarjenki wrote: »
    Spin class turned out to be the best thing (for me) to even that out. It's harder to cheat and load the good leg with biking... I also found that spin shoes were helpful for regaining some hamstring strength (I had a hamstring tendon ACL graft) bc they distributed the weight more evenly between hamstrings and quads.
    In my experience, depending on how atrophied the muscles are it's actually extremely easy to use your non/less injured leg when cycling. I don't actually have experience of this without cycling shoes (so riding a bike with clipless pedals), but cycling has been part of my rehab for all four knee surgeries and there has been a fairly large deficit on the most recent surgical side each time. Right now it's 40/60 with the lesser side being my most recent surgical leg. Note that my main exercise consists of structured interval sessions on my bike.

    It is the reason why I haven't been cleared to start a running program, because a deficit that great is a recipe for injury. All of that said, I also had tibial tubercle osteotomies, was non-weight bearing for six weeks, and wasn't allowed to start weight related exercises until 12 weeks post-op. I still think cycling is the best form of aerobic rehab I can do, but cycling alone isn't going to take care of the strength deficits in my calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes (especially not glutes).
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited May 2018
    I don't have a current injury but, after injuring my SI seriously squatting 5 yrs ago (lifting less weight than I can now) and after achieving and maintaining a 40# weight loss over the past 2 years, my focus has changed from trying to "do more and more" to just "doing enough" to avoid injury while also maintaining the strength and fitness that I previously developed.

    So, I am no longer lifting 3-5 days a week for 2-3 hrs at a time w/low reps at max wt and am now only lifting 2 days a week at low wts w/more reps for no more than an hr at a time.

    However, I have added a 1hr rowing session per day 7 days/wk more for overall strength and fitness than cardio because I only row at a moderate rate that makes me sweat but barely elevates my HR.

    So, it's not like I'm not doing anything anymore but I definitely have changed my focus to my overall fitness as opposed to max strength, intensity and/or endurance.

  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    aokoye wrote: »
    sarjenki wrote: »
    Spin class turned out to be the best thing (for me) to even that out. It's harder to cheat and load the good leg with biking... I also found that spin shoes were helpful for regaining some hamstring strength (I had a hamstring tendon ACL graft) bc they distributed the weight more evenly between hamstrings and quads.
    In my experience, depending on how atrophied the muscles are it's actually extremely easy to use your non/less injured leg when cycling. I don't actually have experience of this without cycling shoes (so riding a bike with clipless pedals), but cycling has been part of my rehab for all four knee surgeries and there has been a fairly large deficit on the most recent surgical side each time. Right now it's 40/60 with the lesser side being my most recent surgical leg. Note that my main exercise consists of structured interval sessions on my bike.

    It is the reason why I haven't been cleared to start a running program, because a deficit that great is a recipe for injury. All of that said, I also had tibial tubercle osteotomies, was non-weight bearing for six weeks, and wasn't allowed to start weight related exercises until 12 weeks post-op. I still think cycling is the best form of aerobic rehab I can do, but cycling alone isn't going to take care of the strength deficits in my calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes (especially not glutes).

    By the time I started spin class after the ACL recovery, I had already passed my strength test (surgery leg was at least 80% strength wise compared to the other leg) and was already cleared for running, so I'm not sure how well it would've worked out earlier on in the recovery process. I did notice myself cheating/loading the good leg a little if the resistance was turned up too high (gotta find that balance) but that issue resolved quiker than I thought it would.
    Now that I am currently spinning on a torn ACL, I have a different problem in that I find myself turning the resistance up much higher than normal to feel more stable and by the last few songs of the class I feel like I'm done and that I've used more resistance than I can push for an entire class. Still looking for that balance between the extra resistance for stability and being able to keep tempo all class. Probably by the time I find it, it'll be about time for the surgery, but at least I will have tried...
    Sounds like your injuries and atrophy were a lot more extensive than with an ACL reconstruction (I was never nonweight bearing). Good luck with getting back to running!
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    Yeah
    sarjenki wrote: »
    aokoye wrote: »
    sarjenki wrote: »
    Spin class turned out to be the best thing (for me) to even that out. It's harder to cheat and load the good leg with biking... I also found that spin shoes were helpful for regaining some hamstring strength (I had a hamstring tendon ACL graft) bc they distributed the weight more evenly between hamstrings and quads.
    In my experience, depending on how atrophied the muscles are it's actually extremely easy to use your non/less injured leg when cycling. I don't actually have experience of this without cycling shoes (so riding a bike with clipless pedals), but cycling has been part of my rehab for all four knee surgeries and there has been a fairly large deficit on the most recent surgical side each time. Right now it's 40/60 with the lesser side being my most recent surgical leg. Note that my main exercise consists of structured interval sessions on my bike.

    It is the reason why I haven't been cleared to start a running program, because a deficit that great is a recipe for injury. All of that said, I also had tibial tubercle osteotomies, was non-weight bearing for six weeks, and wasn't allowed to start weight related exercises until 12 weeks post-op. I still think cycling is the best form of aerobic rehab I can do, but cycling alone isn't going to take care of the strength deficits in my calves, hamstrings, quads and glutes (especially not glutes).

    By the time I started spin class after the ACL recovery, I had already passed my strength test (surgery leg was at least 80% strength wise compared to the other leg) and was already cleared for running, so I'm not sure how well it would've worked out earlier on in the recovery process. I did notice myself cheating/loading the good leg a little if the resistance was turned up too high (gotta find that balance) but that issue resolved quiker than I thought it would.
    Now that I am currently spinning on a torn ACL, I have a different problem in that I find myself turning the resistance up much higher than normal to feel more stable and by the last few songs of the class I feel like I'm done and that I've used more resistance than I can push for an entire class. Still looking for that balance between the extra resistance for stability and being able to keep tempo all class. Probably by the time I find it, it'll be about time for the surgery, but at least I will have tried...
    Sounds like your injuries and atrophy were a lot more extensive than with an ACL reconstruction (I was never nonweight bearing). Good luck with getting back to running!
    Yeah this is where the, "in my experience" and admitting to being points of anacdata is really important :)

    For my PT protocol strength tests (more specifically, an isokinetic test) don't come into the equation in terms of biking and swimming. Running yes, but not cycling or swimming. I was allowed to start swimming six weeks post op (pending xrays showing that my bones were healing) and then biking with more than minimal amounts of resistance was allowed after that. In my case and I suspect most cases of people who are non weight bearing for that long and have had surgery, getting adequate range of motion is the real issue. I wasn't allowed to bike outside until until 12 weeks I think - I don't actually remember. The issue being that, if you fall the potential of fracturing your tibia is very very high.

    Thanks for the well wishes though and good luck with your torn ACL! So far so good. We doing a lot of jumping stuff at the moment and my appointment today went better than both I and my PT expected. I'll be doing a second iso test later this month but I am allowed to run during PT (well do run/walk intervals) on their AlterG treadmill.
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    You sometimes have to take it easy in the kneesies!

    I'm on hiatus from running at the moment. Biking seems to make it feel better (even long rides), as does swimming (kicking) and elliptical. Seems like it's getting there. Maybe running next week.

    Best healing wishes to you!
  • Sunshine_And_Sand
    Sunshine_And_Sand Posts: 1,320 Member
    @aokoye.
    I actually did admit that it was anecdata in my original post by including "(for me)". I also said that all this took place after I'd finished my course of rehab with the physical therapist so the fact that I was in a different point in my recovery was made clear initially as well.
    I didn't say anything about having passed the strength test bc it didn't seem relavent at the time bc honestly it wasn't meant to be (and really shouldn't be considered) a controversial post.
    I was just trying to share my experience with using cycling after knee surgery to relate to the OP using cycling for her knee rehab.
    I apologize if it sounded as though I was deliberately hiding the fact that I was speaking from experience rather research. It wasn't intentional.
    The post was also not meant as blanket advice. My specific injury was made clear and I didn't intend it to relate to others' very different injury. Again just relating to the OPs use of cycling for knee rehab. If it came off as anything otherwise to readers, I apologize. It was not intended as a substitute for medical advice.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
    edited May 2018
    sarjenki wrote: »
    @aokoye.
    I actually did admit that it was anecdata in my original post by including "(for me)". I also said that all this took place after I'd finished my course of rehab with the physical therapist so the fact that I was in a different point in my recovery was made clear initially as well.
    I didn't say anything about having passed the strength test bc it didn't seem relavent at the time bc honestly it wasn't meant to be (and really shouldn't be considered) a controversial post.
    I was just trying to share my experience with using cycling after knee surgery to relate to the OP using cycling for her knee rehab.
    I apologize if it sounded as though I was deliberately hiding the fact that I was speaking from experience rather research. It wasn't intentional.
    The post was also not meant as blanket advice. My specific injury was made clear and I didn't intend it to relate to others' very different injury. Again just relating to the OPs use of cycling for knee rehab. If it came off as anything otherwise to readers, I apologize. It was not intended as a substitute for medical advice.

    I didn't take it as a controversial post at all. I actually was attempting to use the smily face as a friendly "i know you aren't making a blanket statement" sort of thing. That said, let's not pretend that reading tone online is at all easy or accurate. But yeah no, you have no need to apologize. I actually think that hearing other peoples' experiences with somewhat similar issues is really interesting - especially when it comes to physical therapy. I also didn't think you had intended anything you wrote as a substitute for medical advice (I probably would have said something if I thought that).

    But yeah - I think you may have misread me (and potentially I you?) but I definitely don't have any hard feelings.

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