How can I do cardio with an injured knee?

d5ynkfpvqp
d5ynkfpvqp Posts: 1 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Injured my knee and it looks like I won’t be able to work out for a while, what can I do to burn calories at home?
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Answers

  • tecat810
    tecat810 Posts: 4,827 Member
    Hi!
    I really blew my knee a year ago. Completely non weight bearing for months before and after surgery. I used an assault bike at home because my upper body could do most of the work and I could propy bad knee up.
    The other thing I did was upper body strength and core workouts. Best wishes to you!
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,222 Member
    There are chair exercise videos on YouTube at many levels of intensity, including some aimed at serious wheelchair athletes.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 1,067 Member
    i got a small, good quality pedaler (not a $40, which tend to have rough, gritty motion), and i used my arms to pedal. i was able to get my heartrate pretty high. also i did back extensions and ab crunches, weighted or not, for 20 or 30 minutes at a time.

    you can also work out with resistance bands (you can work up a sweat) or get something like a maxpro.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    edited December 2023
    My knee condition may have zero relevance to your knee condition. To get the best advice, have your doctor refer you to a physical therapist. Listen to your body. Pain might not show up until later - start slow.

    I always avoid high impact. I can do some low impact. I used to be able to squat for gardening, but these days that hurts my hip. :disappointed:

    What I do outside the gym:
    1. The knee exercises from my PT
    2. Yoga
    3. Thai Chi (don't use the MFP database entry unless you are doing a very vigorous martial arts style, which might be too intense for your knee)
    4. Gardening (I only use the MFP database entry for intense gardening such as digging and created my own "Gardening, moderate" entry)
    5. Fresh water swimming (in season)
    6. Walking
    7. Moderate hiking if I can; trail maintenance is easier on my knees

    At the gym:
    1. I used to do elliptical, but hated it. They've replaced those machines with something that's like a cross between a recumbent bike with arms like an elliptical. I like that a lot better.
    2. Recumbent bike
    3. Walk on overhead track (if there wasn't one of those, I'd use a treadmill, but find them pretty boring.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    edited January 3
    It really depends on the type of injury, range of motion, and weight bearing you can handle. I injured my knee last year. I could walk in place(like Leslie sansone videos) but could not take long strides or bend my knee fully, so could not lunge for yoga or piyo. I could bounce a little on a rebounder and do some upper body strength training as well as some band exercises for PT for the glutes to help the knee. Oh, and core exercises and "shadow boxing"/basic or modified low-impact kickboxing.
  • tracydr01
    tracydr01 Posts: 3 Member
    I’m in the same situation and was looking for similar advice from folks who had btdt. I fractured my tibial plateau 6 weeks ago and have at least 6 more weeks of non-weight bearing. I was nonsurgical but I also have a suspected MCL tear which he’s going to order an MRI for on my next visit if it’s still bothering me. I was right on the borderline of being surgical for the fracture.
    I’ve gained weight since the injury despite really watching my diet,I’m sure because I normally do several 1/2 mile walks and other activities everyday. I haven’t been cleared for anything yet besides some range of motion so I’m really going stir crazy. It’s my right leg so I can’t even drive and he won’t even let me do water exercise. (I’m a really good swimmer)
    My hands,neck and shoulders are giving me pain from crutching so I need to be careful choosing exercise that won’t aggravate this even more.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,743 Member
    Check with your doctor to see what he recommends. You may be able to do recumbent bike or pool walking.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    It really depends on the type of injury, range of motion, and weight bearing you can handle. I injured my knee last year. I could walk in place(like Leslie sansone videos) but could not take long strides or bend my knee fully, so could not lunge for yoga or piyo. I could bounce a little on a rebounder and do some upper body strength training as well as some band exercises for PT for the glutes to help the knee. Oh, and core exercises and "shadow boxing"/basic or modified low-impact kickboxing.

    Just to add another perspective - only 10 minutes into a Leslie Sansone video and my knee began to hurt. I can walk walk a lot further.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    tracydr01 wrote: »
    I’m in the same situation and was looking for similar advice from folks who had btdt. I fractured my tibial plateau 6 weeks ago and have at least 6 more weeks of non-weight bearing. I was nonsurgical but I also have a suspected MCL tear which he’s going to order an MRI for on my next visit if it’s still bothering me. I was right on the borderline of being surgical for the fracture.
    I’ve gained weight since the injury despite really watching my diet,I’m sure because I normally do several 1/2 mile walks and other activities everyday. I haven’t been cleared for anything yet besides some range of motion so I’m really going stir crazy. It’s my right leg so I can’t even drive and he won’t even let me do water exercise. (I’m a really good swimmer)
    My hands,neck and shoulders are giving me pain from crutching so I need to be careful choosing exercise that won’t aggravate this even more.

    That sucks :disappointed:

    Is this all from a doctor? I wonder if a physical therapist would be more creative/less conservative. What about walking in the pool, as opposed to swimming?

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