New to the Gym, with a Knee Injury Question.

FionaNiConnor
FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
edited October 6 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi, folks.

I finally joined a gym, and tonight will be my first time going.

I'm planning on doing cardio almost exclusively for some time, as I have a hormonal imbalance which makes my body produce extra testosterone. This leads to the quick formation of bulky muscle, which is not what I want right now (especially since I'm a girl).

That being said, I am also recovering from a catastrophic knee injury. I fell in January 2011 and dislocated and broke my right kneecap. Long story shortened, the kneecap has a ridge on the back of it to keep the kneecap tracking correctly in the trochlear groove in the end of the femur. I broke that ridge off and had surgery in March 2011 to remove the "shrapnel" from the joint. Thankfully I have hyperflexible joints and ligaments, so there was no ligament damage in the joint. In my knee doctor's words, "I am amazed that you did so much bone damage without any damage at all to the soft tissue." He also marveled at my ability to walk normally about a month post-injury; he had to spend an extra hour in my knee to remove the multiple chunks of bone.

So, here's my big question. I'm going to the gym for the first time tonight and I'm wondering whether or not it is best to slap a brace on the "bad" knee. The kneecap does occasionally slip from its position, which is painful but the kneecap does settle back into where it belongs. I suppose I could tape around the kneecap to encourage it to track right, but I'm wondering if a brace would be more appropriate.

I have the following braces, all different levels of support:

http://www.braceshop.com/productcart/pc/Breg-Lateral-Stabilizer-Knee-Brace-301p374.htm

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=482557&productId=482557&navAction=jump&navCount=3

http://www.amazon.com/ACE-207304-Knee-Brace-Medium/dp/B001AM44AY

Any suggestions and/or help will be greatly appreciated. One of the big motivating factors in my weight loss is the damage I did to this knee and knowing that being heavy is doing my joints no favors.

Thank you!

Replies

  • loriamcq
    loriamcq Posts: 64
    I would suggest you talk to your doctor first before starting at the gym. There may be restrictions for your knee that you need to be aware of. Also, rather than just starting a work out I'd suggest getting a personal trainer (from a medically based gym/fitness center) or if you've had physical therapy is the past, talk to a therapist about a work out routine that wont futher damage your knee.
  • wmass1
    wmass1 Posts: 29 Member
    I had knee surgery last January. I usually wear a neoprene brace to help keep the knee cap tracking correctly. I stick to low impact exercise, mainly elliptical and walking briskly. Check with your doctor as always before you take my advice! lol
  • delipidation
    delipidation Posts: 34 Member
    You might also want to look into water aerobics, as they allow you to get a cardio workout without stressing the weight-bearing joints of the lower body.
  • adjones5
    adjones5 Posts: 938 Member
    I would suggest you talk to your doctor first before starting at the gym. There may be restrictions for your knee that you need to be aware of. Also, rather than just starting a work out I'd suggest getting a personal trainer (from a medically based gym/fitness center) or if you've had physical therapy is the past, talk to a therapist about a work out routine that wont further damage your knee.

    ^^^I agree with this. Also, be prepared because some users believe that it is nearly impossible for a woman to get bulky muscles and they might aggressively express their beliefs to you.
  • jemmott223
    jemmott223 Posts: 10 Member
    Consult your doctor. He will have the best advice for your particular condition. You don't want to get misinformed advise and re-injure your knee. In the mean time count your calories. You will be surprised at how much you will still lose if you stay with the recommended calorie intake..
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
    I have Grade 3 Osteoarthritis in both Knee's, Torn Meniscus both knee's and a Shredded ACL in my left knee. I am facing total knee replacements at the end of my weightloss journey. I am on 3 different pain meds, I get knee injections, and was fitted by DonJoy for two custom OA braces which I wear all the time. I tend to stick to the Elliptical over the treadmill because it is less pounding on my knee's..... The braces keep everything aligned (doesn't take away from the bone on bone pain but it keeps me from torquing my knee which does help....). I would check with your Doctor though to make sure you get fitted with the correct brace that will help your systems.....
  • AnarchoGen
    AnarchoGen Posts: 400 Member
    I've had physical therapy for 3 years, I literally had to learn how to walk again after my knee injury/surgeries. Consult your doc because everyone's needs are different. I have to wear a patella brace for my knee if I want to do any exercises & I only do low to no impact exercises. Also with your leg extensions, you don't want your knee to go too far back, my physical therapist told me people without knee problems can get problems from small things like that. It's better to first consult with an ortho and a physical therapist for them to evaluate your situation further and give you proper exercises.
    Hope that helps :)
    Edited: I had to go to a prosthetic shop & get fitted for a brace. I haven't worn it in awhile but even a couple years after my surgeries I wore when I had a busy work day (I was in aviation and sometimes I was on my feet all day)
  • AnarchoGen
    AnarchoGen Posts: 400 Member
    You might also want to look into water aerobics, as they allow you to get a cardio workout without stressing the weight-bearing joints of the lower body.

    Totally recommend! If your gym has a pool (mine doesn't) you're in luck :)
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
    Water aerobics, water jogging, and swimming are all terrific and knee-friendly workouts. I joined the public pool instead of the gym. It costs me only $30 a month.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member

    ^^^I agree with this. Also, be prepared because some users believe that it is nearly impossible for a woman to get bulky muscles and they might aggressively express their beliefs to you.

    hahahaha! oh yes. And how wrong they are.
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    Thanks for your suggestions, everyone!

    As far as the consult-your-doctor thing goes, the weight loss is at his insistence. He recommended low-impact and cardio for a long period of time to enhance my stamina and load-bearing, and then to move up to heavier-duty exercise.

    The Breg brace (first link) is from the doctor, and after doing a bit more research on my own, it seems that that should be the appropriate level of support for me.

    Jemmott223, I definitely agree with you on the calories thing!! I've already lost 18lbs (13lbs since joining MFP) through calorie watching and basic exercise (yoga, walking) on my own; I'm comfortable with getting into a gym now. Thank you!

    ADJones5, I have a thick skin, thankfully, and I have empirical knowledge about women building bulky muscle over lean muscle. Thanks for your advice!
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    I have a pool at home but not one at the gym, and thankfully I live very near the Atlantic Ocean. I am an avid, active, strong, and experienced swimmer!
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    I have Grade 3 Osteoarthritis in both Knee's, Torn Meniscus both knee's and a Shredded ACL in my left knee. I am facing total knee replacements at the end of my weightloss journey. I am on 3 different pain meds, I get knee injections, and was fitted by DonJoy for two custom OA braces which I wear all the time. I tend to stick to the Elliptical over the treadmill because it is less pounding on my knee's..... The braces keep everything aligned (doesn't take away from the bone on bone pain but it keeps me from torquing my knee which does help....). I would check with your Doctor though to make sure you get fitted with the correct brace that will help your systems.....

    Yikes! Good luck and may you heal quickly!
  • AnarchoGen
    AnarchoGen Posts: 400 Member
    what I suggest then is use a treadmill and walk uphill at your own pace
    sometimes I slow it down to the lowest speed, turn around squat and walk backwards for one minute, turn back around and speed it up to 3.0 for 3 minutes then turn around and do it again - I do this 3x for my warm-up (about 12 minutes) then I do my regular exercises.
    Yoga is good for balance, but I find some of it difficult since I have a lot of pain having to kneel on it, if you have any yoga classes at your gym, just tell the instructor about your knee and they'll be able to help you modify the positions. I do yoga on my "rest" days
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    what I suggest then is use a treadmill and walk uphill at your own pace
    sometimes I slow it down to the lowest speed, turn around squat and walk backwards for one minute, turn back around and speed it up to 3.0 for 3 minutes then turn around and do it again - I do this 3x for my warm-up (about 12 minutes) then I do my regular exercises.
    Yoga is good for balance, but I find some of it difficult since I have a lot of pain having to kneel on it, if you have any yoga classes at your gym, just tell the instructor about your knee and they'll be able to help you modify the positions. I do yoga on my "rest" days

    I was told last night when I joined that I had access to their in-house trainer for free, so I'll definitely be taking advantage of that! Hopefully he will be able to help me figure out what I need to do to lose these 62lbs and rebuild my leg. Thanks for your suggestions!
  • FionaNiConnor
    FionaNiConnor Posts: 90 Member
    So I hit the gym! I mostly did cardio via elliptical, with a little machine work thrown in for good measure. I did wear a brace (I called my doctor and he definitely recommended the brace), which provided me some needed support.

    I meet with their in-house trainer on Thursday afternoon for a "design" meeting. This should be interesting.

    Thanks for your posts, everyone!
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