Trying to workout with an injured knee

kittykismet
kittykismet Posts: 16
edited December 24 in Fitness and Exercise
But how?
I need some advice about this.

About 2-3 weeks ago I was working out and noticed my right knee aching really bad. I thought I was just being a baby and continued to workout. Not much time after, I fell because my knee had given out.

Since then I've been limping and trying to rest up and recover. But not much has changed. The pain is so intense at night it makes me cry. Yet during the day I can...walk on it sorta.

I want to still be able to workout but there's so very little that I can do! Almost everything requires using your knee in some shape or form. All I can think of are....stretches...and basic ab exercises on the floor...and a few arm strengthening exercises.

Help. >: I feel like all the toning I've been doing is going away because I can't workout!

Replies

  • Jodi_83
    Jodi_83 Posts: 44 Member
    You really should go see a physio - they should be able to tell you what is wrong (if you've pulled something or over worked it)
    and then hopefully they can give you some exercises that you can still do?

    Also maybe swimming as there is hardly any impact?
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 737 Member
    !. Go see a doctor.
    2. Water aerobics
  • kittykismet
    kittykismet Posts: 16
    Jodi & CR:

    I would go see a doctor, but I'm out of insurance currently. And dirt poor. So I'm only allowed to suffer. >: Literally like $10 to my name. And as for water aerobics...that's a great idea. If only I could find a pool lol. Sad day too, cause I used to live somewhere that had a long lap pool.
  • crobl
    crobl Posts: 380
    if you're out of insurance - try the health department
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    sit down and just punch. get your arms moving. windmills.
  • kittykismet
    kittykismet Posts: 16
    crobi: I'm going for a basic checkup on the 9th anyway...so I may as well ask them while I'm there if they can look at my knee. Good idea. :)

    cara: That's true! haha i was doing the punching thing earlier cause I remember Jillian Michaels doing that.
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
    Try the following voodoo healing chant: "EEooooIIIIEEE"
    Do this 3 times daily along with whatever else your doctor tells you.

    SEE A DOCTOR!
  • amielizabeth1
    amielizabeth1 Posts: 57 Member
    This happened to me in February and my knee has not been the same since, although it is much, much better! I did go see a physical therapist who gave me exercises which I did on my own and am still doing. One thing that really helped was to stand up or lie down and contract the thigh muscle above my hurt knee- hold the contraction 3 seconds and release. Do 25 times, 4 times per day (basically 100 squeezes per day- it really helped!) Do you have access to a gym? I could give you the gym exercises, also.
    Also: no running, no high impact.
    Stay off the knee for a while and take ibuprofen. I also used ice and heat for 2-3 weeks.
    Lift weights and work on upper body strength, can also bike and use the elliptical after a couple weeks- also swimming but don't kick your legs like a frog.
    I feel for you, I've been there! Take care of yourself and stay off the knee for a while!
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    See a doctor for somethig like that seems silly to me. That's everyone's answer and all the doctor will say is "stay off it". Anyone who knows me knows that I have little respect for doctors, at least for stuff like that. What are they going to do?

    Just stay off it. I have the same thing right now. I was fine until I decided to do squats, and snap. Now, I can't run. But, I can hike and ride my bike, so I'm OK. But, running kills my knee. But, I'm not going to stop, and I'm not going to the doctor. The last doctor visit cost me $300. And, I have insurance. I have a huge pain in my side, but I aint going until it's unbearable. I can't afford medical care.
  • Nutrition1st
    Nutrition1st Posts: 216 Member
    I have a torn meniscus in my left knee. I know I need surgery, but for now I just know what I can and cannot do on it. I take an Amino Acid called Glucosamine. It helps lubricate joints and also aids in muscle tissue repair. By taking it I'm able to still lift heavy weights, play softball, kick boxing etc. When I don't take it, it hurts to even walk up 1 step.
  • kittykismet
    kittykismet Posts: 16
    Bobby: That sounds like solid advice. Voodoo chanting has always been good for healing! >>

    Amie: YOUR comment is what I was looking for. Real advice from someone who has really gone through the same thing. Thank you for that. I'm going to save your post and try those exercises on my own. I don't have access to a gym but...tell me those exercises too. :) Thank youuu~

    neverstray: My gosh. Thank you. I actually have little to no respect for most doctors. They charge you to let you know something you already know...which is to rest. I'm someone that has has major health issues my whole life and they've done nothing but screw me over or tell me I was ~fine~ and to just ~go home~. I'm with you on all that. I'd rather heal in my own time with some practical exercises and ice/heat on my knee, than go waste my time, energy, and money to get advice from someone who knows less than we give them credit for.
  • kittykismet
    kittykismet Posts: 16
    Nutrition: Yeah...I have a little bit of glucosamine but I haven't been taking it. :/ I stopped because I wasn't sure what it was doing. But now that i've heard this I think I should keep taking it and buy some more! Because honestly, it hurts to take one step and even just sitting down it throbs and has aching pain. >:
  • Camille0502
    Camille0502 Posts: 311 Member
    I get some knee pain as a sign that my shoes are wearing out. It is usually my left knee and new shoes do the trick!
  • niwrehs
    niwrehs Posts: 11 Member
    rest. ice, compression, elevate. if no swelling then go as long as you can then stop. if swelling ice for a week before working out.
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 737 Member
    Kittykismet,

    I have had knee replacement surgery and was told no running/jogging, no jumping, no squats, no leg presses, no lifting more than 40 pounds with my knees, otherwise I’ll wear out the new knee. These would also wear out/exacerbate an injured knee.

    RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate. As soon as you can after exercise, wrap your knee in an elastic bandage, elevate your knee above your heart (lay down with a pillow under your knee), put an ice pack (bag of ice, frozen peas/corn, cold cans of soda) on your knee for 20 minutes, take it off until your skin reaches body temperature, and repeat two more times. This will reduce inflammation and swelling, speeds recovery, and, after the first few minutes, it makes the knee feel soooo good.

    Good luck!

    PS: My knee replacement was because, 20 years earlier, I injured my knee and didn’t go to the doctor. It turned out to be torn cartilage that eventually wore out and I ended up with bone rubbing on bone. Quite painful, much more than the original injury. The pain and immobility was so bad, I had to have a total knee replacement.
  • Ruz456
    Ruz456 Posts: 99
    if you havent had an injury to your knee your pain can be a result from an injury elseware in the body such as the hip or ankle, the knee is the "dumbest" joint in the body where it cannot move on its own without input from the ankle or hip. with that being said I highly recommend you read the book "Pain Free" by Pete Egoscue, my friend works for him in California and says the things they do in the clinic are incredible, read the first three chapters and then the chapter on the knee and do the exercises for them, should only take about 30 minutes in the morning and you will see a reduction in pain.

    now one tool I highly highly recommend using while your injured is Battling Ropes, they are excellent at keeping your conditioning up and provide a kick *kitten* workout! I currently have a knee injury as well so running, biking, and lower body workouts are out of the picture for me at the moment so when It comes time for conditioning I use the ropes. Hope this helps! if you have any other questions feel free to contact me
  • kittykismet
    kittykismet Posts: 16
    CR: Wow! So sorry to hear you had to go through all of that. It sounds really painful. Made me really want to start taking care of my knee better...lol. :B Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely start applying that ~rice~ structure.

    Ruz: Thanks for all the info. :) I'll be sure to check the book and rope thing out. n__n
  • Ianultrarunner
    Ianultrarunner Posts: 184 Member
    Go see an Orthopaedic Doctor.
    It's better to find out now where the issue is before you sustain serious irreversible issues.
    Try Ice and Heat until you see the doc.
    if there is swelling and you're not allergic take Aleve.
  • samb330
    samb330 Posts: 328 Member
    Maybe try a knee brace. I was having some knee issues a few months ago and thought I was gonna die. I went to the doc and he prescribed PT. He also gave me a brace and I wore it 2 times and the pain was practically gone. Needless to say, I'm not doing PT and my knee seems fine. Fingers crossed. Hope this helps.
  • ❤B☩❤
    ❤B☩❤ Posts: 634
    bump
  • kitigonkukoo
    kitigonkukoo Posts: 218 Member
    If you have a dull ache behind your knee, and there's sharp pain just below your knee cap in the front (whether it's left, center or right) it could be patellar tendinitis.

    If you don't have the ache, and your knee feels unstable, it could be ligament damage or swelling... pain elsewhere in the knee could be a torn meniscus (super painful).

    Either case, R.I.C.E should help.
    When you have the pain/symptoms, lay off exercise for that joint until it goes away- NO JOKE!
    Avoid doing things at an incline or stairs even when there is no pain, it'll help it stay healthy.
    Strengthen the muscles around your knee to help it stabilize.


    I've had so many injuries with my knee, it's not even funny... funny thing is, most recently I've been getting severe pain again, but couldn't place it, as I wasn't injured recently, and the pain wasn't matching Tendinitis.

    Turns out, I have arthritis in my knee (probably because of all the damage from before). My Dr. was a little surprised since I'm just 30, but after reviewing my knee injury history it made more sense.
  • clguitar1
    clguitar1 Posts: 8
    Yeah the Egoscue method is amazing. You have to be self motivated to do it though. I use it on myself all the time because doctors couldn't help me anymore. I don't work for them in any way but got certified as a therapist for my own benefit and it works every time for me.
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