New girl with knee injury

[Darkreign333]

Hi there I'm a new person here and I was wondering if someone could give me some tips or something like that. I've been reading a lot of articles on here, but I need some specific health. See, about a year ago, I started my weight lost quest, but I guess I went a little overboard because I ended up spraining my knee (MCL) pretty bad. So I went to rehab for a few months, and now I'm out. Still recovering though, but I'm almost good as new and I want to continue to lose weight. So I was hoping if anyone knee about a specific routine I could do that wouldn't put too much strain on my knee (left one, I'm left handed), or exercises to make it stronger and help me lose weight at the same time. I'm 5'0", 165, aiming to lose 40 lbs.

[Cresca Muccapello]

First of all:

Welcome!

Nice to have you here.

As for your knee:

What helped me personally (my knee likes to play "Pop goes the kneecap") was squats to strengthen my muscles. They do take a load off the knee.

Just my personal opinion and experiance, so I ask anyone that knows better to correct me please.

[cline]

Hi there I'm a new person here and I was wondering if someone could give me some tips or something like that. I've been reading a lot of articles on here, but I need some specific health. See, about a year ago, I started my weight lost quest, but I guess I went a little overboard because I ended up spraining my knee (MCL) pretty bad. So I went to rehab for a few months, and now I'm out. Still recovering though, but I'm almost good as new and I want to continue to lose weight. So I was hoping if anyone knee about a specific routine I could do that wouldn't put too much strain on my knee (left one, I'm left handed), or exercises to make it stronger and help me lose weight at the same time. I'm 5'0", 165, aiming to lose 40 lbs.

Hey! Welcome!!! congrats on being busted out of PT! Whoo hoo! It's a great feeling.

I'm 1 year out of major knee/ankle surgery. Call your PT back and tell them you want a home program (tell them to give you pics and progressive exercises). This is HUGE and will help a lot. Mine included a lot of lunges and squats (for knee) but you need to know what they think you should do. Then, you can do these as body weight and progress to using dumbbells and barbells. We can help as needed.

Be sure to ask the PT! They can email or send you the pics.

[nickls]

It depends on how your knee is doing at the moment. I finished rehab a few months ago for a meniscus surgery, so that's what I am basing some of these recommendations on.

Stationary bike is good, they always had me do that at PT. If your doctor and PT have cleared you to do all exercises and sports, then you should be able to try squats, reverse lunges, split squats, step ups, etc. I would just start out with bodyweight, and progress on the weights slowly and carefully. Stop if a particular movement causes pain. From what I hear building up the muscles around your knee is a great idea after an injury, helps keep everything in place and prevent reinjury.

Really, once your injury has healed, you should be able to go back to a full-body workout. Pay attention to your form so you aren't aggravating anything by doing the exercises wrong, be conservative with the weights, and you should be okay. If your knee is getting sore, icing it down after workouts would be a good idea, as well as taking some ibuprofen or other anti-inflammatory. If you have lingering issues with your knee, your doctor or PT probably should have told you, but if they didn't it should be apparent when you try to do something and your knee says no.

Also, take it easy on the running at first, as I know that is what bothered my knee the most until I started getting more muscle strength back and everything started loosening up a bit.

[Darkreign333]

Thanks for the welcomes ^^

@ Cresca Mucapello. Yep, my knee loves to play that cruel game too. But alright squats I'll be sure to do more of those

@ cline. I just thinking about that before I posted this thread, so glad to see that someone else thinks it's a good idea too

@ nickls. I wish I had a bike, that was really affective in rehab. And thanks for the list of exercises, those will help me choose my routine better. And good idea about the ice, I hadn't thought of that. And yep easy on the running hurts to run and jump.

[cline]

Yeah, def call the PT back. They'll be thrilled to put stuff together. Tell your PT what your goals are - both long and short term and ask for progressions and clear instructions. E.g. do this for 4 weeks, 12 reps x 3 sets with 0 weight, then add two 10 lb dumbbells,etc. They can write it all down and get you pretty far.

When I was rehabbing I worked specifically to get back to my kind of workouts, yoga, and to start running. PT gave me very specific exercises. My husband just finished PT for achilles and he worked with the PT on the goal of getting back to crossfit. So he did some jumps, etc.

Tell your PT clearly what you want to do and s/he will help put together great exercises. Also, it helps to tell them what you do/don't have access to. E.g. have no bike, have to run in the road (versus treadmill), have no weights, etc. They can work around that.

Then work like nuts! But only as nutty as they suggest b/c you'll still fatigue and will still get sore for a while. Don't overdo it!

[shiggles]

First up, how bad was the ligament damage to the MCL? Did you get a diagnosis as to what grade the injury is or how large the tear was?

Why I ask is that I have damaged my MCL quite bad and know other who have also including a guy who has NO MCLs is either of his knees. And all of us recovered to our normal activity well within a year, so it seems to me as if your recovery is taking a tad long. Of course this is all anecdotal and there is more flex in our knees then previously but it still seems strange to me.

So yeah...squats. Squats when done properly don't actually put too much strain on the knee. Also deadlifts

Cycling will be good as well.

[Darkreign333]

It was bad enough that the doctor was considering surgery. But I am so excited to get this over with I gained a lot of weight since my family didn't let me do much more than sit on my ass, so now that I'm in college, I want to lose it all. And whoa, no MCL's o.O that is weird and cool/ But alright, squats. I think everyone listed those and the weather is getting nicer, so I should get my bike out of the basement.

[Pat G]

Welcome to the rebellion Darkreign!

1#Cycling is an awesome way of building up your leg muscles with little to no impact, as you're pushing & pulling that pedal around, just see the guys at the Scouts Field (the bikers).

2#Squatting (with good form), as just about everyone else has said will do what you want to do in terms of strengthening your knees & legs. Check on the warriors guild for form guides if you need a hand.

[js290]

Hi there I'm a new person here and I was wondering if someone could give me some tips or something like that. I've been reading a lot of articles on here, but I need some specific health. See, about a year ago, I started my weight lost quest, but I guess I went a little overboard because I ended up spraining my knee (MCL) pretty bad. So I went to rehab for a few months, and now I'm out. Still recovering though, but I'm almost good as new and I want to continue to lose weight. So I was hoping if anyone knee about a specific routine I could do that wouldn't put too much strain on my knee (left one, I'm left handed), or exercises to make it stronger and help me lose weight at the same time. I'm 5'0", 165, aiming to lose 40 lbs.

http://sock-doc.com/2011/10/joint-tissue-repair-gags/