Knee injury - have to wait for treatment. Any exercises I can do in the mean time?

[Wahine]

Hi Everyone, good news! Major improvement! - yesterday afternoon I was taking a "standing break" in my kitchen and my knee suddenly made a 'pop' and all at once regained some range of motion! This morning I was able to take about a dozen or so unsupported steps - woohoo! It's still unstable - but at least it feels straight again :-)

Baby Steps!
Scrappy

I've been meaning to get to this thread for several days and haven't had time to address it appropriately. But I do have some time tonight.

There are three things here that point strongly to meniscal damage - 1) significant swelling, 2) feeling very unstable and difficulty weight bearing and 3) the quote above.

If you have a meniscal tear, the flappy part of the tear can get into a non-anatomical position (twisted on itself, folded back on itself) and will block normal motion. If the knee suddenly pops and then can straighten all the way, it's usually because something has happened to change the position of the flappy bit of the tear and gotten it out of the way so to speak.

The other condition that does this, but usually self corrects within hours not weeks of the incident is a patellar dislocation. So I would consider this less likely.

Either situation is considered significant and needs to be investigated further.

The danger of waiting a long time to have it looked at is that every week you go without using it normally, the more muscle wasting that occurs and the longer your rehab will be after the fact. But you aren't going to risk further structural damage to the joint by waiting.

Meanwhile, you can ride a stationary bike without clipping in, on light resistance. This is considered a non-weight bearing exercise and that is the key right now. If you can't go all the way around with the pedals, you can oscillate back and forth and that can help loosen the knee quite a lot. Don't try to force any motion, that can make a meniscal tear worse.

Don't try to do any squats or other weight bearing exercise that has you going into a knee bend until you've had this properly looked at!!!

Here are some other suggestions but don't do them if they are painful at all!!!

I would do this with the legs relatively straight and start by having your whole lower leg, up to the knee supported by the ball. If you don't have a ball you can do this with an ottoman or chair.

This video shows a bunch of different weight bearing exercises that would be quite safe to do as long as you don't have any pain. It's a bit long but worth watching, especially for the quad exercises and the side lying gluteus medius exercise.

I hope that helps some.

And yes, YOU STILL NEED TO GO GET IT CHECKED OUT!

Heal well and fast.

[Scrappy]

Hello! Thank you everyone for the support. I have been doing the exercises in the articles you ladies have shown me. The good news is since that small pop this weekend, and with the regular exercise it has gotten MUCH better thankfully. (whew!) I have been able to walk on it short distances with a cane or single crutch and was able to do some easy leg exercises at the gym.

I managed a few revolutions on the stationary bike at the gym today. Still pretty stiff and slow. It didn't help that the adjustable seat slid down like 2 clicks with my knee at the apex of the pedal stroke (read - in bend.) Bending it waaay more than it felt like going on it's own. YEEOUCH!

A friend ours specializes in shortening bicycle cranks - he put together a stationary recumbent exercise bike with 125mm cranks so I can start strengthing it without too much strain on the knee joint. (I can't wait to get it home and try it out!) He's also going to put short cranks and a 28t front chainring on our semi-recumbent hybrid so I can ease back into riding soon... YAY!

I know it still needs to be seen by a Dr, but at least now I can get around and get out of the house.. and soon... soon.. I'll be back feeling the wind in my hair.....ahhhh :-)

With Gratitude! And to be continued...
Scrappy