Injury: Left knee, I have a completely torn ACL, partially torn MCL, bone bruise and am told that my bruised lateral meniscus.
Unfortunately, my Dr. got annoyed when I ask detailed questions and his male nurse goes into attack mode in front of other patients, PT can’t get me in for 3 weeks, so here I am.
1. Weight Bearing: When I am told to bear weight on my knee, does this mean my full body weight or the weight of my leg or?
2. Supported Knee Bends: With or without the hinged brace? My knee is so swollen again that the brace inhibits some motion, but I don’t know if I should do this without the protection of the brace?
3. Pain: I already hurt myself the first time I did these exercises and am just trying to understand what’s normal pain and what’s “I’m causing more damage pain.” The pain at my knee cap and MCL are there and I mentally prepared myself for it, but the pain at the lateral meniscus is excruciating. I am told this is only a bruise, but it’s popping and rolling to the left over something. When I did these deep knee bends at 14 days, my knee got so loose that any lateral movement (getting out of bed) caused it to roll and pop to the left and then it comes back – and this is with the hinged brace on tight. The next day the knee calf and foot swelled up to the point the bottom of my foot cracked. I can completely straighen it and as long as it’s locked, I can stop the rolling/popping. What can I do, when doing knee bends to protect my meniscus and stop the rolling/grinding/popping? I have to re-establish range of motion and I think he said I was only at about 30 degrees and he wants me full range, foot to my rear in 6 weeks. I really need help with this one.
Any information would be greatly appreciated.
#1 by Kimberly C on January 8, 2010 - 11:16 am
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Hello
As for weight bearing I would just do what you are comfortable with. If it hurts do not do it. I had knee surgery on Tues and told I could put weight on my knee that day. I am still using my crutches because I do not feel safe and it hurts to put full weight on it.
I have done 4 months of physical therapy and I will tell you that my therapist had me and other patients do exercises without the brace. She told me that the brace does not allow your muscles to work properly and your leg begins to rely on it.
The most simple knee exercise that I did and the one she started me with were tightening of the quad muscle on the injured leg and holding it for 10 seconds. Also laying flat on a surface and pulling the heel of your foot towards your bottom and pulling it as far as you can with little to no pain. Your pain should not be more than a 3 or 4 when doing exercises.
If you want to see some examples of physical therapy exercises go to http://www.youtube.com and search “knee physical therapy”. A lot of videos should come up with simple exercises to follow.
Good luck I hope your knee feels better soon!
#2 by Douglas B on January 8, 2010 - 1:12 pm
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First, good for you to ask questions, that’s what we all should be doing, but many of us just take them for their word. Just as you did about needing surgery. I don’t know how you injured yourself, but I’ve seen too many times where the dr. has gone in for the money and the surgery wasn’t needed.
Now to help you. I just had a neighbor lady who had knee surgery, they replaced the knee for her. It was about a week after and she had been in pt and they were giving her all the exercises and this day when she came home I asked her how she was doing, she had done some shopping on the way home, she said she was ready to cut the darn thing off, it was giving her so much pain and she was practially dragging it along behind her. I asked her if she minded if I try my muscle relaxing technique on her. She agreed. In five minutes she said her leg felt much better and she got up and she walked up the steps one after the other, which I didn’t expect her to do, but she felt so little pain that she was able to do it. She was amazed and happy as heck.
What I did. She was sitting with her legs somewhat out in front of her to keep the pressure off her knee. I wrapped my hands around her leg right above the knee and then I squeezed hard and held it. I had her relax by taking a deep breath and exhaling and then not tensing up the rest of her body. I held that tight for about a minute and a half and then had her slowly pull her leg up as far as she could, and if you are sitting in a chair, pull it under the chair, going slow not to force anything but to get it stretched out. Once you have gone as far as you can, release the hold and let your leg rest there for one minute. The other thing you have to work on is the cords. Do the same thing, but this time with your finger tips find the cords in the back of your knee. There will be two on the inside and one on the outside and one part way up the outside of your leg, make sure to get that one too. Pull hard into them with your fingers and hold for the thrity seconds. then do the relax, then the extension and rest.
#3 by DanyO on January 8, 2010 - 4:11 pm
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when your knee is swollen and you feel pain do not exercise, dont put your body weight on your knee, use some support – walking stick, please get some help from specialists, the best way is going private, they should help you,
i have had problems since i was 13y old, they told me all that sh/t, and of course they could not fix it, after 12y of my right knee problems now i dont even care, it turned chronic, the worst pain is when the weather changes, i can feel it in my knee
good luck with this one
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