Knee Physical Therapy?

[GETMETOCA]

I need to know how to do some knee PT!

I landed on my knee a few times on my last ride a few weekends ago. Unfortunately, I had also forgotten to wear my knee guards before heading out. Doh! :whoa:

So now it has been two full weeks. My entire lower leg from the knee all the way down to my toes turned purple/blue, the leg swelled up and down, up and down and now I'm finally good other than my toes are still purple and my knee is stiff.

I'm confident that I didn't do anything to the MCL, ACL, Patella, etc. It's just that all the connective tissues over the top of the knee feel "tight" and it is difficult to do deep knee bends without some pain. It feels like I'm pulling something tight.

Can someone tell me what typical knee PT is for this type of injury? It kind of reminds me of when I broke my humerus and it healed up nice, but after 8 weeks, I had to stretch out the connective tissues by laying on my back on the floor and reaching by arm back behind me as far and hard as I could. Over time, it loosened up again. I'm looking for a similar exercise for the knee but do not know one.

Thanks.

 

[2strokerfun]

I did the same thing and I'm just trying to avoid deep bends until the pain goes away. I think I hyper extended it somehow when I landed on it with my foot underneath me. It actually didn't hurt until I was loading my bike on my truck and had to bend my knee to climb on the back. OOOOHHHH what a pain. Now, a sensible person would go see a orthopedic physician, but you and I apparently are not in that group. Have you ever had knee problems before?? I don't know of any exercises except stretching techniques similar to what runners use. And they hurt too much right now. Think I'm going to spring for a knee guard, but not sure if that would prevent what I did anyway.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Now, a sensible person would go see a orthopedic physician, but you and I apparently are not in that group.

We're crazy like that ;) Good luck with your injury as well.

 

[KX02]

My left knee has gotten alot of wear and tear on it over the years. I find that using a soft knee brace/support during any physical acitvity, riding, lawn mowing, running helps alot.

 

[letsride24-7]

O'boy the lovely knee pain. Funny thing is i need to go back to the doc b/c i think one of the screws they put in my acl replacement is starting to come out...

But anyway. First you might want to skip running and jogging right now until you are sure there is nothing torn. The best thing for the knee is riding a bike.. And not one with a motor on it :)

You can do light weight knee extentions and curls also but don't use to much weight, i'm talking about 5 to 10 pounds. Squats are good, i but a ball behind my back and would lean up against a wall, feet out in front and do slow squats.

Well best of luck.

 

[XRpredator]

M'lady,

RICE is the key: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

Rest: that's easy ;)

Ice: 20 minutes every hour, if you can, otherwise at least twice a day.

Compression: find an ace wrap and start at the lowest point of swelling and work your way up.

Elevation: just kick back on the couch and take 'er easy with your leg up.

Also, some real easy and low-impact stuff to help get it back in shape, I was told to get a coffee can (or something similarly sized) and place it under that knee while lying on the bed or something, then extending and relaxing your knee, just nice and easy.

I just googled "knee rehabilitation" and found some good stuff as well.

 

[DWreck]

Not to answer your question or provide any help what so ever but...

After I had my first knee surgery for a torn ACL at age 12. (1981?) They had me in a plaster cast for 6 weeks. When they finally removed the cast my leg looked like a tooth pick and would barely bend or straighten.

Doctor told me that as soon as I could bend it 90 degrees to put THIS over my foot and do leg extensions. THIS was a Wonder bread bag with sand in it that was placed in an old tube sock (with two stripes).

His last comment was "Don't play sports"

No wonder I re-injured it my very first basketball game back.

Physical therapy has come a ways since then.

Oh yeah, I hope your knee gets better.

 

[KiwiBird]

Stationary bike and step ups. Start small on the step (just large enough to feel a slight pull).

 

[pyrofreak]

I messed my knew up playin softball a couple years ago. I was playing second, and was waiting for the throw-down and a girl slid in second, put her cleat knee level, and snapped my knee the wrong way. I'm not sure what I did, the joint felt really unstable, and it took awhile (more then a month) before I could walk with out a soft knee brace with out a slight limp. Anyway, when my parents got health insurance, i went the Dr. I still have problems, and have to "crack" my knee every so often. Sometime half a dozen times a day. Well I got put in phsyical therapy, and got x-rays. Stopped going to therapy when I didn't have health insurance anymore, and never actually got to see the x-rays. If i sit in a chair and tuck my left leg underneath me, or sit indian-style, my knee cap shifts and feels like it pinches my muscle between bone. At PT they said I need to stenghten the muscle that runs down the left side of my knee/leg. Had my lay down, get some ankle weights and do leg raises(I needed about 15-20lbs worth of ankle weights). Didn't really help that much, but its worth a try. And if you dont wanna get ankle weights, Doc said a wal-mart bag with soup cans in it are better then nothing. I'm not even sure what I did, but I know I messed my knee up, and thats all they told me......

 

[pyrofreak]

BTW, good luck, and hope you feel better soon!!

 

[2strokerfun]

Crap. Where are we going to find tube socks with two stripes?? Well, I guess fat belts and bell bottoms came back in style, maybe the 1976 tube sock will too.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Crap. Where are we going to find tube socks with two stripes?? Well, I guess fat belts and bell bottoms came back in style, maybe the 1976 tube sock will too.

I know! I can drill holes in my old Famolares and fill them with sand and then do leg extensions. Perhaps I can also use my shoulder pads out of my Power Suits and fill THEM with sand. Hey, has anyone got any leg warmers? DWreck, yer killin' me with the tube socks. ;)

Hey thanks for the advice everyone! Everyone else's injuries sound MUCH worse than mine, I'm afraid mine are just old lady related (41, damn...) and nothing a little Ben-Gay, Captain Morgan, and belly laughs won't heal (a few gentle knee bends as well). At least from what everyone is suggesting, I can do that! :cool:

Thanks again.

 

[GETMETOCA]

For those of you too young to remember Famolares...THEY WERE THE BOMB!!! ;)

 

[Moose]

Had my lay down, get some ankle weights

I'm not sure if you, or anyone else did. But I read an article about a year back, about ankle weights. And how if you run or walk with them, then they can mess up your knees. Im not sure if it applies to leg raises.

 

[DWreck]

For those of you too young to remember Famolares...THEY WERE THE BOMB!!! ;)

Thanks for the pic Natalie. I have seen them but never had a clue what they were called. Look like high heeled sandals.

Brings back memories of shows like Three's Company, Mork and Mindy. I bet Farrah could do the strut in those babies!

 

[2strokerfun]

Just remember, David Cassidy had Farrah hair before Farrah.

 

[dezryder]

Go to the Doc!

Go to a good sports medicine doctor. I would not do any exercise until I knew what injury to exercise for!

I went to the UW here in WA. They do the Seahawks, so I wanted the best since I only have two natural knees. That was in about '84. Besides, they respect that you want to continue what you enjoy, and don't flip you any Ship for doing it. ( If you get one that does, bail and go elsewhere!)

You could have torn the maniscus. I had two bucket handle tears in mine, and they were not that noticable a lot of the time unless I tweaked my knee riding or playing tennis. Where my knee would just slip out without any notice! (and I would fall right down) Which would result in a trip to the doc for 'blood letting' to relieve the swelling, water build up, etc. Actually the draining of the fluid build up, was ecstasy.

I could dance out of the doc's office after walking in on crutches!

FYI, ice is only good for sprains and strains and swelling for the first twenty-four hours. Heat is good after that. Best of luck in your recovery.

 

[GETMETOCA]

Thanks dez!~ Thanks all! I was in San Francisco over the weekend and had a lot of difficulty walking down those really steep hills. Felt like my knee might give out, so I went kinda slow. The stiffening is letting up a bit. Toes are still purple.

 

[dezryder]

I hope you will.

You really should see a good doc. For you to drain blood down to your foot is a very clear indication that you ripped up something. Otherwise, where did the blood come from?

I have been through many weeks imobile from knee injuries, it isn't fun. Neither are knee replacements.

I'm a trim carpenter and can't even do more than a room or two of base without paying for it for a week! That's for the youngsters now.

Please don't be stubborn, get a professional opinion! Knees and ankles support your entire body weight, let alone enable you to walk! Sorry for the lecture.

I just don't want to see a fellow bike enthusiast bite the dust when it could be prevented with proper care before it gets worse. Sorry for the rant. Just don't want to see you go through what I've been through.

 

[dezryder]

Go to :http://ktmtalk.com/index.php?showtopic=186550

And ask DrMark...he seems to be pretty on top of things, and is a Doc!

 

[pyrofreak]

As for the Ben Gay thing, I actually prefer Icy Hot. I think it works great, and without that horrid smell. Yuck!

 

[robwbright]

I use the black stretch rubber band thingys for my ankles, knees (and soon my wrist - after the cast comes off in a week.)

They work GREAT for strengthening the connecting parts.