violagirl
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Post by violagirl on Nov 8, 2014 13:02:00 GMT -5
I recently took up jogging. It is supposed to be good for your health. Last week I fell while jogging. More like jogging along per normal to total faceplant in half a second. I did not hit my face, but my knee appears to have taken most of my weight in the fall.
A week later, it is still pretty swollen and painful. Went to ER and they think possible ACL tear. Physiotherapists thinks meniscus tear. I have appointment with ortho surgeon.
So for anyone who has had this happen - how long before you were up and running again? Should I be using crutches to get around? Or is limping like the guy from Person of Interest not going to damage it further?
This really sucks because I was just getting into a good workout routine. I have no idea when I'll even feel good enough to take the dogs for a decent walk.
Any suggestions for workout ideas? I live in a rural area but I am thinking maybe an aquasize class or something so I can at least stay in my exercise routine.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2014 13:26:05 GMT -5
My best friend and my sister both had meniscus tears. They did not have to use crutches or have PT. I do not know about the jogging though--both are oldsters.
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GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl
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Post by GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl on Nov 8, 2014 13:29:46 GMT -5
No personal experience, but lots of third-hand experience with DSs' high school sports teammates.
For those with ACL and/or meniscus tears, most walked around with braces on until they had surgery in the summer. The rehab is quite extensive, and most sat out at least a year of contact sports. Maybe running -- which is usually a non-contact sport but not in your case, LOL -- will require less down time. I do know that they were not allowed to ride bikes, run, swim, play sports, etc. Those prohibitions were harder on the kids than the actual surgery and rehab.
I will say, though, that most who had true ACL tears didn't feel any pain after the initial injury. Maybe you have a tendon strain or something. Soft tissue (think twisted ankles, etc.) always seems to take a lot longer to heal than other types of injuries.
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Post by The Walk of the Penguin Mich on Nov 8, 2014 13:31:26 GMT -5
I wouldn't do anything that exacerbates the pain. Limping is really hard on other joints, and it is an easy habit to get into, but a hard habit to break.
Whether or not you continue to exercise, or walk unsupported really depends on whether you are going to do more damage to the joint. If walking/exercising means that you'll need a more extensive surgery, with a longer recovery and rehab, continuing to use the joint may hurt you more than backing off on exercising until you get a full diagnosis and treatment.
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mmhmm
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Post by mmhmm on Nov 8, 2014 13:46:00 GMT -5
You need to stay off that leg as much as possible until you've been evaluated by an orthopedist, in my opinion. I have had a meniscus tear and saw a sports doc (orthopedist) since that's a common sports injury. You don't want to aggravate the injury further so it's best to avoid anything that causes discomfort until you're thoroughly evaluated.
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Lizard Queen
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Post by Lizard Queen on Nov 8, 2014 13:47:03 GMT -5
Omg, I'm so sorry! I've never had an injury, but know several who have.
I would suggest a Pilate's mat workout, and avoid anything in the workout that would put strain on your knee. There should be plenty of exercises that don't, as it focuses mostly on your core. It's not aerobic, but at least it's something.
ETA: my DH went to PT for a hip/groin injury. Most of the exercises that he was instructed to do are exactly what I do in my Pilate's workout.
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violagirl
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Post by violagirl on Nov 8, 2014 16:01:33 GMT -5
It seems from what I've read that there is a lot of variation with knee injuries. Whether you heard a crack or how much pain etc. And in the treatment.
Sometimes it doesn't hurt much (I've been spending a lot of time just sitting around) but other times even when I'm sitting and not moving it around it is painful. I probably won't really know for sure what is wrong with it until they do an MRI. It probably also didn't help that a couple days after it happened I had to fly to a conference and do quite a bit of walking around. And then fell again. My crying over the pain that night woke my husband up and he figured if I was crying it had to be bad so we went in. If anyone is from Canada - you do not want to go to the ER if you can help it (unless you go by ambulance).
I am hoping that it is just sprained and nothing torn or nothing torn that can't fix itself.
They did say I could walk on it as the pain allows. The question is - if I am taking naproxen for pain and swelling - I'm not really getting a good reading on the pain level am I? It doesn't feel too bad when i take the pills. It doesn't feel stable but it is not super painful. I mean I'm not dancing any jigs but I can walk around the house.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Nov 8, 2014 17:37:24 GMT -5
Jogging is bad for your health. I have never seen a jogger with a smile on their face OK, I don't have anything to add to this so over and out!!
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Artemis Windsong
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Post by Artemis Windsong on Nov 8, 2014 17:55:47 GMT -5
I would suggest a tight support for the knee. There is a wide variety from a stretchy one to actual knee braces. I like the neoprene one with magnets. That would give it stability and a little pressure to help reduce the swelling. Something like Aspercreme might give you some pain relieve along with the oral med. I play tennis so knee issues are in the forefront all the time. If my knees get tender, I put on the stretchy knee supports. I have an exercise routine I do a couple of times a week just for the knees. Here is a link for knee exercise info: www.outsideonline.com/search-results?q=knee+exercises
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ktunes
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Post by ktunes on Nov 9, 2014 2:13:53 GMT -5
i tore my acl in a fall where my knee took the full force of the impact...within minutes the swelling felt like it was making my pants tight around the knee...
it took about a week before i was walking without a limp...the ortho explained to me that you don't necessarily have to surgically repair the acl...it just depends on how active you are...if you do anything that requires "cutting" movements, such as tennis, basketball etc. then it may be best to have the surgery...not sure of the implications for a runner...
i tore my meniscus when i was younger and went years without having anything done to it...i was able to do most things on it but had to deal with swelling and some pain when pushing it to hard...
i elected to repair the acl and it is a pretty extensive recovery process...mine had some complications so it was even longer...since i had plenty of reading time while recovering i read some articles about how you lose muscle mass as you age...so i decided to add a weight lifting routine to my rehab after my pt was over...
you can use the weight training routine as a cardio workout as well...even though i use cardio machines, i can get a good cardio workout without one...
hopefully yours will not be torn...
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luckyme
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Post by luckyme on Nov 9, 2014 9:06:16 GMT -5
When DD tore her ACL in 8th grade, she said it was the worst pain she had ever experienced. She was actually writhing on the floor w/ the pain; she was in b-ball practice. She was sent home from the ER in a knee brace and w/ crutches. She went through a few months of rehab, Dr said she could get it repaired or live with it like that, although it would be more stable w/ surgery. So in 9th grade, she had the surgery. More time in various knee braces, and a few months of therapy. From start to finish, it was a long process. The Dr was very glad when she didn't go back to b-ball. He said the knee would never be the same, and certain activities were always going to be risky, such as b-ball, tennis, etc. Now, I recently injured my knee, exercising as well!!!! It cleared up, I fell and reinjured it, a few more months of recovery, then one night DH hopped into bed and landed right on my knee. Very swollen and painful. I am giving it a week or so, as I know from past experience, I take a long time to recover from injuries anymore. I really don't want to spend a several hundred dollars at the Dr, and on tests, just to be told to take it easy, exercise the knee, and give it time. Hopefully, yours will clear up without too much intervention.
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Shooby
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Post by Shooby on Nov 9, 2014 10:12:58 GMT -5
Walking is good for everyone. Of course let you knee heal first.
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