Training with a damaged/ "bruised" Meniscus

Hi everyone,

so last week I had an MRT on my left knee, inner meniscus was troubling me. Found out that there is a small dent in the bottom side of the meniscus. Doc told me to not do any strength training, mountain biking, martial arts training and yoga for at least 8 weeks before reporting back to him.

Did tell me to ride my road bike as much as possible - easy riding, high volume/low intensity.

Now comes my question. Since squats are out of the question - apart from road biking, is there any other way of working on my legs?

I have difficulties accepting that I have to start with the DL training and squatting all over again in a few months, if all goes well. Seems that every time when I get close to breaking the 100kg barriere, something odd happens and I have to stop training these two movements simply because life is happening.

Current plan is to only do upper body movements (standing press, bench press, row, pull-up variations), and continue learning the snatch-grip high-pull.

Any input would be much appreciated.

i would think that you would be fine to do deadlifts that involve only slight movement at the knee, but maybe check with your doc first.

I would call your PT up for a talk and listen to what they say, when I tweaked an MCL last december I got in same day to see the PT she called it dead-on all the way and got me back by early feb in only 6 weeks … Its only 8 weeks out of your life

hit the pool. laps with a flutter board,legs only.

Screw the docs opinion, I say keep going on your squat quest…dont give up. You dont need a meniscus

Hi everyone,

so last week I had an MRT on my left knee, inner meniscus was troubling me. Found out that there is a small dent in the bottom side of the meniscus. Doc told me to not do any strength training, mountain biking, martial arts training and yoga for at least 8 weeks before reporting back to him.

Did tell me to ride my road bike as much as possible - easy riding, high volume/low intensity.

Now comes my question. Since squats are out of the question - apart from road biking, is there any other way of working on my legs?

I have difficulties accepting that I have to start with the DL training and squatting all over again in a few months, if all goes well. Seems that every time when I get close to breaking the 100kg barriere, something odd happens and I have to stop training these two movements simply because life is happening.

Current plan is to only do upper body movements (standing press, bench press, row, pull-up variations), and continue learning the snatch-grip high-pull.

Any input would be much appreciated.

Seriously all walk it off jokes aside. Knees are something not to mess around with when injured. If you aren't you will end up with worse problems. Better to put the ego aside and take it easy for a while so it gets better. My wife says having next to no meniscus in the knee sucks ass.

Mic. I'm a knee injury lifer, so I know how you feel. Two ACL surgeries, with torn medial and lateral meniscus. Needless to say, I do a lot to take care of my knees these days, but I'm still out there riding, running, active, etc.

Low-impact knee exercises:
- Poliquin step up. be sure to keep your knee in line with your second toe. controlled down and up. Don't let it wiggle side to side. I have found that this is the foundation of recovering from knee injuries. This exercise engages the VMO over your outside quad muscles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZzevnhTE34
- Glute-ham raises. Keep those hamstrings strong. Hamstrings help you control your knee at extension, the position it is in when you most often get knee injuries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-f96dmIz8zo
- one and quarter squats with very light weight. e.g. start at 40 lbs and move up from there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5QcppALMOg
- single leg hamstring curl on swiss ball. key is to keep those hips off the ground.

- lunges, bulgarian split squats using only body weight. move up to 30 lbs when you are stronger. remember to keep your knees in line with your second toe and ankle.


- prone hamstring curl

- side shuffle with band around ankles.

- single leg squat with swiss ball on back for support. keep that knee in line with your second toe, don't let it go jiggly side to side.

Good luck! Let me know if you have any questions. This is just one of the many routines I do at the gym for my knees. Let me know if you have any other questions, I'll do my best to answer whatever I may have learned through the years. Another important thing that I have learned is that the strength and stability of your knee is dependent on the strength and stability of your core. no core no knee. Alternatively, you can always listen to Rod …

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InMJopurNTE

hit the pool. laps with a flutter board,legs only.

Dunno … I know for some knee capsule injuries knee hyperextension (the full extension of flutter kick) is not recommended. May want to check with a physio first.

Here are some upper-body activities that don't even require you to have legs … (pretty advanced, but you get the idea)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3MTqRWPiZU

Dunno … I know for some knee capsule injuries knee hyperextension (the full extension of flutter kick) is not recommended. May want to check with a physio first.

Here are some upper-body activities that don't even require you to have legs … (pretty advanced, but you get the idea)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3MTqRWPiZU

the one-armed lever pulls at 3:00 are ridiculous. I can't even get one of those with two arms. every time i've tried i manage to pull my fat and have to give myself a few rest days from activity.

Mic. I'm a knee injury lifer, so I know how you feel. Two ACL surgeries, with torn medial and lateral meniscus. Needless to say, I do a lot to take care of my knees these days, but I'm still out there riding, running, active, etc.

Low-impact knee exercises:

This post rocks!

Thanks for the info, dkl. And thanks for the support as well, everybody. You guys rock.

Not yet in the mood for squats and lunges, last friday i did dl from boxes, with the bar just below the patella-pulled 90 kg five times for three sets and had no issues while doing them, and not the next day either.

Did a few easy mtb rides as well, and twice to work. All in all not bad and the funny feeling in the knee is sort of getting less.

The Barstars stuff is insane….

Hi guys,

so….no improvement after really focusing on rehabbing that knee. Went to a knee specialist and I have a date for surgery at the beginning of October.

According to the doctor who said that it will take about an hour, I can do everything I have done before after a break of about five to tend ays, depending on recovery.

Really excited about this.

Hi guys,

so….no improvement after really focusing on rehabbing that knee. Went to a knee specialist and I have a date for surgery at the beginning of October.

According to the doctor who said that it will take about an hour, I can do everything I have done before after a break of about five to tend ays, depending on recovery.

Really excited about this.

good luck man. although it will only be a meniscal repair your body will need to be prepared for the surgery. i got myself a trainer for my road bike and just spun for an hour or half hour each evening i could. just watched movies on netflix, listened to podcasts, stared out the window, whatever. just get those blood capillaries going strong in your legs going into the operation. it really helped me during my second knee surgery to recover quicker.

Best of luck. I tore my meniscus 4 times over the summer so my knee never healed and I walked with a limp for 3 months. Had the surgery and for me the return is slow. Over 2 weeks now and I still can't straighten my leg all the way, still walk with a limp, knee still swollen. But I'm doing everything I'm told to do and I am making progress. My need for a good cardio workout is depressing me to no end but what can you do - heal the knee, the rest will follow.

My previous meniscus tear (other knee) was very different and my heal time was very fast and I was back riding in 2 weeks, carefully at first but very quickly I was doing all the stupid things I always did - ahh those were the days.

So you likely will be a fast recovery from the sounds of it. Then again I was 7 years younger back then which might play in my healing time difference as well.

So best of luck - hope we both are back riding/skiing/etc soon!