Always follow your doctor’s advice so that your injury heals properly and as quickly as possible.
Not warming up before your workout will put you at risk of injuring your knee more. You can also go for a 5-minute walk after your workouts to cool down and slowly bring your heart rate back to its normal speed. [3] X Research source
For example, if you’re used to running for 90 minutes on 6 days of the week, you may start with 10 minutes of swimming immediately after your injury. Slowly, you should increase the amount you swim until you’ve rebuilt some strength and resistance in your leg. Then, you can start transitioning back to running, starting with short, gentle jogs. If you typically do resistance training, you may start with a focused, gentle resistance routine for your injured leg, under the advisement of your doctor or a physical therapist. This can be supplemented with a more vigorous upper body routine.
Crunches, push-ups, ab curls, and other floor exercises Upper-body exercises Lower-body exercises that don’t strain the knees, like leg lifts and heel raises done with resistance bands. Knee-friendly cardio exercises, like swimming, recumbent bicycling, and using an elliptical.
If you’re unable to work out without experiencing pain in your knee, talk to your doctor about the best path forward.
You can also try jogging in the water since you won’t be putting as much stress on your knees. [8] X Research source You can burn 350-570 calories an hour by swimming, depending on the level of intensity.
You can burn between 400-800 calories using a rowing machine for 1 hour, depending on your weight and the intensity level you’re using.
Start with 5-10 minutes on the elliptical after your injury, and work up toward 20-30 minutes, increasing your time by 1-2 minutes at a time. Keep a slow, steady pace and a low elevation, especially at first. 30 minutes on an elliptical can help you burn 170-320 calories, depending on your weight and intensity level. [10] X Research source
You can burn 250-700 calories riding a stationary bike for 30 minutes, depending on your weight. [12] X Research source Make sure you’re not riding on an incline or you could make your knee injury worse. Most stationary bikes have different intensity settings you can choose from. Start out with a low-intensity setting and gradually increase the level of intensity so you don’t strain your knee.
You may want to start your exercises using no bands at all so that you can get used to the range of motion required. Then, gradually add resistance with bands or by fastening ankle weights to your thigh just above your knee.
Try doing a single set of 3-4 reps. Once you’re comfortable with that, gradually add more sets and reps.
Do a single set of 3-4 reps at first. Then, gradually increase the number of sets and reps you’re doing.
Do 3 sets of 20 reps. If that’s too much, start with 1 or 2 sets instead and gradually add more reps until you’re at 3 sets. To get more stability, try doing this exercise laying about 1 ft (0. 30 m) in front of a wall. Bring your leg slightly behind you and push it into the wall, then do the leg lift. [16] X Expert Source Steve Horney PT, MPT, MTC, CSCSLicensed Physical Therapist Expert Interview. 3 June 2020.
Try doing 3 sets of 20 reps with each leg. You can also start with 1 or 2 sets and slowly increase the number of reps you’re doing during each workout. Performing a side plank with your legs straight is ideal. However, if you can’t do that safely, try a side plank on your knees. You can also work the same muscle groups by elevating your arm on a couch or bed. [17] X Expert Source Steve Horney PT, MPT, MTC, CSCSLicensed Physical Therapist Expert Interview. 3 June 2020.
Bicep curls Overhead presses Lateral raises
Bench dips Pullups Inverted rows
Crunches Push ups Planks Supermans
