acute medial knee injury (advice wanted)

[Kyle Courville]

I recently deveoped an acute medial knee injury, and baseball season is approaching in a month. I would like to have my knee at least 85% by time the season starts. I am at about 75% now. The only symptom I have is slight pain and instability in lower leverage positions such as when my thighs are parallel to the floor in a squat and walking down stairs when the leg is extended. It responds well to both exercise and rest. I have the coach's permission to take it light during practice. I am thinking of buying athletic tape or brace for future practices and for prevnting future problems.

I am wondering if anyone knows of additional precautions I can take.

All advice is appreciated.

p.s. keyboard broke so i had to use the on-screen keyboard

[VeganMartin]

If this is caused by damage to the medial meniscus cartilage, side leg raises done in a snappy fashion might help. They certainly helped me when I damaged the cartilage in both knees about 33 years ago. I would do a side leg raise as fast as I could so that there was a jerking stop when my leg went as high as it could. As far as I can tell, this tends to open the joint up a bit on the inner portion of the knee, allowing the cartilage to go back into position. It cured my problems long enough to get me through what I needed to do. Until the next time the cartilage popped out.

I didn't discover this method until a few years after injuring my knees. They were part of my normal exercises at the time and I often found the knee that was currently giving trouble would feel better after doing them. Not every time, but often. Even more years later, when I mentioned it to a physiotherapist, he said they sometimes prescribe it for meniscus tears.

I don't know if it would help you at this early stage but you could ask your medic or therapist.

Try not to put much weight on your leg at times of pain or swelling and don't try to force the knee to bend or straighten. Gently does it every time.

Also now, years later, I've found that full range of motion single leg squats have greatly improved the stability of my knees. That would be something for the future for you, though.

Good luck.

[Cole Dano]

Is the Medial Meniscus or Medial Collateral Ligament?

If its the ligament the above would not be recommended.

[Kyle Courville]

Try not to put much weight on your leg at times of pain or swelling and don't try to force the knee to bend or straighten. Gently does it every time.

I have no trouble with my rom; I have to strengthen it. I can still walk, jog, and do partial squats. What I can't do without pain/instability are full squats and lunges.

Is the Medial Meniscus or Medial Collateral Ligament?

It is a grade 1 mcl sprain.

Mr. Brady what is your opinion of this sites progressions and exercises? Also do think I should still stretch the lower body?

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/medial_ligament/rehabilitation.php

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/medial_ligament/strengthening.php

Thanks for your help.

[Cole Dano]

Those all look good to me.

Of course you need to take it slow, so work the mobility unloaded for each movement, then progressively load, but don't be too aggressive. I like the inclusion of the lateral and medial raises, but again, carefully ramp up the load. Squats, and lunges are classics and for good reason.

Yes, work the mobility, slowly working to get full range of opening and closing. All your normal stretching will be fine, in pike stretches, make sure to keep the quad active.

How did the injury happen if i can ask?

[Kyle Courville]

How did the injury happen if i can ask?

It is from accumulated stress from conditioning for baseball. My coach had us do a lot of lateral shuffles; I also slacked on lower body work because I no longer had access to weights. I should have at least done unweighted squats and lunges. Basically I slacked off and now I have to pay.