Knee Injury - Advice

**Maskman00** · 08-25-2008, 08:38 PM

Hi all,

I recently injured my knee (tore patella and medial meniscus) and had surgery. Right now things are slow with rehab, but looking forward, I was wondering if anyone else has had similar injuries and how they have gone about getting back into game shape. Also, does anyone wear a brace under their pads? and what would they recommend. I have plenty of time to experiment before i can get back on the rink. Thanks in advance.

**hodgehockey** · 08-25-2008, 09:21 PM

I sprained my MCL and ACL end of April. Thank god no tear. I use a Donjoy knee brace under my leg pads and hardly notice it there. I am a forward but I do play goalie here and there to mix things up. The brace was $600 after insurance covered their part, but well worth it. I feel like I am good as new. Good luck and happy rehabbing. This site should keep you busy. I'm hooked.

Justin

**showtime89** · 08-25-2008, 10:36 PM

I had cancer last year and was off of skates, and feet in general for 7 months. I know that's not an "injury" but getting power to push back after not doing ANYTHING for that long of a time was very detrimental to my game. Hopefully you aren't laid up as long. If the Dr.'s allow it, get some theraband that PT's use and work out your leg that way. It'll help build strength, prevent atrophy and it's no impact, so that will help out your knee.

**Maskman00** · 08-25-2008, 10:48 PM

Thanks guys. Hodge, what type of knee brace of donjoy brace are you using? I was on their website and there were many different options. Showtime, glad to hear you are back on skates. Having something like you had makes a knee injury seem so trivial. Im on this board all the time trying to keep on on the news....hoping that the AIHL season starts as late as possible so I can potentially make opening day...

**HEO** · 08-25-2008, 10:49 PM

I tore my Lateral Meniscus pretty badly last July. Being an idiot I thought it was just a minor sprain and played at multiple tournaments. I had surgery mid September and the doc took out most of the meniscus. I was on cruches for three weeks and rehab for another month. I was back playing by December. It sounds like you have a similar injury and to be honest as long as you rehab it exactly like they tell you, you should be fine. My only advice would be to take it easy and don't come back too early. For me my knee only starts to hurt after too much pressure on it....i.e ironman tournaments, or playing eight games in two days. While im playing though there is no pain and thats something to look forward to for you. Good luck with your recovery and try to resist the urge to come back early. And def try to wear a brace for the first couple of months back on the rink.... Also who do you play for??

**hodgehockey** · 08-26-2008, 06:12 PM

On the Donjoy website look under the knee ligament bracing. I use the one called armor. It is custom fit and believe it or not it is preety comfortable considering. Good luck with the rehab. Take your time.

Justin

**hockeygoalie22** · 02-18-2009, 11:23 AM

Hey there I played in the NCRHA for central michigan last year and I am a physical therapy student haha go figure. as far as a brace that is a great idea and you can wear one but it may limit quite a bit of motion. for injuries to tendons, ligaments etc. try doing a large amount of repetitions for exercise at 35-40% of your max

**roy94** · 02-18-2009, 12:34 PM

Take your time coming back..make sure you stay with the rehab until your PT clears you for activity. Too often people begin playing their sport because they become anxious or bored and the injury will start to "feel OK", just because it feels good doesn't mean that the injury is fully healed and the tissues have remodeled and adapted to be able to withstand the forces that you'll apply to them.

If you tore the top part of your patella (the tendon) you'll probably be able to return to activity sooner than if it was the bottom (the ligament). In either case be cautious with any type of patella injuries, menisci are not that serious typically, just painful.

Make sure you have plenty of strength in your entire leg and hip complex, not just the quadriceps, before you come back. Glute and hamstring strength play a key role in knee tracking (femur displacement across the tibial plateau). Look into a brace, but I dont think there is any scientific proof that braces actually provide extra protection from injury unless there is tissue deformity, and with those injuries I don't think you would have any but I could be wrong.

Injuries suck, good luck....

**Maskman00** · 02-18-2009, 05:33 PM

Wow. Forgot that I had made this post. Seems like ages ago.

It took six months, and a ton of PT, but I am finally back on the rink. I am wearing a patella tracker under my pads (actually on both legs, because I found it more comfortable that way). It is basically a cloth brace that is designed to keep the kneecap from sliding out. It is actually incredibly comfortable and I hardly notice it when I am on the rink.

The PT consisted mainly of strengthening the muscles around the knee, as it is very difficult to target the knee itself. Ive taken a few decent hits in my few games back and have held up pretty well. I am still very sore around the knees the day after a game, but I guess that is expected. Its great to be back.