Mountain View Pain Center Doctors Talk About Rehab For MCL and ACL Injuries

These exercises can be performed for basic rehab or post surgical rehab.
 
Feb. 18, 2010 - PRLog -- First step before your rehab of these injuries is to properly stretch to loosen up any tight musculature. Make sure to stretch the quads and the hamstrings, as well as the adductors and abductors.

The adductors run on the inside of the leg and can be stretched by spreading the legs far apart with your feet planted. Reach to one foot, hold for ten seconds, and then reach to the other foot. The abductors are on the outside of the leg and you can stretch these by crossing your feet and leaning over to one side. To stretch the right side, place the right foot behind the left and lean over to the left. It is important to note when stretching to not bounce to go further. This can cause further muscle injury. Just go to the point where you feel a good stretch and hold. As you progress over time you will be able to go further and further.

The important part of performing these exercises for the knee is full range of motion. We are not trying to bulk up these muscles right away, so start with low weight and high repetitions. If at any point the knee is in pain, then stop that exercise, drop weight, or don’t move the leg that far yet. If you cannot bend the leg all the way at the beginning, do not force it. Go to the full range of motion that your body allows without pain, and try to improve on that the next week.

For the first week we will contract the muscles without movement, these are called isometric exercises. You will start with leg extensions and leg curls. You can perform an isometric contraction of the hamstrings by bringing one leg up and placing the foot on a chair in front of you. Contract the leg as you would in a normal leg curl. Another simple way to do this is to sit on the floor with the leg flat in front of you and contract the hamstring by pressing the heel into the ground. For the quadriceps, place the foot under the couch or another object that will not move on contraction.

Perform three sets of 15 contractions holding for about five seconds each time. As we progress we will add weight, but make sure you are doing the exercises one leg at a time. Take your time, go slow, and perform the exercise correctly. If you do not have access to the gym then a simple method is to buy an exercise band and perform these in a chair. You can also take the band with you to work and do a few sets during the day.

As we advance in our rehab and the knee becomes more stable, the exercises will become more advanced, but be careful not to progress too quickly. If it hurts, don’t do it.

The next exercise can be performed daily. Sit in your chair and slowly stand without any assistance of the arms. This is a simulation of a squat or deep knee bend, but takes out the tension at bottom of the squat. As we progress, the next step is body weight squats, again slow and steady movements. Once these can completed without any discomfort and there is no residual pain the next day, begin single leg squats. These are performed by standing on one leg and then doing a deep knee bend.

It is always important, especially after the first few weeks of exercise, to ice the knee after the workouts, to prevent swelling and discomfort. If you have had an ACL injury, you should begin with a brace. The best type of brace you can get for an ACL will have hinges on the side. If it does not have hinges on the side then it is basically pointless to wear.

Another important note when getting a brace is to see if your insurance company will cover braces or DME products. If you are already paying for the insurance then you may as well use it. Most people are unaware that this is a covered service. If you decide to get one from your doctor, be sure to double check the product on line so you are not over paying for a product you can get on your own.

Supplements for ligament injuries:

Glucosamine with MSM 100mg a day
Vitamin C -1000mg a day
Fish oils -as recommended
Ligaplex and Cataplex ACP are herbal supplements we use at our office which promotes healing and helps strengthen the ligaments. These are brand specific; if you wish to look into them just email and I will point you in the right direction.
Flavanoids -as directed on bottle. These are great for pain and swelling.

This article contains the opinions and examples of treatment plans for ACL and MCL injuries from Mountain View Pain Center in Centennial, CO, and is not intended as a substitute for specific medical advice from a doctor regarding your individual injury or condition. If you have any further questions or concerns feel free to contact our office at 303-221-1569 or visit our website at www.mountainviewpaincenter.com

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Here at Mountain View Pain Center we are committed to relieving your pain and restoring you to good health and wellness. Visit our website at www.mountainviewpaincenter.com
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Tags:Mcl Rehab, Acl Rehab, Mcl Treatment, Acl Treatment, Knee Pain, Knee Rehab, Knee Injury, Knee Exercises
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Location:Colorado - United States
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