Military medicine is slow rolling getting me a real diagnosis (MRI). Trying to self-heal. Probably won’t work, but I got nothing else to do. Knee feels unstable, kind like jelly in the middle. Tried Motrin/Celebrex already; no effect. Pretty sure it’s a small tear of some sort.

Obviously the knee is not a muscle, but are there any exercises to strengthen all the other connecting tissue, ligaments, tendons, etc in/around the knee?

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Posted by DeafJam73

Baton Rouge

Member since Sep 2010

18453 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 4:30 pm to scormi5

You should get a diagnosis before asking for exercise options. What injury you have dictates what exercise you can do without further damaging your knee. Best thing to do is to rest it and use ice to reduce any swelling you may have.

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Posted by scormi5

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Member since Jan 2007

1686 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 5:14 pm to DeafJam73

I know it’s not an ACL. When it swells, it’s not THAT kind of swell. Just enough swelling to make it uncomfortable for certain movements and get that jelly-feeling. It feels like it’s localized either to the meniscus or to the inner/groin-side portion of the knee. Definitely not skeletal.

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Posted by LSUAlum2001

Stavro Mueller Beta

Member since Aug 2003

47135 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 6:18 pm to scormi5

It could be a partially torn ACL or meniscus damage.

I’d wait for a diagnosis before trying anything on your own. You could be doing more harm than good.

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Posted by Rep520

Member since Mar 2018

10420 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 6:23 pm to scormi5

quote:
Pretty sure it’s a small tear of some sort.

If you're worried it's a small tear, exercising without knowing what you can do could turn it into a big tear.

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Posted by Fe_Mike

Member since Jul 2015

3143 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 6:53 pm to scormi5

I obliterated my ACL. And meniscus. No swelling at all.

Everyone's body acts differently. Best to be on the safe side.

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Posted by TideSaint

Hill Country

Member since Sep 2008

75864 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 8:20 pm to scormi5

I've had a torn ACL for 17 years and never had it fixed.

Joined the military 12 years ago and just scored a 96 on my PT test in October.

My knee isn't stable when I cut or land weird, but I can haul arse in a straight line.

Get the MRI so you're sure.

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Posted by TigerPride10

Member since Jul 2007

10356 posts

Posted on 12/21/18 at 9:30 pm to scormi5

You can’t “strengthen the knee”. You can only strengthen the muscles that support it. Different muscles support different functions and until you find out what the exact issue is, there’s no way to really determine what needs to be strengthened.

From my own (torn ACL and MCL) experience, however, I can advise you to generally to avoid any sort of open chain exercises. I can squat all day, but even light weight on some kunty machine like leg extension or curls will hurt like a MFer.

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Posted by rmc