Swimmer Health: Knee Ligaments & the pool

I think you just have to be a slug. Not much I know of that can strengthen an MCL. Use a brace, don't do evilstroke. Working on muscles whose tendons cross the knee (eg quads, hammies, etc) might stabilize things somewhat but you still can't protect the ligament this way. Sounds like a fairly physical league. At what point does it become no-check? Thanks for the advice. This is beginner, lowest of "D" league - and no-check. AND the third on my team to go down with a knee injury.

I think you just have to be a slug. Not much I know of that can strengthen an MCL. Use a brace, don't do evilstroke. Working on muscles whose tendons cross the knee (eg quads, hammies, etc) might stabilize things somewhat but you still can't protect the ligament this way. Sounds like a fairly physical league. At what point does it become no-check?

Jeff, sorry to hear about the knee. I hope the rest of your birthday was nice. Happy belated! Alison

I hyperextended / dislocated my knee also playing soccer. It completely ruptured the ACL, PCL, LCL, and partial tear of the MCL (another doc quipped that I tore the "L" out of my knee). Nerve damage so I had foot drop for 3+ months, happily that resolved. The repairs didn't work, had to have it reconstructed 6 months later putting in a synthetic graft and repurposing hamstrings. I have heeded the doc's advice and gave up the weight-bearing sports I was active in (soccer, softball, volleyball, skiing, racketball). It even killed my rec bowling game and ability for social dancing, but at least after a year I didn't have to wear a big titanium knee brace 24/7. Rehab was 5 months doing it diligently and I started swimming as soon as I was off crutches (wearing my sports brace). PT was fun, I went to a place specializing in sports med and lots of motivated patients and nice people running the place. About 15 hours a week plus doing stuff at home with an ankle weight. Back to the MCL: while I can swim a crappy breaststroke, it hurts the inner knee. I like swimming the IM so I always practice it with a dolphin kick instead of frog kick, and use weights to work the glutes and hip adductors/abductors etc instead. The only actual breaststroke kick is when I race, which hasn't been for a long while. Well, good luck!

. The verdict: MCL sprain. Phew. So its crutches, brace and PT for a few weeks. No surgery. No massive braces. September off for sports. year... Hey I had one of those ten years ago (MCL sprain) from a snowboarding injury. I wasn't swimming at the time so can't offer any advice in that area. The ortho told me no sports of any kind for 6 weeks, and I complied of course. It healed up fine and I was back snowboarding after 6 weeks. No issues at all from it today that I can tell.

I think swimming puts zero pressure on the knees except breastroke where I get inside knee pain on my left leg when I really whip it. I need to be careful.

Sorry to hear about your woes. I had cruciate ligament damage many years ago, treatment then was first rest then slowly build up muscle strength to support knee joint. Still have loosey goosey knee and evil stroke can hurt sometimes. Everyone is entitled to my opinion

I tore my PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) skiing 2 years ago. The ski patrol thought I was nuts because I was more worried about not being able to swim breaststroke competively than going to the Vail Clinic! I had no surgery, but did PT, lots of cycling and walking. I have no problem swimming free, fly, or back. The only way I can swim *** is to do the old frog kick...forget the whip kick. I can not use fins in practice..hurts like the dickens. Does anyone know of a fin that I could use so I can keep up with my lane during kick sets. I wear one of those big titanium braces for skiing, hiking, and tennis now. I compete mostly all free events, some fly...even did 400 IM at Nationals.

So here's where you come in... Anyone had some knee ligament issues in the past? Any advice, at least as it pertains to PT and then getting back in the pool? Stud - looks like you'll be smoking me in breaststroke this year... Jeff, after years of playing soccer I was playing a friendly game in Germany and got a hyperextended knee going for a loose ball. Extreme pain (far worse than ouchy wouchy) - probably the most painful injury I've ever had - and had to have the knee joint drained of blood. Wasn't swimming at the time but couldn't walk without a brace for about a month. Had to use a walker for about a week to get out of bed & get to the bathroom at night. I was 45ish at the time. Took up cross-country skiing and walking and in about 5 years the joint became strong enough to begin swimming. I'm a breaststroker and can do a 3000 yard BR set now with no problem. I gave up soccer and can't run on it anymore without having it fill with fluid. Time, patience and PT may heal it in your case or they may not. I guess I was lucky. Hope you are too.

Muppet: I had meniscus repair done last October. My doctor and PT let me swim as soon as the incision healed, but no kicking. I swam my works and three stroke with a pull buoy. After a couple of months, I could swim free and back but no fins. Around six month and I could do whatever I wanted. I was cautioned to go easy on the evil stroke kick. I was lucky that one of the PTs was a competitive swimmer in high school and understood the pressure different strokes put on the knee as well as the various toys that take it off. Since you have no incision there's no worry of infection. I'd ask the doc/PT if given some restrictions if you can swim like I did. Good Luck.