How to Train after Recovering from a Knee Injury

There's nothing more frustrating than setting back months of your progress in squats and other explosive exercises because of a knee injury.

Depending on the affected knee structures and their severity, you may have to cut some of your training routines or take some time off from the gym to recover. After all, a knee injury usually requires weeks, if not months, to completely heal and allow you to return to your previous function safely.

It is a huge win to recover from a bad injury, which may fuel your motivation to get back into training as soon as possible. However, returning to training and achieving your previous PRs is a new challenge.

This article will give you tips on how to safely return to training after recovering from a knee injury.

The mind and body have mechanisms to protect an injured body part. Therefore, any injury affects the lifter not only physically but also psychologically. Unconsciously, lifters will usually experience fear-avoidance, an increase in avoidance of movements due to fear of pain or reinjury.

In many cases of a knee injury, fear-avoidance results in compensatory movements of your ankles, hips, and back, or over-compensation of the opposite leg to complete an exercise. Unfortunately, this reinforces bad patterns and poor biomechanics, which can lead to further issues.

Aside from regaining your muscle strength and hitting the racks again, it is also essential to appropriately address factors such as fear, overcompensation, and ego to get back to your previous fitness level.

Here are some tips on how to train after recovering from a knee injury:

A workout program you should try:

Warming up before a workout session prepares your body for the physical demands you will face. In addition, it increases blood flow to the soft tissues of your knee joint and significantly reduces the risk of reinjury.

Before hitting the heavy lifts, perform at least 5 to 10 minutes of low-intensity cardio aerobic activity to increase your body temperature. Follow this with dynamic stretchings that will target the major muscles of the lower body, such as the quads, adductors, hamstrings, calves and glutes.

You can also incorporate low volume pyramid training of the same exercises you are about to do before hitting your heavy exercises to fire up your muscles.

Example:

• 5 to 10 minutes treadmill (2-4 mph / 3.2-4.4 kmh)
• Dynamic stretching
• Pyramid Warm-up (adjust depending on your preference)
• 1 set x 10 reps of 20-30% of 1 RM
• 1 set x 8 reps of 30-40% of 1 RM
• 1 set x 5 reps of 50% of 1 RM

As you return to training, it is easy to overestimate your body's capacity to lift heavy loads you've done before. It is always better to focus on your technique rather than the numbers.

Your main goal is to lift without compromising your form and ensure your exercise quality. Start with a much lighter load and take the time to refine your techniques to avoid compensatory movements or overcompensation of the uninjured leg.

If you are experiencing pain at certain angles of knee range of motion, the best advice is don’t push through the pain and work within your limits unless you are assessed by a professional regarding your injury.

External cues and feedback from a coach or a gym buddy are a great way to prevent reinforcing bad patterns and bring back your confidence in lifting. Alternatively, you can record your training sessions for self-review and feedback.

Injury to the knee will result in muscle weakness of the surrounding muscles on the affected leg. By emphasizing open-kinetic exercises or isolation exercises, you can target lagging muscles such as your quads, adductors and hamstrings.

People with knee injury often develop strategies to unload the injured knee and shift the load to the hips or uninjured leg during closed-kinetic or compound exercises like squats and leg press.

Isolation exercises such as machine knee extension or flexion are a great way to minimize compensation. In addition, you can measure the discrepancy in the strength and size of both leg muscles and work your way up as you train. Start with low loads of open-kinetic exercises as this may be very taxing for the target muscle.

Set realistic expectations when returning to training after recovering from a knee injury. It would be best to gradually regain your strength and strategically plan your training goals to avoid reinjury.

Understand that hitting your previous PRs will take some time, and you must be patient with the process. Detached yourself from the numbers, dial down your goals, and adjust them upward as you get stronger.

By not setting your goals too high, you will minimize the anxiety and steadily improve your confidence over time.

Gradually expose yourself to heavier weights as you improve. More importantly, listen to your body and focus on the technique rather than the amount of load you can lift.

You can also work with a personal trainer or physio to help you safely achieve your training goals and be accountable for your progress.

It is easy to be overwhelmed and feel lost with all the noise in the fitness industry, especially when trying to recover from an injury. Foam rolling, percussion guns, and other passive treatments may have a place in the recovery process, but they are not the fix you are looking for.

In addition, it is best not to overly rely on passive tools and training gears. For example, if you can only squat without pain using knee sleeves or other supports, it may indicate that you need to dial down your load and work with your basics first.

Pay more attention to your training and actually doing the work. After all, movement is the best medicine for any physical injury.

Studies show that your psychological state plays a bigger role in your physical performance and risk of injury. Poor mood and high stress level can influence injury occurrence. It is always best to hit the gym mentally and emotionally prepared.

If you are having a bad day, it is never a shame to decrease your training volume for the day and take it easy for a while.

Training after recovering from a knee injury requires you to train not only your body but also your mind.

Prioritize lagging muscles on the affected knee and ensure the quality of your lifting techniques.

Build your lifting confidence gradually by setting small goals and accomplish them along the way. These will allow you to eliminate fear-avoidance and minimize the anxiety of reinjury.