Elitetrack: Sport Training & Conditioning

My Pops is a regionally successful Triathlete, better on short distnaces than on Ironman distance. He has had some on again off again trouble with medial and lateral meniscus in his left knee forcing him to have arthroscopic surgery next week for trimming/some removal after a poor performance last weekend and grapfruit size swelling along with a partially immobal joint.

I am recommending he continue to weight train with his right (good) leg along with the rehab program for the scoped leg. Do you guys recommend this?  I have read that strength will transfer from limb to limb even though only one maybe worked. Is this correct? He is worried about increasing an imbalance he thinks he has.

Can you guys think of anything else to maintain strength and fitness levels while rehabbing? Of course he will continue to swim and his orthopod said he should be able to bike in 2 weeks.

Thanks for the help.

I had my best sprinter two years ago actually have 2 meniscus scopes within 5 months of each other. In both cases, he was weight bearing in days and in the second case I think he was lifting (albiet light and partial ROM) very soon after the surgery. In the event he isn’t as lucky, EMS on the injured leg as well as isometric contractions can be very useful for maintaining strength. There’s also some evidence to suggest that just visualizing or imagining doing exercise on the injured side will produce some gains. As for exercising the non-injured leg, I’d recommend it. There will be some transfer. Just don’t go overboard otherwise I’d imagine imbalance issues could prop up.

Thanks for the feedback Mike.