3 weeks ago, I strained my LCL during a wrestling practice. I was to be placed in a knee brace for 6-8 weeks for recovering. I was wondering what kind of cardio I would be able to do, or if I am able to run, do a stair stepper, or ride a bike.
Sorry to hear about your knee. There are a lot of variables in these cases, and there is no substitute for getting a good PT to assess you thoroughly. There are some points of advice I can give you, but please understand they are quite limited in their specificity. An uncomplicated LCL strain (i.e. no other tissues were injured like meniscus, joint cartilage, or other ligaments) will typically be healing well at the 3 week mark, and at 6-8 weeks should be functioning pretty well. Exercise and activity will help it heal and prevent on-going problems. A common sense approach would be to ease into activity and progress it at a pace that your body can adjust to. With a hinge brace on, performing activity without any twisting or cutting should be pretty safe. If your knee is swollen in the joint, it’s a sign that you shouldn’t be performing a lot of weight bearing exercise, and you should get it checked out.
The bike and stair stepper are where you should start. Running on even ground is more impactful, but if you do well at the other activities and ease your way into it, you should be good. Be sure to avoid uneven, slippery or too soft ground. Come into this gradually. You may want to knock out 45 minutes or more to get a good cardio workout, but you should establish your knee tolerance to exercise first.
It will pay to gradually blend in some agility and wean off the brace through the 4-8 week timeframe. Like I touched on, having a PT guide and oversee this will be your best bet to returning to normal activity.