Pushing into pain zone OK so soon after multiple ligament tears?

[You can read in the forum "Knee Injury" my story called "Bad knee damage due to car hitting me while bicycling".]

The quite young, maybe inexperienced orthopedist I'm seeing isn't giving me much direction or help.

Exactly 9 weeks ago today I was hit by a car while I was bicycling. [Since 1971, I've been an avid bicyclist.] The collision was on my left side so the left knee has bad damage internally. 20 days after the accident, an MRI of the left knee showed:

- MCL: grade 3 tear
- LCL: grade 1 tear
- ACL & PCL: each has a partial tear
- lateral meniscus: small tear
- bone bruising on the knee joint end of the femur. [I was later told this could lead to delamination which I suppose means that the articular cartilage could come off the femur.]
- no loose pieces inside the knee

I wore a leg immobilizer for 6.5 weeks and then tried a shorter item, a knee brace having a hinge on the medial and lateral sides. [At times I went back to the longer leg immobilizer which keeps my left leg straight and stiff.] On 8 July the young orthopedist tells me to start doing a simple exercise to bring some range of motion (ROM) to the left leg. [There was very little ROM since I was terrified to bend the left leg due to the pain.] The simple exercise done while sitting on bed: extend out both legs horizontally, put right foot under left foot and slowly lower and raise the left leg by using the right foot/leg for power. I call him today (29 July) and find out I should be entering the pain zone in this exercise. [I can only go pain free to ~ 60 to 70 degrees from horizontal when the pain hits.] In doing this exercise today, I feel really horrible pain in the area where the MCL is and am woried that I'm injuring the MCL again.

Since I was told it would take from 6 weeks to 3 months for my grade 3 tear of the MCL to heal, is this "go into the pain zone" OK or does it sound unwise to do? [Today I called concerned about this MCL pain but the orthopedist doesn't call me so I don't know what to do.]

[I'm age 60 and certainly hope I can ride my bicycle again, and ride maybe as I did before the accident.]

Tell me what you think. [You can read in the forum "Knee Injury" more details in my story called "Bad knee damage due to car hitting me while bicycling".]


Thanks