Recovery is such a long process.
I’ve spent the summer riding my bicycle the most and slowly introducing running back into the mix a few days a week. I picked up an Elliptical machine, which has been an excellent addition. I knew treadmills were problematic for me for two reasons: they are boring and do not provide much relief for my knee recovery. With the Elliptical, I can get a decent heart rate up, work a lot of muscles, and break into a decent sweat, all while being easier on the knees. Is it still dull? Sure, but it is much quieter than a treadmill, and I can watch videos or listen to audio with ease.
Of course, I’ve added additional strength training exercises to try and strengthen the knees as well. All these are helping, but I’m still taking it slow and short until I feel comfortable with my knees to go a greater distance out in the country.
I’m still riding the bike when the weather is decent, which reduces as the weather turns colder, windier, and slippery. I really cannot afford an injury right now, as I need my recovery so I can run through the winter months!
I hope your routines are going well!