Elliptical vs long-time bad knee

djfldjfl

Hi all. I mean no offense, but I'd really like knowledgeable advice only. There's too much anecdotal and 3rd-hand and just bad advice out there and I don't think I can afford any bad advice.

I'll be brief:

-I started at 70-100lbs overweight and I've lost 27 so far thanks to MFP

-I have a bad left knee and have for some time. Doctors have said I Can have surgery, but it isn't so bad that they think I Should have surgery. Mild pain is always present, and I do have to be always wary when I climb stairs or exercise that I don't make any funny movements lest I tweak it and be in moderate-heavy pain for days/weeks.

-I played basketball for Years back when I was in better shape and also had a really cheap, crappy elliptical. Think $80 new...I know that that elliptical is at least partly responsible for my current knee condition. I used an elliptical because, even back then, a treadmill hurt my knees.

-I took a few years off exercising and concentrated on my Dairy Queen and Doritos skills.

-I started exercising slowly 3 years ago, seriously 4 months ago with a treadmill as it now longer seemed to hurt my knee, but ellipticals Did now hurt my knee.

-I've started using the elliptical at work very occasionally. My knee clicks...I can feel/hear the clicking all the way up my spine and up to my left ear. It's pretty weird. I don't Hurt after workouts, but my knee does feel funny. Today I did 48 mins and burned 775 calories.

-I love the burn from ellipticals over treadmills obviously and there's an awesome Livestrong 8.0 one on sale for another couple of days at Canadian Tire. I can barely afford it...if at all...but I can certainly make the excuse for buying something that's going to help me get in better shape. But if it kills my knee, I really don't want to have a $1000 coat rack...let's say I can get half back on a resale. That's still more than I want to lose.


So, what's the good advice here? Should I play it safe and stick to the treadmill and have lesser workouts...though frankly my knee isn't feeling so good after treadmilling as frequently as I'm using it now. Should I go for it and buy the elliptical and hope that it helps rather than hurts? If it gets me in shape faster, then that's obviously going to be far less strain on my knee.

Thanks.

gentlygently

Honestly?

I'd take up swimming .. And swim front/back crawl and limit the breast stoke.

Listen to your body. Find an exercise that is kinder to your knees (cycling, swimming, some weights routines).

gentlygently

Honestly?

I'd take up swimming ..

(And swim front/back crawl and limit the breast stoke.)

Listen to your body. Find an exercise that is kinder to your knees (cycling, swimming, some weights routines). Worry less about calorie burn and more about making ~ and keeping - your body fit and usable.

chrs86

I agree with honesty. If your sore do something else. You only live once so take comfort in pain. http://www.foxnews.com/science/2013/07/02/60-billion-alien-planets-could-support-life-study-suggests/

justwanderful

I too have a bad left knee.
Here's what I've done:
I exercise with dumbbells and do calisthenics three days per week.
On three alternating days I walk or swim.

Before you go out and buy a $1000 piece of equipment, spend a few bucks on day passes to your local health club. Take their ellipticals, treadmills and exercise bikes through their paces. See what feels best for your knee. Then buy used on Craigslist.

JUDDDing

I agree with honesty. If your sore do something else.

Me too. The motion on ellipticals feels unnatural to me and makes my knee hurt after just a couple mins. So I run and do stationary bike.

Many, probably most, people (including my wife) think that the elliptical is great for people with knee pain.

We can co-exist.

(oh, and try icing and stretching after - it works wonders for me)