Knee issue

JulieSHelms

I am new to weight training (about 3 months now). I wasn't aware of having a knee problem previously, but once I started working I began to notice one was a little tender. Now there are certain exercises like a leg press that I'm afraid to go heavier on because of the pain in my knee, even though my leg muscles could definitely handle more weight. So am I at the end of the road on those exercises, or would a knee brace/wrap help?

Lizarking

I can't do leg press either, because of knee problems

How well do you do at free weight squats? Back squats, front squats... you might like goblet squats.

JulieSHelms

As far as I know I can't do squats at all. I am really new to this, but the couple times I tried (plus just squatting in real life situations) it's a one-way trip down.

Lizarking

Lunges are an option, though I hesitate to suggest them because they can really be hard on your knee, depending.

Mebbe start with wall squats to get used to the movement.

Bj0223

I have arthritis in my knee (bone on bone) and will need a knee replacement in the next couple years. My doctor said I can exercise and run until it hurts and then stop. Sadly, I've already done all the damage.

If possible, I would suggest you see your doctor and find out why your knee is hurting. Sometimes braces and wraps can make matters worse and weaken your knees.

I have also learned my knee issues stemmed from weak hips and glutes. The more I focus on stregthening these muscles the less my knee hurts.

JulieSHelms

@Lizarking

Lizarking wrote: »

Lunges are an option, though I hesitate to suggest them because they can really be hard on your knee, depending.

Mebbe start with wall squats to get used to the movement.

Are you recommending squats and lunges as a replacement to leg presses, or as something to build up knee strength?

@Bj0223

If possible, I would suggest you see your doctor and find out why your knee is hurting. Sometimes braces and wraps can make matters worse and weaken your knees.

I just happen to have an appointment tomorrow for something else, but he does joint issues too--thanks for the nudge--not sure it would have occurred to me!

STEVE142142

My recommendation is see an orthopedic surgeon. I also have bone-on-bone arthritis in my knee and it's eventually going to have to be replaced. Throw in another little tidbit about five years ago I was playing golf and I noticed a little tinge of discomfort in my hip area. To make a long story short last year I had a double hip replacement. Definitely see a doctor preferably an orthopedic specialist

renae161

I wouldnt say you're at the end. I have a knee injury too, and so do a lot of others on here. I was doing Jillian Michaels 30 day shred, but then people informed me they got knee injuries from it and while I had mine prior to the exercise and saw an improvement in my knee's flexibility, I decided to just stop and change my routine as I was informed the workouts in the video weren't really good for abs and can make things worse for other areas.

I would talk with your doctor and physical therapist to get you set up for strengthening your muscles. I was recommended swimming, and other stretches I was given on a list to help my weak and injured areas, but again that is just for me. I don't know what kind of knee injury you have or know how much you can or can't handle, so I would highly highly suggest talking with your doctor and physical therapist.

If you don't have a pt, then your doctor is someone who can give you a referral to one. Best of luck!

Sued0nim

It could be soft tissue, it could be joint, it could be General weakness

You don't know until you get it checked out

Do not overtrain on a sore joint, know what you're dealing with ...meaning no don't go heavier yet

For squats sit on a box and stand up again, 10 times ..then 3 lots of ten times ...when that gets easier add some hand weights ..when that gets easy remove box and try again...but it's all about form, foot position, knee tracking...know what you're doing by checking videos and maybe employing a trainer

canadianlbs

sometimes knee stuff is a form thing, especially with squats. if you let your quads carry too much of the load, they put huge mechanical stress across your kneecap and it can make you think you've ruined your body for life.

so that's a possibility, and if so then the 'cure' is usually to shift most of the work into your hamstrings and glutes. it's an impossible thing to try to describe, and for me much more of a mental trick than anything else. i still get it wrong a lot of the time . . . but when it's right, the conceptual experience is like you turn your bum and your hamstrings into a kind of slingshot in your head. or a springy hammock. then when the cues say 'stick your butt out' and 'sit down' you want to make it feel to yourself like you're sitting down 'into' that slingshot formed by your own posterior chain muscles. sometimes it helps me to picture my shins as the 'stick' part of the catapult too. when i do that i anchor better and my knees don't drift out in front of my toes quite as much.

i also do this weird thing where i [mentally] stick a floodlight into the floor, shining straight up. it can be helpful to me to visualize which planes of my body the light's shining on, because those are mostly the ones that ought to be doing the work.

JulieSHelms

Thanks everybody! Last few days at the gym I just stopped doing the few things that make my knee hurt and it doesn't hurt at all now. (Reminds me of the dumb joke--doctor doctor it hurts when I do this.... So don't do that.) Will run it by my DO when I see him.

Lizarking

JulieSHelms wrote: »

@Lizarking

Lizarking wrote: »

Lunges are an option, though I hesitate to suggest them because they can really be hard on your knee, depending.

Mebbe start with wall squats to get used to the movement.

Are you recommending squats and lunges as a replacement to leg presses, or as something to build up knee strength?

@Bj0223

If possible, I would suggest you see your doctor and find out why your knee is hurting. Sometimes braces and wraps can make matters worse and weaken your knees.

I just happen to have an appointment tomorrow for something else, but he does joint issues too--thanks for the nudge--not sure it would have occurred to me!

Replacement.

awolf2011

I have arthritis in one of my knees and when I know that I'm going to be doing a lot of leg workouts, I use muscle tape. It makes it feel so much better. My Doctor told me that running is not very good for my knee, but I should still try to keep it stretched out. I started doing a bootcamp last week and I don't have any pain whatsoever in my knee right now. I think the fact that I keep it stretched out might just be helping it. I would still try to walk or do some lighter workouts with it.

nowine4me

Don't give up on squats. I could seriously not do 1 with just body weight when I started. But learning proper form, the best angle and slowly increasing weight, I now do 100# full depth squats and have virtually no knee pain.

JulieSHelms

@nowine4me

nowine4me wrote: »

Don't give up on squats. I could seriously not do 1 with just body weight when I started. But learning proper form, the best angle and slowly increasing weight, I now do 100# full depth squats and have virtually no knee pain.

I haven't given up on squats--I've never done them. I need someone local to show me how...or I can resort to youtube. I need something to replace the leg press. 100 sounds very impressive!

vespiquenn

nowine4me wrote: »

Don't give up on squats. I could seriously not do 1 with just body weight when I started. But learning proper form, the best angle and slowly increasing weight, I now do 100# full depth squats and have virtually no knee pain.

I hate to say this, but this is bad advice when there's no answer to the knee pain. Even with proper form, squats can worsen a knee problem depending on what it is.

Op, have you seen your doctor yet? Knee issues can be persistent once they start if they aren't properly treated. In my case, I began to run last year only to find distances longer than 6mi created pain. Fast forward a year later and I still have days that I can't walk, and that's after giving up running for now to rest. My pain is linked to the fact that my pelvis is misaligned and one leg is significantly longer than the other. I just never noticed until I began running, which really surprised my physical therapist due to the severity. It required a lot of physical therapy and may require surgery. Do not continue activities that worsen it without seeing a sports doctor. You could damage it further, especially if it's a cartilage issue.

Duane2013

Try the bicycle. I had a "twisted meniscus" the ortho said. Gave me a sheet of exercises to do, and said ride a bicycle. And don't walk (right! I live next to a river with a walking path). Anyway, did the knee exercises, then went to the bike, and moved up to walking a lot again. Seemed to have worked. So, if what your doing is causing pain, STOP IT! Once knee damage is done, there's only surgery next, and it will suck. Also, Advil should be your friend......

JulieSHelms

vespiquenn wrote: »

Op, have you seen your doctor yet? Knee issues can be persistent once they start if they aren't properly treated. In my case, I began to run last year only to find distances longer than 6mi created pain. Fast forward a year later and I still have days that I can't walk, and that's after giving up running for now to rest. My pain is linked to the fact that my pelvis is misaligned and one leg is significantly longer than the other. I just never noticed until I began running, which really surprised my physical therapist due to the severity. It required a lot of physical therapy and may require surgery. Do not continue activities that worsen it without seeing a sports doctor. You could damage it further, especially if it's a cartilage issue.

I got rescheduled...who knew doctors got sick? Ha. Anyway, I have ceased all activity that causes any pain--leg presses and @Duane2013 bike riding! I was so excited to get on a bike for the first time in 30 years last weekend--now that I've dropped 90 lbs, I thought I would be safe trying it. We only went about 3-4 miles and my knee was killing me.

I won't continue any of these till I see the dr. Thanks!

Duane2013

Your welcome. And congrats on the weight loss. A couple of xrays will tell you what's happening. Don't just let them inject you with rooster crown-do therapy first, unless your bone 2 bone Good luck and let us know what up !!

JulieSHelms

Mini-update--saw the dr. today and he's ordered an xray. He ruled out a few possibilities since I don't have pain with walking up stairs or curbs, and he twisted it this way and that with no pain. He thought it was very odd that biking was painful--he said that was his usual go-to for patients with knee pain. I love being original. Should know more later this week.

mgalovic01

I second the bicycle suggestion. Also do the ham and quad machines at the gym. Knee wraps couldn't hurt.