Cardio with a bum knee???

DeniseMayree

Any suggestions??? I have bone on bone in my right knee and arthritis in the right side of it. i already experience pain, but it is even worse with activity... help!!!

cleesus

DeniseMayree wrote: »

Any suggestions??? I have bone on bone in my right knee and arthritis in the right side of it. i already experience pain, but it is even worse with activity... help!!!

It would really depend on your knee injury. I injured my knee 2 years ago by twisting my ankle while running(I love running). But I still run/jog/jump rope to this day since my knee injury wasnt bad enough to keep me from exercising on it nor did it need surgery. Your doctor would be the best one to answer this.

iWishMyNameWasRebel

Same...basically no cartilage in either knee. I do a lot of strength training, which actually helps a lot. For my cardio, the elliptical is my best friend. I can go for walks, but they can't vigorous...mainly just pleasant strolls. I also do standing punches (surprisingly gets your heart rate up nicely when you punch fast enough, especially if you're holding dumbbells), and stationary bike, but if I put the resistance too high, it hurts the knee. Also, doing what I call "happy feet" in tabata sets works super well. It's like running in place, except I'm only lifting my foot about an inch off the ground, so it's more of shuffling in place at a high rate of speed and that keeps the pressure off my knees. Swimming and water aerobics also fantastic if you have access (I don't at present).

Gisel2015

Ask your orthopedic doctor or PT person, they should be able to give you exercises and/or recommendations. Topical creams are also helpful.

You didn't specify what kind of exercises bother you knee (walking, running?), so in the mean time you may considering using the stationary bicycle (recumbent or upright), maybe the elliptical or ARC Fitness could be a good choice too instead of the treadmill. Water aerobics and/or swimming are also a good options. Good luck!

DeniseMayree

iWishMyNameWasRebel wrote: »

Same...basically no cartilage in either knee. I do a lot of strength training, which actually helps a lot. For my cardio, the elliptical is my best friend. I can go for walks, but they can't vigorous...mainly just pleasant strolls. I also do standing punches (surprisingly gets your heart rate up nicely when you punch fast enough, especially if you're holding dumbbells), and stationary bike, but if I put the resistance too high, it hurts the knee. Also, doing what I call "happy feet" in tabata sets works super well. It's like running in place, except I'm only lifting my foot about an inch off the ground, so it's more of shuffling in place at a high rate of speed and that keeps the pressure off my knees. Swimming and water aerobics also fantastic if you have access (I don't at present).

thanks hon, very helpful...somewhere for me to start when i go to the gym for the first time in 5 years, next week...yikes

MikePfirrman

Believe it or not, motion is the best thing. I had a very devastating knee injury at 42 (I'm now 53). Was told after two consultations and one surgery to attempt to fix it that I needed a total knee replacement. I sheared the meniscus off the bone essentially. The knee doc (who did 300+ surgeries a year) told me it was the worst, if not one of the worst knees he saw all year.

I was too young at that time to have a knee replacement so they decided to go back in, do an ACL replacement (I didn't have one for years, thus how I buggered up the knee so bad!) and microfracture surgery -- drilling tiny holes in the knee cap hoping something grows back. Doc also told me every time he bent my knee on the table it dislocated at first. Took six months to bear weight, around a year to walk with a very heavy limp, all in severe pain.

What I learned in therapy was that I could sit there and not move it or move the joint and every time I moved the joint (even if it was forced movement at first), it felt better. My therapist said your body loves movement. I ran out of PT appts before I could walk but I continued on my own with a stationary bike until I could exercise on it. Started walking a few hundred feet and a year or so later walked 3 miles a day. Went back to the gym and started Spinning classes after a year or so more. Again, hurt quite a bit when started -- had to ice the knee many times.

After 3/4 years of this (along with lifting), I actually decided to try jogging again and, to my surprise, could (really slow) for around 100 steps or so. I ended up running 8 to 10 mile very hilly trail races before a chronic runner's knee, my good knee of all things, ended that! I was never fast but still, there was a point I thought I'd never run again in my life. Heck, there was a point I wasn't sure I'd ever walk again! This injury is what started my weight journey. I was 245 at my largest -- now I'm a very solid 188.

Now I row 50K/60K meters a week. My knee is so crappy structurally, but everything around it is so strong and, I think, compensates for it. Also, I have very little, if any pain. I'm actually a very competitive indoor rower now (on the Concept2 rowing machine).

I'm hoping to put off the knee replacement at least until my 60s if not forever (they are doing incredibly things with rich platelet therapy and stem cell injections now). I've been "bone on bone" the entire time. I hate to say but if you work it, it gets desensitized to the pain and your joint will feel better. Now if you don't try to work it, you'll end up having a knee replacement very young in life.

MostlyWater

question for a dr. not us.

Maxxitt

Swimming might work for you.

AnnPT77

Another vote for physical therapy. Depending on your specifics, they can offer rehab exercises, teach movement patterns to reduce joint stress, and make recommendations about what ongoing regular exercise is viable for you.

Accurate diagnosis (which it sounds like you have) and insightful self-assessment are also key.

I have a torn meniscus and arthritis, plus some debris in the joints, but am deferring surgery as long as practical. PT gave me exercises for better hip mobility, and taught me ways to walk and climb stairs that would reduce stress on the joint.

I've learned that I can tolerate a good bit of straight-line hinging motion, but very little impact or torque. Rowing (on water or machine) and cycling/spinning work for me. Things like running, aerobics, basketball, tennis don't. It's very individual.

Best of luck finding a solution that fits you.

mom23mangos

Swimming is great as others mentioned. I've been using the Ski-erg to get a cardio workout in with a fractured kneecap. My gym also has a rope pull machine. That one REALLY gets the heart rate up.

aokoye

I'm going to second everyone who has mentioned talking to a doctor and PT. I'm five months out of my fourth major knee surgery which involved moving the tibial tuberosity medially (a tibial tubercle osteotomy) and MPFL reconstruction. I will likely be in PT through the end of the summer.

The only thing with swimming is that breaststroke is probably going to aggravate your knee (I would be somewhat unsurprised if butterly did the same). Swimming other strokes with good form likely won't, but breaststroke is hard on knees.

anastasiapuzur

Stairs are the best to strengthen any weak knees!! Also but kicks are great for knees, you lie in your stomach and do butt kicks for 2 minutes - 6 minutes

DeniseMayree

well, looks like i am starting physical therapy...thank you everyone for your input. i really appreciate it and will now have different things to bring up with my therapist now.

MikePfirrman

After checking with a doc to ensure it's OK to workout, Tai Chi is also an excellent way to workout with bad joints. It's actually been proven to help alleviate chronic pain. The benefits of water aerobics without the need for pool access (and I like it better because no chemical exposure).

AnnPT77

MikePfirrman wrote: »

After checking with a doc to ensure it's OK to workout, Tai Chi is also an excellent way to workout with bad joints. It's actually been proven to help alleviate chronic pain. The benefits of water aerobics without the need for pool access (and I like it better because no chemical exposure).

Sadly, workability of tai chi is also going to depend on both the nature of the joint problem, and the particular style of tai chi. Some styles involve pivoting on a fully or partially weighted leg.

Speaking only for myself, I can't do that (at least not regularly ) without increased persistent pain, with my particular joint issues. I gave up tai chi after studying it fairly seriously for 8 or so years.

It's good stuff, for those without contraindications, though!