Knee Prolems

hockeymomof3

Hello,
I am 50+ and I need some help with toning my gluteus. I can't do squats so if anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

Red_Sparrow

Barbell hip thrust, glute bridges, lying hip raises, kettlebell swings if your knees allow, hamstring curls, deadlifts.

dkhuff1

Agree with above. I have bad knees but can do all of those. I can do squats too, but not full depth. I only go so that my thighs are parallel to the floor.

BeachIron

This is also one of those areas where speaking to a physiotherapist and/or a doctor with sports medicine experience would be a great idea. It's very difficult for anyone here to give you advice as to the right exercises for your limitations as there are lots of ways to have "bad knees" and the severity of each case varies. I have minor knee issues but I still squat. That obviously won't work for everyone. Frick'n knees!

You can experiment with the above exercises, which is probably a good idea, and ease into them slowly. Just using body weight or bar weight in the beginning is a good approach until you can lock in your form.

Good luck!

Katla49

This is also one of those areas where speaking to a physiotherapist and/or a doctor with sports medicine experience would be a great idea. It's very difficult for anyone here to give you advice as to the right exercises for your limitations as there are lots of ways to have "bad knees" and the severity of each case varies. I have minor knee issues but I still squat. That obviously won't work for everyone. Frick'n knees!

You can experiment with the above exercises, which is probably a good idea, and ease into them slowly. Just using body weight or bar weight in the beginning is a good approach until you can lock in your form.

Good luck!

Good advice! I have bad knees and did see a doctor. He gave me some leg strengthening exercises to improve the muscles supporting the knee joint. They're helping. Losing weight helped the situation significantly as well. One knee seems completely healed and the other is dramatically better. I take yoga classes twice weekly, and get as much other exercise as I can. It is improving my strength and flexibility. Good luck to you.

CyberEd312

This is also one of those areas where speaking to a physiotherapist and/or a doctor with sports medicine experience would be a great idea. It's very difficult for anyone here to give you advice as to the right exercises for your limitations as there are lots of ways to have "bad knees" and the severity of each case varies. I have minor knee issues but I still squat. That obviously won't work for everyone. Frick'n knees!

You can experiment with the above exercises, which is probably a good idea, and ease into them slowly. Just using body weight or bar weight in the beginning is a good approach until you can lock in your form.

Good luck!

Spot on!!! I have severely bad knee's and have had multiple clean outs, do knee injections, wear custom fitted knee braces from DonJoy, and have spent the last 4 years working with my Physical therapist to be able to go from not being able to walk (literally) 4 years ago to progressing from pool therapy to land based exercises and now have added in Weight training for legs... None of this would have been possible had I not worked with my ortho doctor and therapist.... Best of Luck

lithezebra

Strong Curves is a great book for glute exercises. There are many alternatives to squats.

BinaryPulsar

I've had knee injuries and structural issues for a very long time. I also see a physiotherapist when needed. With squats, I can't go heavy, but they are still good for me to do. But, I do follow Strong Curves and bretcontreras.com. I do various hip thrusts and glute bridges (heavy weights). I do deadlifts (these will help a lot with strength, as you progress and make other exercises easier, but start slow as you learn form and what weight works for you). Glute kickbacks or Quadriped Hip Extension. And other info from the book and web site. If you want to do some hip abbduction work, go heavy and sit forward and lean forward, to target the upper/outer glutes. You don't need to do a lot of that.

shirleygirl910

There's alot more than just the glutes involved in knees. You need to learn the muscles of the legs and how they work together. Strengthen all the leg muscles to help hold the knees in place and give them structure.

I too have severe knee pain. I can't do a lunge with my right knee. I can do a basic squat, but no more than 90 degree angle. I have been working on all the muscles in the calves, the quads, glutes, hip abductors, abs, and all the fine motor movement. Make sure you work the muscles evenly or balanced. Just build a good structure for support.

dmpizza

Try swiss ball squats. Put an exercise ball between you and the wall and do squats. Its easier on everything.

gmallan

What beachlron said. Bad knees is a little too vauge to be giving any advice at all and you're best bet is to see a physio. I had "bad knees" (patella tendoitis) and the main exercise given to me to corret them was fitball or incline squats. They were supposed to hurt when I was doing them.

lithezebra

Learning proper alignment is important. I always looked like I had perfect form on lunges and squats, but shifting my weight subtly back so that my knee didn't move forward of my heel improved some knee pain that I was having. It helps to have a really good trainer (or dance teacher) who gives perceptive feedback on what you're doing.

meerkat70

I struggle with squats because of very dodgy hypermobile knees. I do do them, when I can, but I'm incredibly careful.

I found that building to do a good number, to a good depth, with good form, bodyweight only, enabled me to lift better in the gym, and with fewer knee problems.

I started up against a wall (facing the wall, and squattting without touching the wall with any part of my body). Also, do one with really good form, rather than lots of sloppy half baked forms. Go below parallel as this *reduces* knee strain.

However, if a squat with or without weights is entirely impossible, this suggestion won't help you.

BinaryPulsar

Here is an article by Bret Contrera about the importance of at least trying a set of goblet squats with your workouts (if you get an ok from your physiotherapist).

http://bretcontreras.com/a-set-of-goblet-squats-per-day-keeps-the-doctor-away/