knee pain, squats and lunges

sbilyeu75

I'm starting a new strength training program for winter. I've looked at a lot of them and decided to go with The New Rules of Lifting for Women. The problem I'm having with this and all other programs is that I'm having a terrible time with squats and lunges. My right knee is hurting just on the upper inside of the knee cap (not behind the knee cap). I have no grinding, just sharp then aching pain. I don't get pain when I run and I can actually do step-ups even though they hurt, it's not as bad as the squatting or lunges.

Are there alternatives to squats and lunges that will still help me build strength in those muscles? I've been searching but all I've found so far is lunges as an alternative to the squat and vice versa.

bopper

I am no expert but I would wear a knee brace on the knees to keep them stable. I have bad knees too and I am doing P90X and I don't lunge as deep as they do and I don't squat as low. I just do what I am able with out pain. I hear crunching in my knees and clicking when I do lunging but I am careful of my form. Try the knee braces.

BOGmama2010

I don't know of a good alternative. But, I suggest you don't try to go as low. That's the modification I see whenever I see lunges and squats. Ice your knees afterwards for sure. It will get better as you build up the muscles surrounding your knees.

lordofultima

Make sure your knees don't go past your toes when doing squats, push up with your heel and not the balls of your feet. Push your hips back more to get a better squat form. You can also stretch often, before and after exercise, in-between exercises even. Then again you might just have chronic knee pain like me, some of it is unavoidable.

christabeltoria

Don't go past 90 degrees on squats and lunges (with front leg). See your doctor if the pain persists. Take care of your knees! Believe me, without them you can do very little!

Chenoachem

The knee pain you are describing in classic to a mistracked knee cap from an unbalance in the strength in your legs. As mentioned before, the only modification I can think of is to not go as slowly. I would recommend doing a low number, kind of like pushups and increasing every other day.

You can use something like this as a starting point:

http://www.twohundredsquats.com/

bopper

This is a good dvd for strengthening your knees

http://www.collagevideo.com/workout-video/strong-knees-5706

It is called Strong Knees, highly recommend.