Need to exercise but knees hurt

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cfm919
cfm919 Posts: 13 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm very over weight and I'm trying to lose weight. But here lies the problem.... I can't exercise because my knees hurt. Does anybody know of any kinds of exercises I can do so they won't hurt as much? Thank you in advance for the replies!

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  • lulukittie
    lulukittie Posts: 340 Member
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    You could try low- or no-impact exercise like swimming, biking, Pilates, rowing machine, aqua aerobics, and things like that. Does walking bother your knees?
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    http://exercise.about.com/library/blseatedupperbody.htm

    These are good upper body exercises you can do seated. I sometimes do variations of these to get my blood pumping when I'm at work. I don't even have to leave my cubicle.

    ETA: Once you start losing weight, the pressure on your knees might improve. The important thing is to keep to your calorie goal and keep moving--however you can.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
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    Depends on the problems with your knees.

    Are you talking an LCL sprain? ACL tear? patellfemoral pain?

    "knee" is surprising a complex construct.

    I'll give you the best, most personalized answer you will get from this thread.

    Go have your doctor send you to a physical therapist, and work out a place with them.
  • CCSavage88
    CCSavage88 Posts: 191
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    Water!!
  • TMortier722
    TMortier722 Posts: 1 Member
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    I agree... water aerobics is good exercise and will probably not bother your knees at all. My mother had the same problem and once she lost about 40-50 pounds, her knees hardly hurt.

    If you need to use a cardio machine, the ellipticals will have the lowest impact- there is no actual stepping.
  • cfm919
    cfm919 Posts: 13 Member
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    Thanks everybody!!! What great suggestions. I will try the water, now to get myself to the pool ( apartment living).
  • cha97shelley
    cha97shelley Posts: 17 Member
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    I have a lot of knee issues - swimming can sometimes aggravate it, but I find that going on the exercise bike really does help to strengthen it in my case. A lot of walking, especially outside on hilly terrain can really hurt. I strap it up if I know I am going to do something like that to give it extra support and stop me hurting it before I do it.
  • lulukittie
    lulukittie Posts: 340 Member
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    Good luck! My mom has very bad knees-- they both need to be replaced actually-- and loves doing water workouts.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    On youtube there are a whole passel of videos for sitting aerobics, chair tai-chi and the like -- many designed by exercise physiologists.

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