swollen knees?

ummommyme

I started the 30ds four days ago and my knees were hurting so i bought new shoes and that seems to have helped. My knees pop daily since i started working out a few months ago. But today i noticed a lot of swelling in my right knee and a little bit in my left not hurting but very swollen. Any ideas as to why and if it's a bad sign? I don't want to injure myself. So if you have advice i'd love to hear it. This is the first time i've done so many workouts in a row and in a week even. Thanx
OOps-it posted twice-sorry!

keschuh79

Unfortunately, I have had the luck of having not so great knees (genetics and being super heavy for most of my life). So I can appreciate your concerns. I've found that diversity in workouts is the best bet to keep my knees from getting too sore or swelling up. Too much repetition in movements (which often occurs with dvds because there's really only a couple of workouts to do over and over again) can cause a strain. I would recommend looking for different types of workouts, not just Jillian's 30ds. Walking, running, elliptical, or even other types of workout dvds. And maybe take more days off? You want to think big picture. You don't want to injure yourself to the point of not being able working out... and I've done that to myself and it's not so fun. Plus, injury is often demotivating... so be smart. Make sure you're careful and testing out all aspects of working out. And take breaks when your body tells you to.

getupandmoveit

Unfortunately I'm not sure what would help this in the long run. However, I got knee surgery not long ago, and since then my knee swells up like a balloon after exercise. To prevent it, I use something called Topricin, an anti-inflammatory cream. There are plenty just like it, Arnica is another one I like to use. I just put it on before my workout and there's not a swollen knee in sight