Knee Issues

cbevan1229
cbevan1229 Posts: 326 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking for tips on how to manage problem knee joints.

I haven't had any injuries that require medical attention, probably mostly due to my former sloth-like lifestyle. My right knee joint will occasionally lock up on me, and I have some pain during and after exercises, especially lunges and squats. My knees also make crunching and popping sounds, during exercise, but also just when straightening the joint when I'm sitting down. I think some of this is genetic - my father also has terrible knees, and had one replaced at 60. His father also had several knee replacements.

So far this is just an annoyance, but I want to make sure I don't do any damage. My exercise currently is the 30 Day Shred, which includes lots of lunges and squats, and the beginning of the C25K program.

Are there exercises/foods/supplements that will help strengthen/cushion/lubricate my poor, aching, noisy knees?

Replies

  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    Bump. I have arthritis in both knees, (which is very close to what you've described), curious to see what's recommended too.

    I don't do a lot of squats or lunges, they hurt.

    I've started experiencing pain when I walk too and forget about running!
  • speediejane
    speediejane Posts: 496 Member
    BEST TO HAVE KNEES CHECKED OUT BY GP-ALSO LOW INPACT EXERCISES SWIMMING WALKING BIKE-EASY ON THE JOINTS
  • quietcoral
    quietcoral Posts: 64 Member
    You could always try glucosamine chrondritin(spelling). This is supposed to help build cartilage and lubricate joints. I too have one bad knee and I bought some recently, but I haven't really tried them yet. I doubt it is a cure, but I think it might help to take the edge off a little...
  • Dragonldy69
    Dragonldy69 Posts: 368 Member
    I had a torn muniscus in my knee about 3yrs ago and had to have surgery on it.. I had my knees pop and hurt pryor to that but the reason I had surgery is I slipped when I was working and turned it.. The Dr. said it was not in good condition and for me to becareful.. I walk and exercise all the time..I do low impact exercises.. It pops and locks up on me off and on and hurts when it gets cold. I don't know what to say about any tips but just keep moving and move slowly when it pops or locks up. I sit in a Hot Bath once in awhile when that happens in the evening. It seams like it does help. There is some joint polls that also help and creams. Read them ..There are some that do say for knees..
    Hope this will help you some..
    Kathy:flowerforyou:
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
    i've had 14 knee surgeries, so i like to think that i mostly know what i am talking about... go to a orthopedic doctor. he/she should order an mri. that will (most likely) tell you what is going on with your knee. you could be doing more damage to it. so get it checked out. and stop doing squats and lunges until doc tells you it is ok. but if your knee hurts, and there is something more than minor going on in there, your lunges and squating days are over.

    low impact exercises like walking, swimming and biking will be best. elliptical too. maybe you just need an anti-inflamatory medication until it calms down a little, maybe you need to have your knee replaced. only a orthopedic will be able to determine that, so make an appointment!

    good luck.
  • karaks
    karaks Posts: 108 Member
    I have osteoarthritis in both knees. My ortho recommends glucosamine and chondroitin for it. It has helped, but he told me that it doesn't work for everyone. In my case, he recommended that I don't do squats or lunges because of the wear and tear it can cause, but it's hard to stay away from those when we do those kind of movements in our every day life, so he now tells me not to do those in my workouts more than once or twice a week. I am also supposed to avoid running and high impact exercises.

    I would recommend going to see an orthopedic doctor and/or a physical therapist, even if you don't think the pain is bad enough to require surgery. They can give you good advice and tell you what to do/avoid to ensure the health of your knees in the long term. Only they will be able to tell you exactly what is wrong and how to avoid further injury.

    I would also recommend modifying any workouts you do that cause pain while exercising. There are always things you can do and still get a good workout. I wasn't going to let my bad knees keep me from doing the Insanity workouts, which are very high impact, so I use a mini trampoline and do all the high impact stuff on it and then move to the floor for everything else. Good luck! :smile:
  • Vailara
    Vailara Posts: 2,477 Member
    Your knees sound similar to mine! I've had problems for about 30 years with mine. Because I'm very overweight as well, I try to avoid anything high impact (don't want to be crashing down on those joints!). Personally, I don't feel comfortable with lunges. I also don't like walking down hills (very painful on the knees), so at the moment, I don't go up them! (I used to love hill-walking). I also avoid anything that twists the legs/knees.

    I've taken supplements in the past, but I'm not convinced that they help.

    I AM doing squats with heavy weights. I think that in theory, they should strengthen the muscles around the knee joint and help support it. I'm waiting to see if it works like that in practice!

    I also do a little bit of cycling and walking.

    I don't know enough to give you advice, but I'm just letting you know what seems to work for me with similar symptoms. I hope you find exercise that suits you!
  • Kitzey
    Kitzey Posts: 214 Member
    When I was 37 I was diagnosed with osteo arthritis in my left knee. My symptoms were similar to what you are experiencing sharp pains, popping, cracking of bones and a bit of swelling in my knee. I was advised to lose weight and start exercise to help the symptoms. Well a few years later (and a few more) I decided it was time as the knee was progressively getting worse in the and I am not getting any younger. So after losing 30lbs and exercising almost daily it didn't feel it was getting better so I went to my GP (frustration for me was setting in as I was doing everything they said to make it less of a bother to me)and he set up an MRI for me to see if there are any other issues. In the meantime, while waiting for the MRI, he has told me not to push it to much and do what I can without severe discomfort. Now that summer has arrived I'm finding my knee is better and I'm able to push a bit more without much pain... there is always some pain but nothing I can't handle.

    Someone mentioned glucosamine chrondritin... I tried that with no success, yet I have friends who swear by it so I think that varies by individual. I took it for 2 months and didn't find a difference at all.
  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 806 Member
    glucosamine chrondritin. My mom took this stuff for her knees and after a while she had no pain.
  • E4boys
    E4boys Posts: 15 Member
    I've heard alot of people use Glucosamin. But I really don't like taking pills, so when I go to the gym, I put 10 pounds of weight on the leg extension machine. I do 15 reps on each leg, two times. It's a light weight, and it has helped strengthen my knees. Since I've been doing that, I haven't had problems with my knees.
  • madworld1
    madworld1 Posts: 524
    I am 32 and also have knee problems. I think it is from 6+ years of running. Now, I'm barely running and it even hurts to walk. I am supposed to have an MRI, but we're trying to move, so I have to wait. In the mean time, I am taking glucosamine. In the past, it worked for me. But, it doesn't seem to be helping at all anymore. It's worth a shot though. Good luck.
  • lauraniwa
    lauraniwa Posts: 131 Member
    The best way to manage knee pain is to
    1) clear yourself of the possibility of structural damage. If you're relatively young (under 45) and have not had any major falls or injuries to the knee, then you (most likely) don't have a structural issue
    2)get your form checked. Most knee problems during exercicse come from positioning and alignment or a mismatch in muscle strength side-to-side

    A couple other posters suggested getting checked by your GP, that's a good place to start, but some GP's aren't interested in sports issues, you might need to go to a physiotherapist. In Canada physio's are primary care providers and you don't need a doctor referral, unless your insurance sompany needs you to have one for them to pay up.

    3)Doing squats/lunges correctly will actually help over time. CORRECTLY. Every single one of my knee patients is assigned some kind of squat or lunge, but the form has to be perfect every time.

    Good luck.
  • Spartan_Maker
    Spartan_Maker Posts: 683 Member
    SQUATS: try pointing your feet out at a 20-30 degree angle. When you squat down, make sure your knees follow your toes at this same angle. Squat all the way down, as far as you can go, rather than to "parallel" as many trainers suggest. In other words, assume a "natural" squatting position, as if nature was calling. Biomechanically, this should place the least amount of stress on your knees and give you the most power out of the squat.

    LUNGES: Do them as if you were playing high school sports again and your coach just told you to "take a knee" -- then rise. This puts the least amount of stress on the knees and is the most functional way to perform the movement.
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