Exercising with creaky knees

nancycaregiver
nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i just did Bob Harper Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition DVD-The Workout. I have lost a significant amount of weight since February and I am feeling so much better. But all of my weight loss is due to diet. My knees creak and hurt when I do anything more than walking. I was able to get through level1 without much trouble, which I am proud and surprised. But lunges hurt my knees. There were not too many to do in the video but I could not go deep. When I get to a certain point, my knees start making a crunching sound and I feel pain. Not severe pain but pain, nonetheless. I don't think there is any real damage to my knees, just that they carried my big behind around for so long! I was just wondering if anyone else has the same issue and I'm hoping someone will tell me that the more I do, the better it will get. This couch potato feels like I have jello muscles!
Thanks,
Nancy

Replies

  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
    To avoid pain, make sure to strengthen your hip muscles, which helps by taking pressure off your knees. It really worked for me when I started running last year. However, I still have the creaky issue and I think it's just genetic, although I'd be interested to see any other responses you get here.
  • ShiraDarling
    ShiraDarling Posts: 232 Member
    Yes, strengthen the hips and you will notice a difference in how your knees feel. Also, maybe look into taking Glucosamine, it helps build tissue, arthritis prevention, etc.
  • ShiraDarling
    ShiraDarling Posts: 232 Member
    Oh.. and my knees crunch and click all the time too, it's quite loud actually- it tends to gross people out haha. But for me it stems from knee surgeries and the scarring in the tissue from that, which is why I take glucosamine myself.
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    Yes, strengthen the hips and you will notice a difference in how your knees feel. Also, maybe look into taking Glucosamine, it helps build tissue, arthritis prevention, etc.

    I've heard about glucosamibe. It is kinda high. Does it work? I hate taking stuff but if it works, I'll do it! I'm going to the doctor next week. I will talk to him about it.
    Thanks for the suggestion!
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    To avoid pain, make sure to strengthen your hip muscles, which helps by taking pressure off your knees. It really worked for me when I started running last year. However, I still have the creaky issue and I think it's just genetic, although I'd be interested to see any other responses you get here.
    What do I need to do to strengthen my hip muscles? The video was good...not too hard but enough that I feel it, especially in my legs! Do I just need to keep doing it?
    Thanks for your advice!
  • cordianet
    cordianet Posts: 534 Member
    While I wish I had a definitive answer for you, I too live with daily pain due to a lifetime of injury and abuse of my own body. That said, I'm hopeful it will get better. Personally, I continue to try to stretch the boundaries of my current limitations. I look at fitness the same way I do my weight loss: It took me a long time to get here, so it's going to take me a long time to get back to being fit.

    My advise would be not to rush it, you'll just risk really injuring something that could lead to a long down time. Keep taking it slow, but remember to keep trying to go just a bit further/longer whenever possible, even while avoiding the pain.

    We all have the ability to reach our maximum potential based only upon the limitations imposed on us by our genetics, our age, and any physiological damage we've done over time.

    You can do this!
  • mlworstell
    mlworstell Posts: 5 Member
    I've been taking it for about 3 weeks now...and I definitely notice a difference. My joints don't hurt as bad as they usually do. Whether or not it's mental or not, it's worth it for me! I bought a 60 day supply at Hy-Vee for like $12

    As for hips...they are super easy to strengthen. This youtube video shows the 3 most common ways: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVbmiI4YSdU
  • marrizia
    marrizia Posts: 88 Member
    I have creaky knees too, and lunges will probably always be out of the question for me, but working with a trainer has helped. When I first started with him, he had me do sit squats with feet out wider than the shoulders (just going low enough to touch my behind on a bench or chair) then getting back up again. That allowed for quad strengthening without achy knees. We have worked on strenthening hamstrings and calves too; I'm able to do more because of the strength than I could before starting with him- like leg extensions.
    He always says to stop what I'm doing if the knees start aching.
    Cycling works for me, too; I'm able to get in cardio without knee injury that way.
    Hope this helps, and good luck :)
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    I've been taking it for about 3 weeks now...and I definitely notice a difference. My joints don't hurt as bad as they usually do. Whether or not it's mental or not, it's worth it for me! I bought a 60 day supply at Hy-Vee for like $12

    As for hips...they are super easy to strengthen. This youtube video shows the 3 most common ways: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVbmiI4YSdU

    Thanks!! :happy:
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    I have creaky knees too, and lunges will probably always be out of the question for me, but working with a trainer has helped. When I first started with him, he had me do sit squats with feet out wider than the shoulders (just going low enough to touch my behind on a bench or chair) then getting back up again. That allowed for quad strengthening without achy knees. We have worked on strenthening hamstrings and calves too; I'm able to do more because of the strength than I could before starting with him- like leg extensions.
    He always says to stop what I'm doing if the knees start aching.
    Cycling works for me, too; I'm able to get in cardio without knee injury that way.
    Hope this helps, and good luck :)

    That squat thing is exactly where I have my problem. I start going down and get to a point where I either have to go back up or collapse. I can go down some but not far enough that I would be touching a chair with my behind.
  • weefreemen
    weefreemen Posts: 652 Member
    I've had so many knee surgeries I've lost count, nor do I have any cartilage left in my knees so they grind terribly and become very painful. Strengthening the quad muscles can help take off some of the tension, but I would truly avoid squats or anything bending your knees for any length of time. I do squats to help strengthen my quadriceps but I do them against a wall (back to the wall and legs apart at and slowly drop down the wall. The wall takes the weight, as you can lean into it. But you will strengthen the quads and hips without damaging the knees, thus getting the same benefit. This was the only way my physiotherapist ever said I should do squats... They still work and it gives me a good work out...
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
    To avoid pain, make sure to strengthen your hip muscles, which helps by taking pressure off your knees. It really worked for me when I started running last year. However, I still have the creaky issue and I think it's just genetic, although I'd be interested to see any other responses you get here.
    What do I need to do to strengthen my hip muscles?

    I strengthened my hips muscles through kickboxing and pilates leg moves, but I'm sure there are plenty of other exercises or types of workouts you could try too. Maybe a google search could help? Good luck!
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    I've had so many knee surgeries I've lost count, nor do I have any cartilage left in my knees so they grind terribly and become very painful. Strengthening the quad muscles can help take off some of the tension, but I would truly avoid squats or anything bending your knees for any length of time. I do squats to help strengthen my quadriceps but I do them against a wall (back to the wall and legs apart at and slowly drop down the wall. The wall takes the weight, as you can lean into it. But you will strengthen the quads and hips without damaging the knees, thus getting the same benefit. This was the only way my physiotherapist ever said I should do squats... They still work and it gives me a good work out...

    Thanks! That is a great idea!
  • nancycaregiver
    nancycaregiver Posts: 812 Member
    I strengthened my hips muscles through kickboxing and pilates leg moves, but I'm sure there are plenty of other exercises or types of workouts you could try too. Maybe a google search could help? Good luck!
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    Thanks!

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