Stop doing SQUATS!

You can accomplish the same "toning" by sitting in a chair and lifting your foot off of the floor and extending your foot straight out in front of you. Use a stability ball for more of a core workout but same movement. Also lay flat on your back bring one knee to your chest with the other leg extended. Lift and lower the extended leg and also simulating a "bicycle" pedaling movement will work your quads as well...and no added pressure like in a squat. If you want a little more resistence, add an ankle weight.

This is probably the most blatantly untrue statement I have read on MFP.

*Facepalm*

I had problems with my knees until I got my form right. Make sure you're getting low enough, also doing them barefoot really helped.

Knee Wraps

Knee wraps have long been a mainstay for competitive powerlifters, and for good reason. When properly used, wraps can dramatically improve knee safety during heavy squatting. More important, however, is the fact that wraps give you at least a 5-10 percent increase in how much you can lift. But there's a downside to using wraps also.

Wearing them while squatting under 80-85 percent or so is counterproductive to providing adaptive overload to various tissues comprising the knee. Simply, the wrap absorbs the stress instead of the tissues, so they never get stronger.

Guidelines for wearing knee wraps during squatting are as follows:

Keeping your knees warm (wrapped loosely) improves blood flow and tissue elasticity.
If the weight you're using is greater than 80-85 percent of your maximum,or
If you have knee problems that require wearing wraps.
If you STILL insist on using them, go ahead and do so, but with the following points in mind. When buying knee wraps, opt for the ones that 1) weigh the most (more fabric equals greater protection, and 2) that stretch out to at least 19-20 feet in length (more times around the knee equals greater protection).

Do NOT purchase wraps that are bulky, heavily elasticized and stretch out to under fifteen feet. Tightness from elasticity is NOT affording you any real support!

Here are the steps to go through when putting your wraps on:

Sit on a chair or bench. Begin with the wrap completely stretched and rolled up (this makes the process much easier than fighting to stretch the wrap as you go).
With your leg straight, start applying the wrap below the knees, working upward. Wrapping from "in" to "out," (counterclockwise for the left leg, clockwise for the right -- this helps avoid improper patellar tracking), anchor the wrap by applying 2 layers below the knees, then move upward, overlapping each previous layer by one-half the width of the wrap.

Apply the wrap tightly as you move past the knee, stopping somewhere on the lower third of the thigh (powerlifting rules allow 10 centimeters above the patella).

Most of the wrap is wound around the leg just above the knee joint in orderto "pin" the quadriceps tendon to the femur below -- better leverage). Tuck the end of the wrap under the previous layer to secure it. Repeat for the other leg.

An alternative more suitable for fitness and bodybuilding, perhaps, is to wrap tightly around the upper shin (where the patellar ligament attaches), then more loosely wound over the kneecap itself (this is important to avoid grinding the patella into the femoral condyle, creating a case of chondromalacia for yourself), then tightly wound over the lower quarter of the thigh.

The rationale for wrapping the knees prior to heavy squatting is that it reduced the pulling forces on the lower quadriceps and the quadriceps tendon at it's attachment to the patella. This translates to significantly reduced chances of avulsing (detaching) your quadriceps tendon or tearing your quads during heavy squatting. The chances of your patellar tendon avulsing from your tibia are a bit less, but nonetheless omnipresent.

The Whole article is hear.. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drsquat12.htm

A few years ago I lost 45lbs, I did about 120 push ups per day all at one time. One day my arms hurt so much I couldn't carry my purse or my daughter. I went to the emergency room and discovered I ripped a muscle in both my shoulders, and my chest and I got a hernia in my stomach. I was on steroids for almost a year, I got almost all of the weight back and when I was ready to start again they found gallbladder stones. It took me almost 6 months to recover from that; I had to start over :-(

I began with calorie counting, lighter work outs, like powerwalking and dancing. I started power walking about 5 miles per day and lost about 20lbs. That was not enough. After I lost 20lbs I began circuit training and when I can't do an excercise that they're performing I do situps, leg peddaling and push ups to keep moving with the program. Don't do things you can't do or push yourself too hard. Now, I am down about 35lbs. 15 more to go and no injuries! Let's just say I learned my lesson.

Doing squats in perfect form are great, but you have to do reps, don't push yourself too hard on one workout. Working your whole body is better than stressing one. I learned that in order to perform certain excercises you should lose most of your weight first, but even then you can injure yourself. The important thing is saftey, the next thing is calorie burning. I lost the most weight I have ever lost circuit training w/ Jillian Michaels. I love it, you don't over work yourself. Minimize Strength training until you have lost about 60% of the weight you are trying to lose, then begin to focus on toning and strength, don't over do it though.

Good Luck!

Follow your doctor's advice and stop. Why go if you don't want to listen to what they say? The alternative is to blow out your knees and be down for months instead of the few weeks it takes to heal.

You can accomplish the same "toning" by sitting in a chair and lifting your foot off of the floor and extending your foot straight out in front of you. Use a stability ball for more of a core workout but same movement. Also lay flat on your back bring one knee to your chest with the other leg extended. Lift and lower the extended leg and also simulating a "bicycle" pedaling movement will work your quads as well...and no added pressure like in a squat. If you want a little more resistence, add an ankle weight.

This is probably the most blatantly untrue statement I have read on MFP.

No, it is not! This exercise was actually given to me by my PT. I also have crappy knees with moderate arthritis and torn meniscus, so squatting is totally out of the question.

I had/have this same problem.
Form is key. The other thing that helps me is a new coach told me to push my knees OUT the WHOLE time down and back up.
This has really helped my pain. It's still there, but no where near as severe and I have been able to not only do my sqauts, but many other OLY lifts!
So PUSH OUT!!!!!!