Sore knees

MellieCc
MellieCc Posts: 26 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I am hoping that someone can give me advice.
I am a longtime athlete (military 14 years) since retired and now trying to get back into shape...ugh
Started training and working out again a few months ago and I have never had this but my knees are sore now.
I have been doing A LOT of squats, lunges and I do do step classes at my gym at least once a week.
What can I do to help this or avoid it?
I have been putting gel/creme for muscles stiffness on my knees most nights and that seems to help a little......

Thanks a bundle.

M.

Replies

  • snsmyth
    snsmyth Posts: 35 Member
    If you don't mind taking supplements, I found Flex Freak by Pharma Freak very helpful.
  • kelliward1
    kelliward1 Posts: 97 Member
    I have inherited "bad" knees from my parents and one knee I injured years ago in a fall down some stairs, I find alternating days where I don't do so much high impact workouts helps my knees. Like today I did tae bo, but tomorrow I will probably ride the stationary bike instead. Another great exercise for sore knees is swimming.
  • ohnoetry
    ohnoetry Posts: 129
    I wear a knee wrap to help with the pressure I put on my knees. It was something like $10 on Amazon.com. I also make it a point to foam roll after running or hard workouts. Yoga might be able to help, too. If you Google "stretches for your knees" I'm sure you'll find lots of other ideas.
  • PJ64
    PJ64 Posts: 866 Member
    Retired Military here too, had similar issues. Changing shoes helped. I went to my local running store and the scanned my feet & then they watched me run, set me up with the right shoes and they help the soreness immensely.
  • Joannesmith2818
    Joannesmith2818 Posts: 438 Member
    Lunges are what do my knees in. I stick to squats and other leg exercises!
  • james6998
    james6998 Posts: 743 Member
    Hi,
    I am hoping that someone can give me advice.
    I am a longtime athlete (military 14 years) since retired and now trying to get back into shape...ugh
    Started training and working out again a few months ago and I have never had this but my knees are sore now.
    I have been doing A LOT of squats, lunges and I do do step classes at my gym at least once a week.
    What can I do to help this or avoid it?
    I have been putting gel/creme for muscles stiffness on my knees most nights and that seems to help a little......

    Thanks a bundle.

    M.
    Have you tried wrapping your knees? I had to do this now that i am older. Supports the knees when squatting. Also if your going to squat, try using the leg extension first to warm up the muscles supporting your knee.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    You should talk to a physiotherapist or a doctor with sports medicine background. That said, less volume and more weight may help. I know that heavy squats do not cause me any pain but high volume does. My issue, though, is with ligament damage and knees can go out of whack in many different ways. Check your form, wrap your knees, and take it slowly.
  • twartick
    twartick Posts: 1
    Mellie, One of the things I find helps it does not totally alleviate but greatly reduces knee as well as other joint pain is to increase your water intake especially for the knees. Picture a sponge that hasn't been in the water in some time that's what you're cartilage is like. The more water the better shock absorption of the exercises. This tip was shared with me several yrs back and I found it to as I said be helpful. Its also more natural and cost effective than chondoitin and glucosamine which also while helpful do not eliminate it. Good luck and God bless
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Knee pain is usually a sign of bad squat form, usually knees caving in instead of pushing out, or only doing partial squats instead of hitting below parallel. I don't do lunges, so I can't comment on those, but I've heard knee pain complaints about them often, which is why I avoid them and never recommend them.
  • Shari_P
    Shari_P Posts: 11 Member
    At the suggestion of my orthopedic surgeon I began focusing on strengthening my inner and outer thighs. I'm also very diligent to ensure I'm using correct form. Squats and lunges can be brutal on bad knees if you're form is off. And lastly, as others have mentioned, wrapping my knees offers much needed added support.

    Good luck!

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