Advice on knee friendly workouts please?

I've got hypermobility as well as dodgy knees (subluxating patellae).
Have never done Insanity/30DS etc, but I did do Zumba for a year and loved it (only stopped as I couldn't afford to keep going).
So long as you make your instructor aware of problems before you start, and don't push yourself too hard with anything that would overstretch your knees, you should be fine - and it's an awesome and very fun calorie burn.

At the gym, I've been doing cardio mainly on an Arc Trainer as it's wonderfully low impact and have just started working with weights to start strengthening the muscles in my legs so that my knees become better supported by themselves. Although initially painful, squats are very good for strengthening around your knees.

Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and Leg Presses as heavy as you can handle for 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps every other day. Specifically, try 30% Leg Extensions (where you only do the top 30% of a leg extension) and 30% Leg Curls will help strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings to prevent hyperextension. Usually all three of these are done on machines at the gym, but you can do them with a resistance band at home too. If you can't find videos or good explanations of these online, PM me and I'll go through my tapes when I did my exercise tv show to see if I can find video of the proper form. At the very least, I'll be able to find some pictures.

I have bad knees and Arthritis. Zumba can be tough on the knee, the key is to pay attention and also don't wear regular sneakers. If you really like it, invest in Jazz or Zuba sneakers. These do not stick on the floor and slide when you do the twisting. If I wear regular sneakers my knees hurt like hell after, if I wear Jazz sneakers not so much.

I also wear a knee brace on my really bad knee to help stabalize it. Not always because it is good to strengthen the little muscles that stabilize, but it helps a lot.

Rebounding (mini-trampoline) is supposed to be great for bad knees.

Definitely water aerobics as mentioned above. My knee was mangled in a car crash and I am very limited in what I can do.

I tried 30DS but couldn't get beyond the second day as it was too painful. I have tried various classes in the gym but can't find one that suits.

Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and Leg Presses as heavy as you can handle for 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps every other day. Specifically, try 30% Leg Extensions (where you only do the top 30% of a leg extension) and 30% Leg Curls will help strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings to prevent hyperextension. Usually all three of these are done on machines at the gym, but you can do them with a resistance band at home too. If you can't find videos or good explanations of these online, PM me and I'll go through my tapes when I did my exercise tv show to see if I can find video of the proper form. At the very least, I'll be able to find some pictures.

I have hypermobility as well and leg extensions kill my knees, I would suggest squats or leg presses instead. It is true though that strong legs are key to those with hypermobility. I don't let it prevent me from doing anything except for maybe kick boxing.

after my knee surgery, I was able to return to spinning classes pretty quickly. It helps strengthen your legs and doesn't have the lateral motion you have to worry about.

I'm a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist with a Degree in Exercise Physiology. I absolutely do not recommend squats unless you have someone watching your form and it is exactly perfect with no knee movement over the toes. The leg extension is the primary focus in knee rehab because it isolates the quadriceps which merge into the patella tendon, therefore providing strength and stability to it and preventing movement of the patella out of alignment. If you experience pain when doing leg extensions, you probably doing one of two things--going too heavy or not lining your knee up properly in the leg extension machine. To make sure that you are properly lined up in the machine, find the bony part of the side of your knee and line it up with the pivot point of the machine. If your knee isn't lined up properly, you are basically applying the force at the incorrect angle and can cause some knee problems so that is my first thing to check. After that, then I'd look at your weight. I start people out from knee problems with no weight at all, just doing the extension in a chair at home. When that doesn't cause pain for 2-3 sets of 15ish reps, then I will put them on the machine, but pull the pin so they are just lifting the apparatus. Again, not increasing weight until 2-3 sets of 15 doesn't cause any discomfort. Never work to the point of pain, but some discomfort will be felt if you have a knee injury. I know, I've rehabbed my left knee multiple times from 5 total injuries, 2 resulting in surgery. While mine were accident related (2 car accidents and 3 falls), and not hypermobility, I know it can be just as painful as recovering from having tears in the ligaments, so please don't do anything that causes more pain, but try to push yourself to your limit of what you can do so that you can increase strength.

Also, a caution for doing leg press machines: Just like squats, your knees should never go past your toes, so make sure you keep you feet up high enough on the machine that when you are all the way at the bottom of the movement the knees are in line with the ankles/back of the foot.

I do swimming, water jogging, aqua aerobics, I also use the hip abductor/adductor which my trainer told me strengthens the muscles around the knees.
I also lift heavy stuff now, all under the trainers guidance (he knows of my knee issues, and plans our sessions accordingly)
If the gym has classes, I would advise talking to the teacher before enrolling onto the class and they should know if there would be any likely problems.
Good luck finding something you like and that works

Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and Leg Presses as heavy as you can handle for 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps every other day. Specifically, try 30% Leg Extensions (where you only do the top 30% of a leg extension) and 30% Leg Curls will help strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings to prevent hyperextension. Usually all three of these are done on machines at the gym, but you can do them with a resistance band at home too. If you can't find videos or good explanations of these online, PM me and I'll go through my tapes when I did my exercise tv show to see if I can find video of the proper form. At the very least, I'll be able to find some pictures.

I have hypermobility as well and leg extensions kill my knees, I would suggest squats or leg presses instead. It is true though that strong legs are key to those with hypermobility. I don't let it prevent me from doing anything except for maybe kick boxing.

after my knee surgery, I was able to return to spinning classes pretty quickly. It helps strengthen your legs and doesn't have the lateral motion you have to worry about.

I'm a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist with a Degree in Exercise Physiology. I absolutely do not recommend squats unless you have someone watching your form and it is exactly perfect with no knee movement over the toes. The leg extension is the primary focus in knee rehab because it isolates the quadriceps which merge into the patella tendon, therefore providing strength and stability to it and preventing movement of the patella out of alignment. If you experience pain when doing leg extensions, you probably doing one of two things--going too heavy or not lining your knee up properly in the leg extension machine. To make sure that you are properly lined up in the machine, find the bony part of the side of your knee and line it up with the pivot point of the machine. If your knee isn't lined up properly, you are basically applying the force at the incorrect angle and can cause some knee problems so that is my first thing to check. After that, then I'd look at your weight. I start people out from knee problems with no weight at all, just doing the extension in a chair at home. When that doesn't cause pain for 2-3 sets of 15ish reps, then I will put them on the machine, but pull the pin so they are just lifting the apparatus. Again, not increasing weight until 2-3 sets of 15 doesn't cause any discomfort. Never work to the point of pain, but some discomfort will be felt if you have a knee injury. I know, I've rehabbed my left knee multiple times from 5 total injuries, 2 resulting in surgery. While mine were accident related (2 car accidents and 3 falls), and not hypermobility, I know it can be just as painful as recovering from having tears in the ligaments, so please don't do anything that causes more pain, but try to push yourself to your limit of what you can do so that you can increase strength.

Also, a caution for doing leg press machines: Just like squats, your knees should never go past your toes, so make sure you keep you feet up high enough on the machine that when you are all the way at the bottom of the movement the knees are in line with the ankles/back of the foot.

So I guess the four personal trainers, kineseologist and 3 physiotherapists I have seen over the years were all wrong? Not one ever recommended doing leg extensions, particularly after having ACL reconstruction. I didn't say squats with a big bar bell.

Leg Extensions, Leg Curls, and Leg Presses as heavy as you can handle for 2-3 sets of 6-10 reps every other day. Specifically, try 30% Leg Extensions (where you only do the top 30% of a leg extension) and 30% Leg Curls will help strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings to prevent hyperextension. Usually all three of these are done on machines at the gym, but you can do them with a resistance band at home too. If you can't find videos or good explanations of these online, PM me and I'll go through my tapes when I did my exercise tv show to see if I can find video of the proper form. At the very least, I'll be able to find some pictures.

I have hypermobility as well and leg extensions kill my knees, I would suggest squats or leg presses instead. It is true though that strong legs are key to those with hypermobility. I don't let it prevent me from doing anything except for maybe kick boxing.

after my knee surgery, I was able to return to spinning classes pretty quickly. It helps strengthen your legs and doesn't have the lateral motion you have to worry about.

I'm a Certified Clinical Exercise Specialist with a Degree in Exercise Physiology. I absolutely do not recommend squats unless you have someone watching your form and it is exactly perfect with no knee movement over the toes. The leg extension is the primary focus in knee rehab because it isolates the quadriceps which merge into the patella tendon, therefore providing strength and stability to it and preventing movement of the patella out of alignment. If you experience pain when doing leg extensions, you probably doing one of two things--going too heavy or not lining your knee up properly in the leg extension machine. To make sure that you are properly lined up in the machine, find the bony part of the side of your knee and line it up with the pivot point of the machine. If your knee isn't lined up properly, you are basically applying the force at the incorrect angle and can cause some knee problems so that is my first thing to check. After that, then I'd look at your weight. I start people out from knee problems with no weight at all, just doing the extension in a chair at home. When that doesn't cause pain for 2-3 sets of 15ish reps, then I will put them on the machine, but pull the pin so they are just lifting the apparatus. Again, not increasing weight until 2-3 sets of 15 doesn't cause any discomfort. Never work to the point of pain, but some discomfort will be felt if you have a knee injury. I know, I've rehabbed my left knee multiple times from 5 total injuries, 2 resulting in surgery. While mine were accident related (2 car accidents and 3 falls), and not hypermobility, I know it can be just as painful as recovering from having tears in the ligaments, so please don't do anything that causes more pain, but try to push yourself to your limit of what you can do so that you can increase strength.

Also, a caution for doing leg press machines: Just like squats, your knees should never go past your toes, so make sure you keep you feet up high enough on the machine that when you are all the way at the bottom of the movement the knees are in line with the ankles/back of the foot.

I agree with your recommendations and think this is sound advice. I have definitely rehabbed my knee with leg extensions and hamstring work. I do avoid lunges and squats, but am slowly incorporating dead lifts into my routine. Thank you for your advice.

I've always been told by physios and podiatrists to specifically avoid activities that strengthen the quads and thigh muscles unless you have already done work on the tiny muscles when you have an unstable knee. If you place your hand in the inside edge of your knee and tense,you should feel a small muscle that is tensed. I've always been told that doing things like leg weights at the gym is actually detrimental when you have unstable kness as you are strengthening the muscles that will pull it out/make it more unstable without strengthening the ones that will stabilise it.