bad knees

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dublingoblin
dublingoblin Posts: 7 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone know of any good exercises for bad knees. Squats, lunges and stair stepping are just too much and cause my knees to hurt. The snow is very deep in the part of Colorado where I live so it limits what I can do outside.
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  • PinkCoconut
    PinkCoconut Posts: 655 Member
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    Have you tried doing something like tai chi? It can really help improve joint stability, flexibility, mobility and agility. This could help to strengthen the knees so you can do more down the line!
  • Huffdogg
    Huffdogg Posts: 1,934 Member
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    What do you mean by "bad?"

    Squats are honestly one of the best knee rehab exercises there is. Lunges are awful anyhow, good riddance to them.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Very few people have bad knees. A lot of people have weak leg muscles and are overweight which causes their legs/knees to ache when they try to use them. The answer is usually to lose weight and start working on building up those leg muscles. Start out doing 10 squats, 10 lunges, etc until you can do more.
  • ShibaEars
    ShibaEars Posts: 3,928 Member
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    I hurt my knee last year and went to a physiotherapist. He recommended strengthening all the muscles in my legs to help support it. Squats are a big one, as well as deadlifts for the hamstrings. If you have access to a stationary bike, this may help keep things moving while being low impact for your joints.

    Also, work on balance. Even if you can only stand on each leg for 15 seconds at the beginning, start there and gradually increase the amount of time. Once you can hold it for a minute or more, start challenging yourself more by leaning forward to touch the floor while keeping the leg straight.
  • dublingoblin
    dublingoblin Posts: 7 Member
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    I have what the doctor called " sand under the kneecap". Whenever I climb stairs or do squats and lunges all you can hear is gritty noises, like when you rub sandpaper together. I can do a certain amount of the exercises maybe 10 or if I really push for it 20 but after awhile they start hurting.
  • dublingoblin
    dublingoblin Posts: 7 Member
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    Haven't thought about that and wouldn't know where to begin
  • jerbsod
    jerbsod Posts: 48
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    cycling = no impact on knees
  • fatfudgery
    fatfudgery Posts: 449 Member
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    I have what the doctor called " sand under the kneecap". Whenever I climb stairs or do squats and lunges all you can hear is gritty noises, like when you rub sandpaper together.

    I have that too and I just squatted 220lbs for five sets of five reps today. Going for two plates (225lbs) on Thursday.

    Squat more, with good form, and your knees will get stronger and stop hurting.
  • ImtheOnethatsCool
    ImtheOnethatsCool Posts: 212 Member
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    i have finicky knees. two things helped: losing weight, and strength training. Make the muscles stronger in your legs, and they will help take the pressure off your knees.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    Squats. They build up the surrounding muscles. I also have bad knees but squatting, lunges etc. have definitely helped. They're not perfect - I still have to take my omega3 capsules and occasionally some ibuprofen before training - but they are much improved.

    ETA: full or '*kitten* to the grass' squats, that is. Anything less than full range of motion can make it worse.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    I had that too, even after I went to physical therapy. Have been going to a personal trainer and that sensation is going away. Doing Lunges (hard!) and squats. My patella is tracking better and I have less knee pain now.

    You can also cycle--takes all the weight off of the knees. Either stationary or outside.
    I have what the doctor called " sand under the kneecap". Whenever I climb stairs or do squats and lunges all you can hear is gritty noises, like when you rub sandpaper together. I can do a certain amount of the exercises maybe 10 or if I really push for it 20 but after awhile they start hurting.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I have a bad knee as well, and my biggest exercise to keep that knee stabilized is squats. I did have to adjust my form...a normal stance just HURTS and twists my kneecap all wrong. But, a wider stance with my toes pointed out just a bit more is golden. I can actually tell if I've been slacking the squats...I'll have more knee pain.

    BTW, I squat heavy too....anywhere from 150-200 lbs depending on my goal for my workout that day.

    PS I still can't do lunges...those can just go crawl in a hole and die somewhere.
  • DangerJim71
    DangerJim71 Posts: 361 Member
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    Swimming and biking.
  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
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    I have what the doctor called " sand under the kneecap". Whenever I climb stairs or do squats and lunges all you can hear is gritty noises, like when you rub sandpaper together.

    I have that too and I just squatted 220lbs for five sets of five reps today. Going for two plates (225lbs) on Thursday.

    Squat more, with good form, and your knees will get stronger and stop hurting.

    I have that as well as a host of other knee issues, and recently hit 4x315 on my squats. The only time my knee bothers me anymore is when it's super cold outside.
  • patols1
    patols1 Posts: 108 Member
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    i have arthritis in my knees. i got a cortisone shot in the worst one which has allowed me to now get up and down without severe pain. i am doing a recumbent bike as it has less impact on the knees, also if you do ball exercises that doesn't impact the knees but really doesn't have the same effect as sqats. i have not been able to do any form of squats, maybe down the road but as of right now my knee goes numb while i am doing my bike and constantly cracks and pops. not sure why that happens. i am going in to my doctor tomorrow so i am going to ask him about it but if anyone has the numbness maybe you can fill me in why this happens.
  • luvred51
    luvred51 Posts: 163 Member
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    Bump. To read later.
  • Derf_Smeggle
    Derf_Smeggle Posts: 611 Member
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    I have some permanent damage in one of my knees from a car accident from 10 years ago. This has resulted in crepitus, mild to moderate arthritis, and some nerve damage.

    Slow and easy strengthening with daily stretching helps tremendously. It makes a difference, but it takes time.

    Other things that have helped me include acupuncture, kinesio taping over the joint, massage, and topical liniments.
  • bcc112986
    bcc112986 Posts: 362 Member
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    I am young and have bad knees from being overweight and exercising improperly in the past. I've noticed that squats and holding martial art stances strengthened my knees. You must remember to not let your knees pass your feet while doing lunges and squats. Be careful. :)
  • jdashiell90
    jdashiell90 Posts: 13
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    I find that elliptical trainers is very low impact, does aggravate your knees; plus you can burn calories at a higher rate than on a stationary bike.
  • JanieJack
    JanieJack Posts: 3,831 Member
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    Not sure what level of pain you have, but one exercise I do for my knees is to bend my leg up (top of my leg parellel to the floor) and then straighten out my leg until my knees feel better. I often have to change what the workout I am doing so that it won't cause me pain later. Also, I find mixing in stretching, yoga, and pilates to whatever tough workout I'm doing helps prevent knee pain. So, for example, I'm doing Insanity right now and I have to modify it a LOT for my knees, foot, and shoulder. And every couple I have to switch out for a pilates or a yoga workout. Despite these modifications I can see a HUGE difference in my body.

    When I used to run more, I found that doing 20 or so minutes on a recumbent bike each day helped strengthen my knees and decrease the pain of running.

    There's a book I have at home called "Stretching" that has knee stretches I used to do after each run.

    Also, I haven't tried this, but a friend of mine with knee and back issues likes Asylum.

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