My Knees! Do I Have to Give up Zumba?

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mandiana
mandiana Posts: 19 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I love dancing... Zumba, Hip Hop Abs, etc., but I always end up with aching/weak knees. Glucosamine and tart cherry help, but I still have pain. I'm only 35. I don't feel like my knees should be as bad as they are. Is there any way to fix my knees? Certain exercises or something? Should I just keep dancing or am I doing more damage? I REALLY love dancing. It's so much more fun than a treadmill, ya know?

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  • EdwardBarrera
    EdwardBarrera Posts: 13
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    Probably a good idea first to address the knee issues. Certain compensations can be reinforced by any type of exercise activity and can lead to further issues in the tissues.

    I had issues with my knees at 39. Tore the knee meniscus and was searching for a conservative approach so I could get back to playing soccer. At 52, my knees haven't felt better. So along my journey, I became a Hanna Somatic Educator and just published a book on Amazon kindle, Move Like an Animal, which you can download on any computer/tablet, etc. Plus when you get the book, you'll also get to receive free audio recordings I made so you can do these types of specific movements correctly.

    You'll find simple, gentle movement patterns which will help reorganize the body for better, easier and more effective movement. There is a chapter (8) What can I do for Oops, Falls, Strains, Accidents and Trauma which will give you some easy movements to try.

    ... and I totally agree the treadmill is a drag as we oughta be dancing for life for as long as we age.
  • fittocycle
    fittocycle Posts: 827 Member
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    Could you try doing a spin class once week instead? Cycling is a great way to build strength in the muscles surrounding the knees and is easy on the joints. The music is great and it's an awesome burn too!:happy:
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    This is a question for your doctor, not MFP. You could have an underlying issue like degenerative joints, arthritus, etc. My advice would be to go to walmart buy a brace and if that doesn't help, see a doctor asap.
  • Senneth12
    Senneth12 Posts: 72
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    See a doctor to rule out any damage and to get a referral to physical therapy.

    A physical therapist can check your form, give input on any modifications that would help in your classes, and give you exercises to build stabilizing muscle. The more muscle you have, the more stable your joints are. As a woman, we really need that muscle to stabilize our knees. Unless you have an injury that you missed, using correct form, adding muscle, and wearing proper shoes should get you back in your classes. The best way to do all of those things is physical therapy. A brace might help, but don't go the Walmart route. Get one through a doctor's office.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Is there any way to fix my knees?
    Depends what's wrong with them!
    Start with getting a diagnosis which you can't get on the internet from strangers who can't tell you if it's an ache from overuse or pain from an injury.

    Losing weight and building strength will probably help but if you have functional issues you need to know what they are before deciding what to do.
  • notdieting
    notdieting Posts: 116 Member
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    I agree with those above. You need to see a doctor and get a diagnosis as some knee issues will be improved by exercise and some will be worsened so you need to know what you're dealing with.

    Once you know if your particular problem requires strengthening exercise, low impact, high impact or just some support, you can act accordingly.

    I have two knee issues....my right knee has been permanently damaged by my being run over by a car, leading to a nasty break and then metalwork that didn't fit properly and abraded the cartilage and my left knee developed ITB syndrome....probably from a combination of me favouring it after the accident, doing high impact exercise when very overweight and the somewhat linear nature of Zumba, my main form of exercise so.....

    my right knee needs strengthening exercises which have been set by a physio and my left knee responds very well to an ITB knee support which I bought from amazon on the advice of my doctor. I have not given up Zumba, I still do it twice a week....it's the only form of exercise I have ever found that I truly enjoy and do not need to 'bully' myself into doing....but I have added strengthening exercises for that right knee and cycling and elliptical work for a lower impact exercise for both. It's worked wonders for my knees (and my waist!) but all was done AFTER seeking advice from a doctor.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
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    I'm not a doctor, but I play one on MFP...just kidding. I concur with those above wholeheartedly. Rule out cause and possible damage and then go from there. Good luck. I've just discovered Zumba and know how you feel about possibly having to give it up.
  • anson808
    anson808 Posts: 47 Member
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    Barring any serious problems found by a doctor, you may have some relief by not only strengthening your leg muscles and your core, but by foam rolling your leg muscles and tendons.
  • ElizabethFuller
    ElizabethFuller Posts: 352 Member
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    At my heaviest weight I suffered from knee/ankle/foot pain almost constantly. When I went to my doctor he said that it was just age-related wear and tear :grumble:
    Now I have lost over 20kg, (in 2 goes, my ticker is the current weightloss) those pains have almost completely cleared up, I did the C25K in the summer and can now run 5K 3 or 4 times a week. Very occasionally my knees ache if I overdo rowing or squats, but nothing like before.
    I agree with everyone else, first see your doctor, make sure that there's not a medical problem that needs treatment and if not then persist with your diet and exercise, wearing knee supports at first. The muscles etc. around your knees will get stronger over time and the Zumba will definitely improve!
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Coming from someone with Grade 3 Osteoarthritis in both knee's, No cartilage left in either knee, No meniscus left either knee, and a torn ACL in my left knee (which they will not replace do to the amount of damage in my knee), I wear Braces (DonJoy) to workout in and have had multiple surgeries and go in for knee drains and shots every 4 months. I would suggest only going to a Orthopedic surgeon and getting properly examined and allow him/her to set you up with some PT or whatever is necessary to overcome your issues. You only have one set of knee's and coming from someone who ignored all the warning signs in my youth and pushing through pain and problems, I wish I would have taken better care of them in the beginning because now I am facing knee replacements before I am 50 (43 now and we have been treating my knee's since I was 29). Best of Luck
  • fat2strongbeth
    fat2strongbeth Posts: 735 Member
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    I also love my zumba and dancing and have knee issues. See your doctor then a physical therapist or personal trainer who understands knee problems. The best thing that I have done is weight training to strengthen all of the muscles in my legs. I've also learned to modify certain moves in Zumba that bother my knees.
  • shurleec
    shurleec Posts: 99 Member
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    As others have said, consult a Dr. When I first started Zumba my knees hurt. I got a new pair of gym shoes and had no problems. I don't know a ton about gym shoes, but with all the moving side to side, I steered away from shoes with lots of traction. It made my movements glide better with out sticking and hurting my knees. Hopefully it's nothing to serious!
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
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    Part of your problem could be your shoes. If they're too grippy, they could be causing a lot of unnecessary torque when you twist. Strategically-placed duct tape on the bottoms of your shoes can help with that. They might also just be the wrong shoes for you. I was having a lot of trouble with my knees and my achilles tendons until I found a pair of shoes that was perfect. Then I bought 4 pairs :)
  • Jgal8123
    Jgal8123 Posts: 1,378 Member
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    I agree with the previous 2 posters - I would check if it's an footwear issue before pursuing medical advice.
  • mandiana
    mandiana Posts: 19 Member
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    Thank you for everyone's advice! I bought the book, Edward (nice price :)), and I will definitely look into shoes. Thank you for sharing your experiences. It's good to hear that people can recover from knee problems. Even though we pay almost $1300 a month for insurance, I can't afford to go to the doctor right now, because of our high deductible. Well, I could afford the visit, but not everything that goes with it (treatments, therapy, etc.). If new shoes and Edward's book don't do the trick, I will make an appointment just as soon as we can afford it.

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