First thing, you should see an orthopedist to find out if you have worn out your cartilage or if it is arthritis. Only a doctor can tell after x-rays. If you have worn out your cartilage and you are rubbing bone on bone, you may need knee a replacement or suffer more pain and do more damage. Losing weight won’t help this pain, but will prolong a new knee if you get one. If you need a replacement, I recommend you have it as soon as you can. I lived in pain for quite a few years before having a total knee replacement and wish I had done it much sooner. I am without pain and able to do things I couldn’t before.

First CR and Paul, congratulations on your amazing success!! You inspire me so much! My greatest problem is consistency and seeing results such as yours is a huge help to me.

Ker, I have to tell you that I almost bought a treadmill and was discouraged from doing so by one of the physcial therapists at work who said that if you have knee problems the hard surface of a treadmill can exacerbate them. She recommended and elliptical, which I bought and used for several years until I started having shoulder problems due to all the years of carrying a home health nursing bag (ahhh the things we do to ourselves over years!). That is why I bought the recumbant bike, which is wonderful, but still lacks some of the positive effects of walking. Just a suggestion, but are you able to walk somewhere other than the treadmill for a couple of weeks just to see if there is any difference? If there is, the treadmill might not be helping.

Hi Ker,

I have been off for a while. I just had total hip replacement 10 days ago. I had my knee replaced 10 years ago and was very happy with the results.

You are right, the doc might suggest losing weight first, but as the others said, you should go to one now, get the xrays and find out what you can do now to help. The physical therapy does help some, plus glucoscamine with chondrotin (not sure I spelled that right) does help also. I use an elliptical and love it! So much easier on the joints than a treadmill. I got one that also has a seat, to double as a stationary bike. It was only $135. You could check thrift stores and online for used ones. I highly recommend it , as DreamON145 suggested.

Good luck here on your journey. Losing can be hard, but, it can be done! Just never give up on yourself.

knee pain is awful, i know. i've already had the shots (years a go) i think it was rooster cone- inject in my knee. my husband lost his job and i lost my insurance. couldn't afford to have knee surgery and wouldn't be old enough for medicare for a few years, so i decided to eat normal and see if i could take off some weight before i got my insurance and was able to have the much needed knee surgery. that was 1 year and 7 months ago, 73 lbs light and my knees feels so much better. still have trouble getting on the floor and then getting back up, but i could if it was a have to case- couldn't have done that before. i will be on medicare on april 1 this year and i don't think that i'll even need knee surgery now, i still do a pill called meloxicam from time to time if i am going to be doing stuff that i know will make my knees hurt, i can now stand long enough to cook dinner and that even think about my knees, use to i would push a stool around with me because i would have to sit down from time to time from the pain. i was unable to go mall shopping, like the past 10 years because we have a really big double Decker mall and i went about a week ago and didn't have any problems, but i did use my cane because i don't want to put anymore stress on my knees that i have to...so, my answer to your post is yes it will help, but how much will depend on your already knee damage,even if it doesn't do your knees a world of good, and you do end up with a replacement it' has got to be better for the new knee that the heavier weight,
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