Old lady knees

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kbdelarosa
kbdelarosa Posts: 183 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, my first 5k is just a little over 3 weeks away and my knees are really bothering me. I have been doing the 30DS 5-6 times a week, but this week I ran just once and power walked instead of doing the C25K. I feel like I need to keep my training up so I can run the 5K, but afraid to screw up my knees! Thoughts? Even the 30DS is hurting my knees on the squats and lunges. Feel like I am 37 going on 87! I am icing them nightly and taking advil before bed....someone told me to take two rest days in a row and I said I would have to do a zillion sit-ups to do something so that I wouldn't fall off the fitness wagon!

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  • seobstar
    seobstar Posts: 169
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    30 Day Shred is really, really rough on the knees. Honestly, I'd stop the Shred until after your race! Even for someone that doesn't have bad knees, it's tough on mine! I LOVE Jillian Michaels (have all her DVDs) but every single review I've read online mentions that her DVDs are tough on the knees. good luck!
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I don't have any necessarily wrong with my knees, but lunges and squats are hell on mine. I would hold off on the 30DS until after your race.

    Do you have good shoes? Those can make a huge difference. If you have a running fit near you, they can watch the way you walk and pick out the right fit of shoe.
  • bovbjerg
    bovbjerg Posts: 172 Member
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    Can you get to a swimming pool and do some aqua aerobics or just swim laps - that might keep your cardio up but is much easier on the knees??
  • soccermom004
    soccermom004 Posts: 444 Member
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    Try taking glucosamine. It has really helped my knees.
  • andipandi
    andipandi Posts: 91 Member
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    i have chronic knee problems...i also run about 98-10km a day. lots of ice, stop the shred, watch your cals NO SQUATS OR LUNGES...rest a couple of days and take naproxen (anti-inflamitory). there are TONS of exercises that don't involve shredding your knees...you should be able to train for your 5k and do weights/tone no problem. good luck!
  • kbdelarosa
    kbdelarosa Posts: 183 Member
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    Thanks guys. I will hit CVS at lunch and look for naproxen and glucosamine. No pool, and my shoes are pretty new. Ok, I will put Jillian back in her case fro awhile....maybe just do the sit-ups and push-ups. Going to kickboxing tomorrow night for the first time (I joined NineRound) but will tell the trainer about me knees. Now, if I can just convince hubby to carry up my 25 pound daughter up and down the stairs a billion times a day, that will help.
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    30 Day Shred is really, really rough on the knees. Honestly, I'd stop the Shred until after your race! Even for someone that doesn't have bad knees, it's tough on mine! I LOVE Jillian Michaels (have all her DVDs) but every single review I've read online mentions that her DVDs are tough on the knees. good luck!


    I agree with you, JD workouts are a killer on my knees so I modified them a lot, more that what Anita's shows in the DVD. I walk briskly in place when doing the jumping jacks but I move my arms to keep my heart pumping, and the same with the rest of the cardio exercises, lounges and squats. I still get a good work out but I don't do the DVD every day either.

    I also wear knee braces because I already have torn meniscus in both knees, and I don't want to make things worse. The braces help some, so that is an option for you ladies.

    Some people love the elliptical for cardio (not me), so that is another option. Just make sure that you warm up your knees very well before doing 30DS, more that what Jillian has in her DVD. I use a heating pad on my knees for a minute or two before exercising.
  • andipandi
    andipandi Posts: 91 Member
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    just as an aside...there's no proven research on glucosamine and knee pain...it's thought to be a placebo although it can help in cartilage maintenance (not nec with pain)...it's a billion $ buisness...it will potentially give you gas and bloating and it's expensive...food for thought...cheers

    and p.s. don't use a heating pad on your knees...it will increase inflamation (don't stretch them out either b4 workingout...a brisk 5min walk is all you need)
  • kbdelarosa
    kbdelarosa Posts: 183 Member
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    Thanks for the 411!
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    just as an aside...there's no proven research on glucosamine and knee pain...it's thought to be a placebo although it can help in cartilage maintenance (not nec with pain)...it's a billion $ buisness...it will potentially give you gas and bloating and it's expensive...food for thought...cheers

    and p.s. don't use a heating pad on your knees...it will increase inflamation (don't stretch them out either b4 workingout...a brisk 5min walk is all you need)

    I can't speak for anyone but me, but I had knee pain for @20 years before I started taking glucosamine and it's helped me immensely, and has not made me gassy lol... Note that it takes @6 weeks before you will notice a difference. I used to walk down stairs clinging to the handrails for support, now there is none of that. They aren't perfect, but they are a LOT better.
  • danielle53102
    danielle53102 Posts: 22 Member
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    I do the 30DS and run/fast walk afterwards and my knees are so bad !! I thought it was just me lol
  • bugnbeansmom
    bugnbeansmom Posts: 292 Member
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    With the race right around the corner, dropping the shred will probably help. Long term, you need to strengthen your quads. The provide a lot of suppor to your knees and strengthening them will only help. (I need to take my own advice). As far as shoes, did you have them fitted by a running professional? I went to this and it has helped a ton. Also, there are some great tips on stride and proper foot placement while runnnng on the Women's Health website. I should also tell you that both of my knees have been surgically repaired. I am no professional but as a fellow knee pain sufferer I totally get it! Good luck on your race!
  • JCGilbert
    JCGilbert Posts: 33
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    Try this exercise to strengthen knees: Stand against a wall and slide your back down til your knees are in a 90 degree angle. Hold position for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 2 or 3 times. Do this throughout the day. Try for every 2 or 3 hours.
    Also, do your feet have low arches? Flat feet can pronate inward causing misalignment in the knee/hip. Maybe a shoe insert could help. Good Luck!
  • mae3785
    mae3785 Posts: 40 Member
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    just as an aside...there's no proven research on glucosamine and knee pain...it's thought to be a placebo although it can help in cartilage maintenance (not nec with pain)...it's a billion $ buisness...it will potentially give you gas and bloating and it's expensive...food for thought...cheers

    and p.s. don't use a heating pad on your knees...it will increase inflamation (don't stretch them out either b4 workingout...a brisk 5min walk is all you need)

    I can't speak for anyone but me, but I had knee pain for @20 years before I started taking glucosamine and it's helped me immensely, and has not made me gassy lol... Note that it takes @6 weeks before you will notice a difference. I used to walk down stairs clinging to the handrails for support, now there is none of that. They aren't perfect, but they are a LOT better.

    The NIH did a study on the effects of glucosamine hydrochloride (glucosamine) and sodium chondroitin sulfate (chondroitin sulfate) for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis and this is what the results were:

    -Participants taking the positive control, celecoxib, experienced statistically significant pain relief versus placebo—about 70 percent of those taking celecoxib had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 60 percent for placebo.
    -Overall, there were no significant differences between the other treatments tested and placebo.
    -For a subset of participants with moderate-to-severe pain, glucosamine combined with chondroitin sulfate provided statistically significant pain relief compared with placebo—about 79 percent had a 20 percent or greater reduction in pain versus about 54 percent for placebo. According to the researchers, because of the small size of this subgroup these findings should be considered preliminary and need to be confirmed in further studies.
    -For participants in the mild pain subset, glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate together or alone did not provide statistically significant pain relief.

    You can read the entire study at http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/gait/qa.htm#c1 -- it was last updated in 2008 just so you know.
  • LORR79
    LORR79 Posts: 55
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    I've had knee issues in the past when exercising and I've found working out on the rebounder (mini trampoline) has really helped because it doesnt put impact on my joints.

    I've found by jogging for 20/30 minutes on it before doing lunges and squats has prevented me getting the usual problems where they get sore and make clicking noises everytime I move!

    I've just started the 30 Day Shred and am going to jog on it before every workout and its extra cardio too :smile:
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
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    just as an aside...there's no proven research on glucosamine and knee pain...it's thought to be a placebo although it can help in cartilage maintenance (not nec with pain)...it's a billion $ buisness...it will potentially give you gas and bloating and it's expensive...food for thought...cheers

    and p.s. don't use a heating pad on your knees...it will increase inflamation (don't stretch them out either b4 workingout...a brisk 5min walk is all you need)


    As recommended by my orthopedic doctor, the heating pad for a minute or less (and just warm), before doing any hard core knee exercise was helpful. After exercising or during the day, I ice the joins. He probably recommended the treatment because I don't have inflammation or swelling.

    I also mildly stretch and warm up the knees/legs with some Pilates movements before doing 30DS. I don't think that Jillian does a good job warming up or cooling down after the workout

    And by the way, I also take glucosamine twice a day and it had help me a lot, specially after having two shoulder surgeries. Placebo effect or real effect? it does not matter.
  • LORR79
    LORR79 Posts: 55
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    just as an aside...there's no proven research on glucosamine and knee pain...it's thought to be a placebo although it can help in cartilage maintenance (not nec with pain)...it's a billion $ buisness...it will potentially give you gas and bloating and it's expensive...food for thought...cheers

    and p.s. don't use a heating pad on your knees...it will increase inflamation (don't stretch them out either b4 workingout...a brisk 5min walk is all you need)


    As recommended by my orthopedic doctor, the heating pad for a minute or less (and just warm), before doing any hard core knee exercise was helpful. After exercising or during the day, I ice the joins. He probably recommended the treatment because I don't have inflammation or swelling.

    I also mildly stretch and warm up the knees/legs with some Pilates movements before doing 30DS. I don't think that Jillian does a good job warming up or cooling down after the workout


    I definetly agree with you that the warmup on the 30 Day Shred is inadequate. I'm hoping that by doing my own I get great results and no injuries.

    Have read so many threads on here about the shred where people stop because of injury.
  • cover8
    cover8 Posts: 3
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    I've got your same knees and their associated complaints. Went to physical therapist who diagnosed that a very small muscle in my glutes was not strong, making my knees do way too much of the work while exercising. Doing clamshell exercises on my side has worked wonders. Also doing a very painful but helpful massage on my I.T. Band (outside of thigh) has released the grip that was pulling my knee off center. Check in with your PT, it might be something simple like that. Even 1 visit helps bkz they give you exercises to do at home.

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