More knee problems

Cycling is most likely one of the best things to do when there is a knee injury. One reason is that it is a no impact exercise. If you are cycling the correct way you are making circles wit the peddles. Also, you would need a proper fitted bike. A bike that was not fitted to you can cause knee problems. If you ride a road bike enough (3xper week march-October) you will find you will develop the tear drop muscle. The tear drop muscle will help stabilize your knee. The next thing would be swimming. It is another non-impact exercise. When you go for months of no pain and you really need to get on a tread mill, use the lowest resistance. If you think you need to do leg extensions, use very light weights and then increase the reps. If you are biking enough you probably do not need the weights

So much varied advice here. My suggestion is to see a physical therapist to learn what exercises you can do to strengthen your leg muscles to support your knees. KT tape has also helped me.

I'm the same way, any exercises that put strain on my knees/legs specifically leave me feeling pained for a few days after, especially after leg extensions, lunges, stair master, and the treadmill. So I have been biking and swimming, and one thing that I do not neglect is squats! Squats that are parallel or a little lower have helped my knee strength tremendously because it strengthens the surrounding muscles to help support the knees, as per what my Dr. said.

As much as I would love to lunge, do the leg extension, pistol squat etc, we have to listen to our bodies and do the best for it.

Just a little side-track here.. I had a knee injury last year and my physical therapist advised against the eltiptical. He said it wasn't a natural motion while using the eltiptical and easy to injure the knee.

I definitely think you are headed in a good direction to build strength. I would think with previous injuries it would be best to work with a professional on how and how quick to build.

Today, my orthopedist said no more brace or crutches after a broken leg at the upper tibia in mid-October. When I bend my knees, my good one is all the way to my hamstring, but the healing one is still stiff and only goes to seated bend. My doctor cleared me for everything except high impact and bicycling outside. He said the stationary bike was ok and just to watch if anything didn't feel good and then stop it.

I find that aqua exercise gives me the most bang for my buck. I have full range of motion in the water with the bad leg and the next day I'm still flexible.

Tonight I'm going to an aqua workout and tomorrow to Aqua Zumba, then I'll probably start back at my land group exercise classes.

I think you should get professional advice... what works for one person may not work for another. I was given a long list by my doctor of what I shouldn't do because of my knee injury... which made me wonder what on earth I could do! Though even the exercises I was told I could do... sometimes didn't do my knee any good.

Been plagued with bad knees for many years--I've had to learn, by experimentation, what works (but it may not work for everyone). Four things that a number of people have reported and which seem to work for me: 1) You want to make sure that your leg muscles (and your core muscles as well) are in balance. I do the machine that strengthens the hamstrings which are in opposition to the quadriceps (which get really tight from cycling) and that really seems to help a lot--wish I had discovered it a long time ago. 2) Making sure you avoid being dehydrated at all times. A physiotherapist once told me that, "When joints get dry, they are much more prone to injury." 3) Female athletes have ten times the number of injuries to the AC ligament in the knee, compared to male athletes. I tore my ACL, in my right leg, a number of years ago and it has been the source of the most acute pain since. Because women's hips are wider in proportion to the length of the femur, there is a lot more pressure on the AC ligament (on the inside of the knee). To avoid injury, strengthening all structures in the knee is a good idea. It is very important to keep the knee from "wobbling" from side to side. That is why a knee support garment works too--it keeps that from happening. 4) Repeated strains and stresses probably lead to arthritic changes in the knees (it is not clear whether chronic inflammation causes those changes or whether the chronic inflammation is a reaction to continuous mechanical stress on the structures of the knee). There are natural supplements that can help combat the problem (and which I take) : turmeric extract (an herbal anti-inflammatory); bone broth (there are recipes on the web) a source of Type II collagen (very important to the health of knee cartilage). I take a glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM supplement but I think the bone broth has been the most helpful. There are supplements (very $$$) which can be a source of Type II collagen too, if it is inconvenient to make bone broth. I take them when I go on a trip or something.

Recumbent bike (for me) works the best not to aggravate my knees. I still do leg curls and extensions BUT I do low weights. 3 sets of 15 and I dont start to feel a burn till the last 2 or 3 per every set. I dont get super big legs this way but keeping the muscles around the knee strong will help your knees out a lot. I would rest your knees till they are not inflamed and hurting then do really LOW weights and bike.

I have no knee problems of my own, but work with more than a few clients (personal training) who suffer from them. As everyone else said, injuries, joint pain, and such can vary person to person so it is best to seek a professional consultation, but I would start with using the bikes, working on your core muscles, and practicing balancing exercises. Using a BOSU ball or balance board can help strengthen the muscles that stabilize the knees (as well as working core muscles).

betharin wrote: »

My suggestion is to see a physical therapist to learn what exercises you can do to strengthen your leg muscles to support your knees.

This

Knee issues can be very complex and varied. Cycling and rowing can exacerbate some knee related injuries, so without a good knowledge of what the actual problem is most of these suggestions are copletely meaningless.