Bad Knees...

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  • lpendleton58
    lpendleton58 Posts: 285 Member
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    I'm not a professional, but here are some recommendations that helped me with my bad knees:
    -Body weight training - TRX, bridges, leg raises, step-ups (start off at a low height), yoga, Pilates, going for a walk
    -Weight Training - Leg extensions and curls, smith-machine squats and dead-lifts, leg press (I prefer the machine in which you are sitting up-right)

    There are a bunch of other options that I am pretty sure others can recommend. Whatever you do, listen to your body. If it hurts, then lighten the load or just not do that exercise.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I just had an MRI done (thought I had a torn meniscus) and it turns out I have almost no cartilage behind the knee cap. It is so frustrating when for the first time in my life I actually WANT to do lower body workouts (in the past I did almost all upper body stuff) and I can't. I refuse to stop everything and rest indefinitely, so I do what I can do. Some of the exercises I've found good for me (that work and don't hurt) are:

    -straight leg deadlifts (this is my fav - no pain/bending of the knees and can really feel it and work with some good amounts of weight)
    -partial leg press (I've been doing this the last couple months - barely bending my legs/knees, just enough to put the weight on the quads and I'm really starting to notice an increase in leg muscle - again, without any pain)
    -bridges/thrusters (more for the bum - but good since I can't do squats)
    -some of the ones recommended by physio - straight leg leg lifts, bridge (while squeezing a ball between knees), leg sits
    -leg extensions (partial reps) (some say this is the worst for the knees, but I find a partial rep is strengthening the quad without too much pressure on the knees)

    The big "NO's" that the physio told me for my knees are NO deep squats, NO jumping and NO quick jerky movements.
  • thinmarjo
    thinmarjo Posts: 19 Member
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    I really suffer with this problem and many cardio workouts are simply impossible to do. So I finally just bring myself to a gym with a pool. I do a 30 minute HIIT workout with 45 seconds fake running as fast as I can with 15 seconds off for 30 min. I switch in water hand weights. I do water jumping jacks in the water etc as long as it is 300% of my ability for that 45 seconds. I worked up to this number. Just mimicking what I might do on land if my knees were okay. I then swim laps for 30-45 minutes. I also lift weights 3 x a week avoiding squats but I do do the leg press and the leg abduction machines. I also do range of motion exercise before I get out of the bed in the morning. I also try not to sit for long periods of time. I do walk with a cane so I really do suffer and am also on pain killers. My knees need to be replaced but I am waiting until I am under 200 lbs to do the operation.
  • thinmarjo
    thinmarjo Posts: 19 Member
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    If I miss any of these water workouts or weight training I really feel the impact quickly. The best you can do is to be consistent and keep it up. Strong muscles around the knees is a tremendous help. Just get in the pool!
  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
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    recumbent stationary bicycle.. or even a regular stationary bike will help... make sure your feet are strapped in on the pedals start with a light resistance, increase the cardio keep the cadence around 100 revs/minute (always)... slowly increase the resistance over a period of months...like every 2 weeks crank it up another level... Rome wasn't built in a day... because your feet are tied to the pedals... spend every other day pulling UP on the pedals instead of pushing down... after about 8 months or so... and IF you are cranking out decent gains... get serious and buy yourself some cycling shoes and hit the spin studios.
  • Z_I_L_L_A
    Z_I_L_L_A Posts: 2,399 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Swim, row,eliptical for cardio. Use the machines for strength in legs, work your way up. Use the machines that don't give you pain. Work around injuries. I had left knee surgery, tore every tendon in my right shoulder, ruptured and herniated a disc, several compressed and several bulging and several degenerated disc. All in the past 3 years. Don't give up, don't ever give up. Right now my shoulder is completely healed, will bench press 405 in the next couple of weeks. By the way, I'm 50 too. Good luck...Once you get some strength then start light with free weights. I powerlifted for 12 years, got back to the gym 4 years ago, also crossfit for 2 years since. Do what you can, try everything, keep what works. You'll be surprised after a while.

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