Help, I have a bad knee

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coleycarissa
coleycarissa Posts: 3
in Fitness and Exercise
When I was little I injured my knee multiple times and it still give me lots of trouble today. Sometime just going up stairs makes it feel like its going to give out. I need suggestions on exercises I can do that will not put any extra strain on my knee.

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  • avninjalette123
    avninjalette123 Posts: 129 Member
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    I have the same issue...the only thing to do is to strengthen your knee muscles. Cardio is what you are worried about, I presume. Swimming is best for people with injuries because our bodys are bouyant in the water...which is why you can lift anyone in water. Good luck!
  • twitbffl
    twitbffl Posts: 24
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    I also have a bad knee. I needed surgery about 4 yrs ago. It still acts up now and again. The best exercise for your joints is swimming. That being said, you would need to have access to a pool. I have found that yoga and pilates have been easy on my joints as well. Hope this helps in some way! Good luck and take care! :)
  • Marzipan91
    Marzipan91 Posts: 46
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    I have chondromalacia patellae or Runner's Knee. Basically it means pain in my knee most of the time. My advice about your knee pain is that you need to stretch a lot! Stretch before your cardio and after. Also, look up knee strengthening exercises. Also, ice it after exercise all the time, no matter what. The sad thing is that the pain will probably never go away but it can be made easier to live with. :)
  • jerseynegrita06
    jerseynegrita06 Posts: 71 Member
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    hi! i also have bad knees. i go to physical therapy twice a week. i use the elliptical & stationary bike. i also do leg lifts with ankle weights. i am not do squats, use a treadmill, or a stairmaster. i also do water aerobics (thats the best) for weight training i try to be careful with the weights. my quads are really tight so i have to stretch them first. i also wear a brace when Im doing lifting. i hope that helps a little =)
  • Learning2LoveMe
    Learning2LoveMe Posts: 1,430 Member
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    I have bad knees too, one of them (the worst one) was operated on 12 years ago and I still have issues with it.

    That being said, swimming is something I can do without any pain... I'm good for walking about an hour before it starts to bother me... also the elliptical doesn't bother me too much.

    I have a sheet on knee exercises you can do to strengthen your knees... doctor gave it to me a couple months ago. I'm not gonna lie, the exercises aren't very fun and when your done with the set it feels like your knees are gonna give out... I'm sure if you stick with it you will see a difference. If you want I can e-mail them to you (send me a message w/ your e-mail)
  • svanhoecke
    svanhoecke Posts: 266
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    I will just copy and paste what I told the last girl I saw with a knee pain post:

    I consider myself an expert knee pain patient! I have had surgery on both of my knees and I can offer you a little advice:

    1. Don't jog on concrete. Use either the street or preferably a treadmill
    2. If running continues to aggravate it, do something lower impact. I suggest the elliptical as you get almost as good of a work out with less strain on you joints. Swimming is another option, as is circuit training. Or even better, take a long walk instead of a short run. Your knees will thank you. Still avoid concrete, though.
    3. Strengthen your leg muscles. Specifically, strengthen your quads. If you go to a physical therapist, they will probably tell you the same thing. I do leg lifts on a weight machine. Lunges work well, too.
    4. Before AND after every work out, stretch you hamstrings and you leg muscles.
    5. If you choose to keep running, do this after you work out: Take two ibuprofen, cover your bad knee in ice, and elevate your right leg. Even if it doesn't specifically hurt after your workout, you will thank me later!
    6. If after strengthening your quads you see no results, or if the pain is too much, go see a doctor. They can point you towards an orthopedic doctor that can help you better

    Most importantly- Do not ignore this! Do something to help yourself, even if it is just ice. Don't assume your pain is normal. I did that and ended up with swollen knees that needed surgery.

    I am NOT a medical professional, but I have had some serious knee pain in my life! Good luck! flowerforyou
  • Lolyballs
    Lolyballs Posts: 180 Member
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    water aerobics! Also talk to your doctor and maybe a physical therapist. I have a friend who has a bad knee. She uses the upper body cycle and recumbent bike at a low level of resistance. There is also a machine called NuStep. It works the whole body without putting pressure on the hips or knees.
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    I have the same issue...the only thing to do is to strengthen your knee muscles. Cardio is what you are worried about, I presume. Swimming is best for people with injuries because our bodys are bouyant in the water...which is why you can lift anyone in water. Good luck!

    This... your best bet is to strengthen the muscles which support your knee. Start easy, with light resistance bands or body weight exercises; step ups (gradually increasing the size of the step), body weight squats & lunges (being very careful with your body position), extensions, contractions, etc.

    Bonus, those knee supporting muscles are some of your largest and will burn the most calories for you.

    Also, if it's causing severe pain, see your doctor.

    ~Kate, owner of a pair of Very Bad Knees (tm) and hips
  • CRody44
    CRody44 Posts: 776 Member
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    I suggest you go to your doctor and have it checked out to find out exactly why it troubles you. If you did a lot of damage when you were little, it is possible that you have chunks of cartilage floating around in your knee joint. I did this to my left knee, and had the chunks removed and the torn ends pegged into place, a relatively simple operation. I had this done over 30 years ago and I have never had any pain or problems with it since. On the other hand (or knee) it is possible that you have worn out the cartilage and your pain is caused by bone rubbing against bone. Your doctor can tell you if you will cause any further damage if you exercise on it, or maybe not, if you can get through the pain. Another option, if this is the case, is partial or total knee replacement, depending on the level and location of damage. I had this done to my right knee two years ago, and now have no pain or any limited motion. Then again, an examination may find something completely different like an ACL or MCL. These can also be corrected with surgery. While surgery can be costly, depending on your medical coverage or lack thereof (I was lucky, both surgeries cost me a total of about $20) , and time consuming, it is better than suffering the rest of your life. I waited 20 years before I got my knee replaced, and I should have done it years earlier. Good luck.
  • coleycarissa
    coleycarissa Posts: 3
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    Thanks for all of the suggestions. I actually hurt my knee the first time by tearing the ACL ligament. Then I damage the cartalifge so much it had to be removes. Not long after that I broke my knee cap in half and had to have another surgery. I know what the problem is, I just get to live with it
  • baisleac
    baisleac Posts: 2,019 Member
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    Thanks for all of the suggestions. I actually hurt my knee the first time by tearing the ACL ligament. Then I damage the cartalifge so much it had to be removes. Not long after that I broke my knee cap in half and had to have another surgery. I know what the problem is, I just get to live with it

    In this case, I strongly recommend building up the knees supporting muscles (quads, hamstrings and to a lesser but significant degree glutes, adductors, and abductors).

    I had ACL construction surgery (born without, so not REconstruct), cartilage removal, and broken knee cap as well. The kneecap was just last year though. I also have PFS and was told I'd be in a wheelchair by the time I was 30... I'm 36 and standing equal with my husband on deadlifts and weighted squats, though I do fall a bit behind in lunges and step ups.

    edit to add... I also have osteoarthritis in both knees and both hips.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I have two bad knees. In fact they have been bad since I was 11 and I have no cartilege (how do you spell that?!?!) left.

    These are things that I can do:

    spin
    cycle
    belly dancing
    ballroom dancing
    ballet dancing
    SUP (stand-up paddleboarding)
    weight training (no lunges, no quad machines)
    walk downstairs sideways :)
    swimming
    surfing

    these are some things I DON'T do:

    step class (aka "four advil" class)
    jumpy bouncy aerobics classes
    running (unless there is someone bad chasing me)
    walking downstairs facing forward
    walk downstairs wearing heels (always carry them).
    anything that hurts!


    Important to note: there is a difference bt joint discomfort and pain. If you are beginning a low-impact activity that seems to make your knees achy, make sure everything is properly set up (bike seat height, etc), and stick it out for a 2 weeks to see if the aching subsides. However, it it really hurts, STOP!

    If you have never heard of "purple pectin", check it out, it's a great, cheap, natural way to provide pain relief in joints:

    http://arthritis.about.com/od/certo/Certo_Home_Remedy_Fruit_Pectin_Gelatin_Powders_Certo_Arthritis.htm

    blessings!

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