Weight Lifting Advice for someone with bad knees

Work with a trainer or physical therapist to ensure you have the proper technique. And if you think you can't afford a trainer, consider how expensive new knees will be.

I have "weak" knees from many years of being overweight. So while not as extreme as your situation, mine ache if I do any sort of heavy lifting, and for whatever reason stairs HURT.

I do almost all cardio very low impact, e.g. cardio bike and elliptical

Otherwise I do a very standard weight lifting routine. I have a chest day (benches, flies, pull overs), a back day (five billion pull ups, some rows), a shoulder day (shoulder presses, rotator cuff exercises, shrugs), and I work abs almost every single day in addition to cardio and taekwondo almost every day.

I sort of avoid leg day. I do very light squats. Sometimes just high rep air squats. My squat numbers when using a bar are "embarassing" for a guy my size. My leg day also involves very light leg extensions. I read that light leg extensions can help strengthen the knee.

I'm not sure if anything I wrote helps, that's just what I do. Basically I follow a normal routine, but kind of shirk away from any heavy leg work.... but i still do what I can. light weight squats, lunges, extensions, leg curls, etc. If I experience pain I lower the weight. I don't care how ridiculous it looks.

You may want to try some jump rope..... i read that the impact of jump rope can help develop knees. I jump rope as well, but not for extended periods of time. Too soon for me to tell if it's helping my knees or not.

Then, finally, obviously, the lighter you are, the less pressure on your knees, and the stronger they can heal.

rebprest wrote: »

I've actually had trainers (see above) and I have a doctor. I'm just looking for your favorite exercised for upper body and possibly full body so long as there is very little knee bending. Thanks!

I would ask your medical doctor to send you to an actual Doctor of Physical Therapy to evaluate what you should and should not do lower body wise.

If you told the personal trainers you went to about your medical condition they should have referred you out to a DPT for an evaluation and exercise recommendations.

Are you looking more for cardio or strength training? Or either/both?

I do a lot of exercise, including cardio and strength training (with weights) in the swimming pool. It's really easy on the joints, doesn't involve much knee bending, but still a good workout.

Recently, my mom was told she has a similar issue with her knee (bone out of place, limited cartilage). She was fitted for a special knee brace that is supposed to help, so is hoping that will help with mobility, allow her to continue exercising, and postpone a knee replacement.

Geocitiesuser wrote: »

I have "weak" knees from many years of being overweight. So while not as extreme as your situation, mine ache if I do any sort of heavy lifting, and for whatever reason stairs HURT.

I do almost all cardio very low impact, e.g. cardio bike and elliptical

Otherwise I do a very standard weight lifting routine. I have a chest day (benches, flies, pull overs), a back day (five billion pull ups, some rows), a shoulder day (shoulder presses, rotator cuff exercises, shrugs), and I work abs almost every single day in addition to cardio and taekwondo almost every day.

I sort of avoid leg day. I do very light squats. Sometimes just high rep air squats. My squat numbers when using a bar are "embarassing" for a guy my size. My leg day also involves very light leg extensions. I read that light leg extensions can help strengthen the knee.

I'm not sure if anything I wrote helps, that's just what I do. Basically I follow a normal routine, but kind of shirk away from any heavy leg work.... but i still do what I can. light weight squats, lunges, extensions, leg curls, etc. If I experience pain I lower the weight. I don't care how ridiculous it looks.

You may want to try some jump rope..... i read that the impact of jump rope can help develop knees. I jump rope as well, but not for extended periods of time. Too soon for me to tell if it's helping my knees or not.

Then, finally, obviously, the lighter you are, the less pressure on your knees, and the stronger they can heal.

There is no unstable knee (which the OP clearly described) that could be improved upon, by jumping rope. Is jumping rope less damaging than running? Yes.

I have chondromalacia and had an ACL reocnstruction/meniscus injury so I feel some of your pain. For lower body, balance exercises and theraband walks might be good for you. Proper form does require the slightest bend to the knees for these but it's maintained throughout, not repetitive. If your balance is poor you can start with just balancing on one leg on the floor, and move up to a bosu ball or balance board (one-legged and two) as your balance improves. Theraband walks require a theraband (naturally ) around your ankles or thighs. You keep your legs far enough apart to keep the theraband just stretched and walk with knees slightly bent. Walk forward, side to side, diagonally, etc. If you can tolerate bridges, I find those effective as well (especially squeezing a small exercise ball between your knees or using the theraband around your thighs).

These are all exercises that were therapy exercises for me initially, but I've found they're useful for some strength training. Getting a referral to a Doctor of Physical Therapy (rather than a personal trainer) truly may be useful for you, not necessarily for strengthening the joint itself, but for learning some exercises that can build up the strength of your knee's supporting muscles that can also be used as lower impact, less painful/pain free, and effective "workout" exercises.

sounds similar to me - I've had two surgeries in the last two years for patellafemoral pain/chondromalacia patella/patella tracking problems - best things I do without much pain are straight leg deadlifts/RDLs and partial leg press (I can't go down all the way, but can do enough to still work the muscle).