Anybody use a step platform (knee safety question)

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caitlin70433
caitlin70433 Posts: 60
in Fitness and Exercise
I'd like to work up to at least 40 if not 60 minutes of stepping up and down. I currently do 30. The last time I did a full hour of step areobics regularly, I was 22 (I'm 38 now) and I recall that my knees started to bother me a little. Should I not do a full hour of it every day?

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  • GreenSkinnyJeans
    GreenSkinnyJeans Posts: 204 Member
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    I do a hour a day sometimes. But in 30 minute increments.
  • jjbell34
    jjbell34 Posts: 37
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    Do what you can tolerate, work your way up to 60 minutes. Add on 5 minutes every couple of days and if your knees start to hurt you will know you need to cut down your time a little, wear a knee brace if you have a previous injury. You can also ice your knees after exercise or if its a chronic pain issue than heat might feel better. :-)
  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    My knees limit my exercise more than any other part of my body, but they do recover.
    I suggest building up in 15 minute increments.
    If your knees start to hurt going up or down stairs, then cut back.
  • tauny78
    tauny78 Posts: 180 Member
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    Use a knee brace. And watch your form. Make sure you don't take your knees past your foot. I have a problem knee (it dislocates) but if I'm careful and wear my brace, I can do most exercises. Just carefully. Form is very important so you don't injure yourself. Also, squats and lunges can help strengthen the muscles that support your knees, so that may help. Good luck!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I am with JJ - add 5 minutes a day. I had a knee injury a couple of months ago and keep pushing. This week I had to take a break to get it to heal up. Mixed routines are better. At the Y class it was 4 minutes on, 1 rest for 60 minutes.The mix was upper body, lower and abs - the trainer said that joints need time to recover. Doing the exact same thing every day also can cause weight loss plateaus.
  • veganjeanie
    veganjeanie Posts: 158 Member
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    I've done 50 minutes with no problem, but I've never had any knee problems, and I'm 50. If your knees hurt at 22, you should be very careful now. Keep a low step for a long workout. Maybe limit the power moves. You want those knees to last for many years to come!
  • caitlin70433
    caitlin70433 Posts: 60
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    Thanks, guys. I didn't have that much of a problem but it did hurt a litle. I did do some damage to the knees when I was a teen and was jogging in place indoors barefoot. :?P I'll look into knee braces and be careful with my form. It is just such a useful activity as the platform was cheap, I can watch TV in the AC while I do it, etc. I can't afford/don't have room for an eliptical, exercycle, or treadmill.

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