Bad Knee

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krissykross
krissykross Posts: 61
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a bad knee. I don't remember exactly what it was called (it's it buildup of fluid,) but my doctor said that strengthening the muscles in my thigh and just generally working out my leg would help. I've been walking daily, but it hasn't made much of a dent in the pain. I've also been trying to bike, but it's hard to do more than 5 minutes at a time. Any good exercises or workout videos that might help?
Thanks so much!

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  • angel_eyes17
    angel_eyes17 Posts: 103 Member
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    bump
  • rbryntes
    rbryntes Posts: 710 Member
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    work quad exercises.
  • Boomerof51
    Boomerof51 Posts: 44 Member
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    I have 2 bad knees and have been pleased with the workout on my elliptical. Definitely builds up thigh muscles without the impact on your knees.
  • trybefan
    trybefan Posts: 488 Member
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    Squats, squats and more squats. I have a bum knee that I am going to get checked out soon. You can do squats with light weights and stop and return to standing position when you feel discomfort. Go slow and allow you quads to take over. This is what I do and works for me. I am not telling you what will work for you, just some advice
  • shesblossoming
    shesblossoming Posts: 426
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    I have a really bad knee problem with my right knee. I've found that doing squats have strengthened my thigh muscles exponentially. Make sure you look up how to do a proper squat and put pressure on your heels, so there will be no pressure on your knees. I also do modified lunges. I like to do them with weights for a bit of a challenge. I also like to go on the elliptical and increase the incline. Very low impact and helps out so much.

    If you have a chance, I would purchase Biggest Loser Cardio Max. They have modified moves that you can do and while it's a total body workout, they focus a lot on strengthening your legs, especially your thigh region.

    Since doing this, my knees have felt so much better. Good luck!
  • Gallinagordita
    Gallinagordita Posts: 26
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    I have bad knees too, and the only exercise that doesn't cause pain is the elliptical. Even the bike makes my legs bend too much. I hope you find something that works well for you.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
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    Squats, squats and more squats. I have a bum knee that I am going to get checked out soon. You can do squats with light weights and stop and return to standing position when you feel discomfort. Go slow and allow you quads to take over. This is what I do and works for me. I am not telling you what will work for you, just some advice

    I agree! Squats have done wonders for my painful knees.
  • vick9180
    vick9180 Posts: 144 Member
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    Start with some basic range of motion exercises like sitting in a chair and doing leg extensions with no weight. Really focus on squeezing the muscle as you extend. Do this 6-8 times with your toe up, then turn your toe in and then out. As you are able to do this with less pain, increase the reps and sets and then gradually add some weight. Knees are very hard to rehabilitate, but I successfully did it with mine and have been pain and injury free for a year and a half. However, it took me about 9 months of frustration and agitation with not being able to do the things I wanted to (like kneel with my knee on the ground to tie my shoe or run).

    After you feel comfortable with the knee extensions, you can start implementing squats using your body weight. Just remember to strengthen the hamstrings along with the quads so you can stay balanced. Eventually you'll be able to bike and run with little pain, but don't be shocked if initially you feel a few sharp pains when attempting these things. Just be mindful of what you're feeling and go back to square one if the pain gets too intense.
  • Ann_Marie_76
    Ann_Marie_76 Posts: 152 Member
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    I have had fluid build up several times and still have problems with my knee. But I went to PT for it and was told the same thing. Check out this website: http://www.thewalkingsite.com/knee_exercises.html. It has most of the exercises I was given to do. Good luck.

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