The importance of strength training

I have learned a hard lesson about adding strength training as well as "physical exercise" as we continue along on our weight loss journey. My exercise of choice is typically walking or riding my stationary bike. I have never done any weight lifting or working with weights at all. Three weeks ago as I was going up the stairs I got the sudden, excrusiating pain of pins being shoved into the sides of my knee. So I have been pretty much out of commission as far as my exercising went. I have just been very cautious with my calories.

So I finally got into the Orthopedic Clinic yesterday & found out that my knee cap is not staying in the "groove" it is designed to but riding up on the outside ridge of my femur (thigh) bone. The cause is that my thigh & hip muscles aren't strong enough to hold the knee cap into place. The underside of my knee cap is extremely inflamed & irritated. The doctor told me that this is a very common issue. He usually sees about 3 a day but I was there early & already his 2nd, so he might see 4.

I told him I couldn't understand why now. I thought my knees would be happy with 57 pounds less to have to lug around. He said the only thing my weight loss has to do with it is that I am more active now & irritating my knee along with the increased activity. Had I done some leg strengthening exercises along the way, I would have never had this problem.