Knee Issues

I am on day 7 of 30 Day Shred. My knees are killing me! They were fine until day 4 when they starting hurting a litte. Day 5 they really hurt and last night was almost unbearable. My question is...How can I tell if I am really doing damage to my knees versus just getting sore due to not being used to working out ? Any help would be appreciated.

I think you should take care. Muscles are sore the day after exercise. Joints generally aren't. I would try to modify the exercise for the time being to reduce stress on your knees. Exercise on a carpet, wear cushioned shoes. Ice your knees after activity (Google to see how.)

See an orthopedist.

Are you doing these workouts on consecutive days? It's called 30 Day Shred, but that doesn't mean it needs to be completed in 30 days. Try putting a rest day (or cardio day, or whatever you want to do that's not high impact) between the days you do JM. It may help give your knees a break.

I modified the workouts because I do not have the best knees. I did not dip deeply or step way back on lunges. I didn't even do jumping jacks until the final 10 days or so. Be gentle on your knees and modify the steps as needed so you don't injure yourself.

You don't get delayed onset muscle soreness in your knee. Pretty much any pain there is cause for concern.

Do not F***k with your knees.

This. You have lots of muscles in your body to get sore, but joints are basically bone, ligaments, and tendons (with some other stuff mixed in like cartilage). Mind you I'm no doctor or physiologist, but if you have no prior history of knee issues the issue to me would be either 1) form or 2) weak structure especially stabilizer muscles surrounding the joint. I personally would recommend taking some time to consider the first one, and if that not the issue stop doing the program and do something else including lifting weights with proper form to correct the second issue. I have terrible knees and if I do more than 3 days without doing some sort of lifting program I can barely get out of bed. If you’re looking to do some aerobic based lifting, BodyPump is a great program. If you’re looking to hit the weight room New Rules Of Lifting For Women is a good program to look into.

I am on day 7 of 30 Day Shred. My knees are killing me! They were fine until day 4 when they starting hurting a litte. Day 5 they really hurt and last night was almost unbearable. My question is...How can I tell if I am really doing damage to my knees versus just getting sore due to not being used to working out ? Any help would be appreciated.

If the pain is inside the knee - remember that there are very few muscles there to get sore and a lot of cartilage and cushion that can get damaged. In other words, you can tell if you're doing damage to your knee **when your knee hurts**.

Stop doing things that make your knees hurt immediately. If the pain is increasing, you're increasing the damage. Stop now. Give your knees a few days to heal, doing workouts that focus on the upper body instead. Then restart your workout after adjusting your workspace to accommodate your knees (better shoes that provide more cushion and better support, etc).

^^This!! Take breaks! Try using a knee brace. Icy Hot...or some other mentholated pain analgesic will work wonders!! Don't let this stop you from staying on the wagon...just figure out another way to ride it!

I am on day 7 of 30 Day Shred. My knees are killing me! They were fine until day 4 when they starting hurting a litte. Day 5 they really hurt and last night was almost unbearable. My question is...How can I tell if I am really doing damage to my knees versus just getting sore due to not being used to working out ? Any help would be appreciated.

I have done 2 rounds of 30 DS and I still have to look down at my knees to be sure they are not over the end of my feet... be sure to check yours as you squat/lunge... any motion like that make sure your toes are always out further than your knees... Jillian even does an "exaggerated" example of it on one of the levels... be careful