Inner thigh toning with bad knees?

pinkglitz
pinkglitz Posts: 28
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I know that squats are probably best for thigh toning but my knees are pretty lousy and I simply can't do more than a handful before they are screaming at me but over the years I have noticed that my inner thighs are now really nasty looking, I can almost handle the dimply look of the outer thigh but NOT the loose hanging elephant skin on my inner thigh.

So how do I get rid if I can't do squats?

Replies

  • Heidi64
    Heidi64 Posts: 211 Member
    Possibly a stupid question, but are you sure you have proper form?
  • Lynxie83
    Lynxie83 Posts: 246
    Not a stupid Q Heidi... I too have bad knees and had to work up to doing squats slowly and making sure I do them correctly. It might be worth while asking at a YMCA or other gym for some help with your squat form to see if they could offer advice if you aren't doing it correctly.

    It still takes me a lot of concentrating to ensure my weight is not in my toes and is firmly planted in my heels, but I can now do quite a number of squats and my knees, legs and *kitten* are thanking me for perservering! :bigsmile:
  • pinkglitz
    pinkglitz Posts: 28
    Yeah I'm pretty sure it's not my form but it's the same for lunges, my knees just won't hold out. Even when I was lighter I could never do things that required repetitive bending of the knees.
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
    I'm with you there. Bum knees do make it hard to exercise. I miss mine. However, if I'm careful I can still do squats. Form is everything. I can still walk if there isn't too much elevation change. My preference is swimming - excellent workout without killing the knees - alas, no pool near enough. So I do yoga (most positions), I have a small trampoline I use, and Nordic Trak is a good way to tone thighs without knee stress. There are ways around those bum knees. But taking 20 pounds off my knees has also helped immensely so I figure the next 20 pounds will be just as beneficial.
  • tkdgirlms
    tkdgirlms Posts: 73
    Form is key here - make sure your toes are pointed straight forward and not to the side and that when you squat, your knees don't point in but out and that will help put more of the pressure on your feet. I've had 3 knee surgeries on the same knee and squats are a big part of the rehab so they don't let you get away with not doing them. Think of the squat also as sitting in a chair that isn't there and keep your back straight not bent over. All these are things that help take pressure off the knees.
    Do you have knee pain other then squats? I ask this because my last knee surgery was to shorten my ligament as it was no longer holding the knee cap in place properly and after getting that done, I love doing squats now! I know, strange right? :-)
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
    You are right, pointing my knees outward when I do a squat definitely makes it feel less painful. Thanks! And now that you mention it, my knee rehab also made me do squats. With a big squishy ball at my back and against a wall. I must have blocked that out -- they were no fun. Rehab was hard! And I hated it. But today I have almost full use of the knee. I had a painful, sizeable lump removed and unfortunately lost most of the cartilage, but it still works; just makes squishy gross noises when I climb stairs or put a lot of weight on it. That's why taking 20 lbs off has helped a lot.
  • KemaVA
    KemaVA Posts: 81 Member
    Here are some exercises you can do that will not bother your knees much

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/210413-inner-thigh-toning-exercises-at-home/
  • murphy612
    murphy612 Posts: 734 Member
    Possibly a stupid question, but are you sure you have proper form?

    I was going to say something similar. The only time squats hurt my knees (which aren't in that great of shape) is when I don't do them correctly.
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    i do my squats with the ball behind me as well (bad knees and all - had my acl replaced in my right knee and strained the inner ligaments on my left knee 3 weeks ago). you really have to watch your form. i usually don't do lunges on any of those exercise videos because they go too fast for my knees. i'd rather go slow and have proper form than well no knees. good luck.
    You are right, pointing my knees outward when I do a squat definitely makes it feel less painful. Thanks! And now that you mention it, my knee rehab also made me do squats. With a big squishy ball at my back and against a wall. I must have blocked that out -- they were no fun. Rehab was hard! And I hated it. But today I have almost full use of the knee. I had a painful, sizeable lump removed and unfortunately lost most of the cartilage, but it still works; just makes squishy gross noises when I climb stairs or put a lot of weight on it. That's why taking 20 lbs off has helped a lot.
  • LifeJacketWaterJogger
    LifeJacketWaterJogger Posts: 231 Member
    i READ ON THE INTERNET THAT YOU LAY ON YOUR SIDE WITH BOTH LEGS ON TOP OF EACH OTHER AND SIMPLY RAISE YOUR LEG FOR 3 SETS OF 15 REPS, I DO IT NOW BECAUSE OF BAD KNEES. AND BELIEVE ME AFTER A FEW REPS IT ACTUALLY HURT. TOO SIMPLE YOU MIGHT SAY< BUT IT WORKS.
  • allie7383
    allie7383 Posts: 865 Member
    How about trying some leg lifts with a toning band? I'm sure there's some routines online though I haven't checked myself. I've done some moves in certain dvds(Chalean Extreme, Jillian Michaels- No More Trouble Zones) that are great and wow do you feel them, for both inner and outer thighs.
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