Advice for exercising with bad knees

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sfcolyer
sfcolyer Posts: 2 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I would love any advice for exercising with bad knees even if it is just low impact exercising. My doctor has recommended that I join the Family Y so that I can use the swimming pool. I did give that a try and it does help but with the way my schedule is, it was just not working for me. I live on the other side of town form our Family Y. So that is kind of out for me.
Anyone have any suggestions that I can do at home? :smile:

Replies

  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    Walking is pretty low impact and not too awful on the knees.

    Make sure you have proper shoes and you should be ok.
  • tadpole242
    tadpole242 Posts: 507 Member
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    I would love any advice for exercising with bad knees even if it is just low impact exercising. My doctor has recommended that I join the Family Y so that I can use the swimming pool. I did give that a try and it does help but with the way my schedule is, it was just not working for me. I live on the other side of town form our Family Y. So that is kind of out for me.
    Anyone have any suggestions that I can do at home? :smile:
    Swim, do what your doctor suggests.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
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    Weight training.

    If you have a serious medical problem with your knees, you can still find ways to train around it.
    Experiment with excercises until you find something that doesn't cause too much trouble.
  • lkcuts
    lkcuts Posts: 224
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    some people say it hurts their knees but if you put it on low resistance its not too bad the eliptical works for me its very low impact and i do core excersises with light weights and stretch bands floor excersises with leg lifts,scissor and side leg lifts,sit ups etc.
    When I walk my hips bother me more than anything .My knees did at first but the more you do it the stronger you become. Building some muscle for support helps.
  • danbradley1970
    danbradley1970 Posts: 42 Member
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    my knees are not good one to say the least...i absolutely love the feeling of a good workout on an elliptical, which i believe is designed for lower impact, took me a bit to get into a grove, but man i love it, and its adjustable with your experience....My dr recommended swimming for me too, and i will get there. I have lost 45 lbs doing that as my main cardio
  • chezileigh
    chezileigh Posts: 255
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    Depends what's wrong with your knees really, but if it's weight bearing that's the problem, then swimming is definitely the best thing for it. For some problems cycling would be ok, but others it would cause problems.
  • chiquitatwist
    chiquitatwist Posts: 54 Member
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    The elliptical machine is pretty easy on joints and you can go at your own pace. My Dr. recommended it a while back because I'm on a med that can cause joint problems, and so far I have seen great results with little strain on my ankles and knees. Hope you find something that works for you! :smile:
  • Boolietta
    Boolietta Posts: 12 Member
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    Hula hooping! Great fun, good for the waist (and heart) and low impact, plus you can do it whenever you have a few minutes to spare, watching tv etc.

    Otherwise, I'd say gentle walking or cycling and try out some knee supports - even the cheaper elasticated ones can be helpful. Good luck.
  • pauldbarnhart
    pauldbarnhart Posts: 5,999 Member
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    I used to have trouble with my knees, but started taking glucosamine while doing my low impact exercises. As I lost weight (and kept up the glucosamine, my knees got stronger and gave me less and less trouble, until now they don't bother me, even when I run.

    But you might have more serious knee troubles, so you should still follow your doctor's advise - low impact exercise until the knees get stronger. Ask your doctor about the benefit of glucosamine (if you haven't already).
  • michelleesther
    michelleesther Posts: 72 Member
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    I find th elliptical to be good for the knees
  • kenlad64
    kenlad64 Posts: 377 Member
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    I use the elliptical, i walk and ride my bike. I too have knee problems. I also do some "water jogging" (running in the pool) and of course swimming is great! Best o'luck.
  • kaytgo1
    kaytgo1 Posts: 4 Member
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    I have arthritis, and the knees are affected, I guess what exercise is best might depend on what is wrong with your knees. I have found recumbent bikes, modified yoga and swimming to be my best options. The bike still gives a few twinges, but it's not as bad as walking or other exercises. Also, the Osteo-biflex..(glucosamine chondrotin) has helped a lot. If walking does work for you, my dr had recommended walkfits (i think they are at Target) inserts for shoes, though I'm sure other brands work too. Those have helped me when I do walk and they weren't very expensive.
  • NettyIOM
    NettyIOM Posts: 44 Member
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    I have pins holding my left knee together. I find the elliptical trainer/cross-trainer is very low impact. As your doctor suggested though, swimming is also excellent! Aquafit is a fun workout and also very low impact.

    Hope you find something. :flowerforyou:
  • tlhorsley
    tlhorsley Posts: 141 Member
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    I agree that you should follow your doctors advice. You should find excuses/reasons to do things that will help not excuses/reasons to avoid it.

    I also agree a lot depends on how bad your knees are and what is wrong with them. The elliptical is great for those with bad knees.

    I have bad knees as well and have found when I lift and my quads are stronger my knees don't hurt. If I go more than 1 week and not lift my knees will start bothering me again. Odd I know but for me the harder I push the better they are and stay.
  • htimpaired
    htimpaired Posts: 1,404 Member
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    bumping because my sister has knee problems and I don't know what to recommend she try. She has osgood slaughter disease (something to do with the ligements over the kneecap I think?). She wants to lose weight but is very out of shape and I'm struggling to find things she can do without aggravating her knees and getting discouraged. So far cycling classes have gone over the best, but she needs to weight train and I don't know what she can/should do.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    I am the King of Knee problems.... Have Grade 3 Osteoarthritis in both knee's, Torn Meniscus in Both Knee's, No Cartilage left in either knee, and a torn ACL in my Right knee. I have had several clean outs, get Cortisone and SynVisc knee injections, and am on 2 pain killers... will be getting 2 total knee's at the end of my weight loss journey. (Probably in the Spring of 2013) that being sad, I have experimented with everything known to man exercise wise and the very best thing you can do is strength the muscle surrounding the knee joint. It will make a huge difference in the structural support of the joint. You need to heed the advice of your doctor and put swimming at the top of your list. I swim and do walking in the therapy pool on my bad days, it is low impact due to weight displacement from the water... On my good days I Walk especially outdoors during the good months (plenty of time to be trapped in doors over the winter on the treadmill) I have a membership at Our local YMCA it is about a 10-15 minute drive there and worth the time. My favorite piece of Gym equipment though is the Elliptical, it is very low impact on my knee's and I can get Great Workouts in on it.. I do not bike currently but am going to add cycling to my workout routine next year... (saving up for a trail bike for the spring). Anything you do remember to start slow and build on every workout... In 2009 I was unable to support my own weight and could barely stand for more than 30 seconds at a stretch... As the weight as come off, I have built up my exercise adding alittle more every time i exercise.... Best of Luck
  • StarIsMoving
    StarIsMoving Posts: 437
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    My daughter and I both have crap for knees due to RA...hers is way worse, just had a full knee replacement. Meniscus was gone, cartilage gone, ACL keeps tearing chronically... with that being said: Swimming is by far the best thing. However, if not an option, then we (her before surgery... me then and now) brace the knee and would do elliptical. Both of us were lifting too - just be careful on squats not to over exceed a 90 degree angle with legs...that's when it starts to pull on the knee (per our dr). I wish you much luck and love that you are not willing to let it slow you down... Reach for what you want!!!

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