Exercise Suggestions for Very Bad Knees

[allheart 0]

Hi everyone. I've been doing light walking since my surgery on 12/21/07 and went back to Curves today. Everything I do causes pain in my knees. I tried the treadmill, swimming, etc. Anyone else deal with this? Any suggestions?

[Wheetsin 714]

Water activities other than swimming. Aquarobics, aquajogging, etc. Water activities are among the best because they take away the impact. If that is too painful, perhaps some hot yoga, but if moving your knee in the water hurts it's probably going to hurt in a hot room just as much.

[amamastime 0]

make sure you are using a heated therapy pool for the Water exercises _ it is the best for joint pains.

[losing it in ne 0]

I do a program called indoor walking by leslie sansone only ten minutes at a time. I would also find a good rhuematologist and see if procaine injections would help the pain in your knees I have done them for a year now and they are awsome. It takes away the pain and allows me to move better which strengthens the joint. I ususally only have them about every 4-6 weeks but everyone is different. Trynit you'll love it

[Jachut 487]

Dont know, how bad is the pain?

I run regularly, through quite significant pain which probably does not make me dedicated, it just makes me an idiot. But I figure that I have 2 choices, allow the anxiety about pain (and what might be wrong to be causing it) to rule and give up running and get fat again or realise that discomfort wont kill me and run anyway because I'm probably less in pain all round than I would have been fat. I suffer quite bad sciatic pain and did have very bad chronic heel pain too - couldnt walk when I got up in the morning.

All in all, the increased strength and fitness and lower weight has helped the pain, so exercising through it would have to be worthwhile I'd say. And I visit a very good acupuncturist who keeps me in check, he's almost cured the heel pain and he really helps me manage my back.

And I limit the high impact stuff - the running to 3 times a week and choose other activities that are lighter on impact another 2 or 3 times. Circuit training is really good that way, kills 2 birds with one stone.

And I'm completely mental because I'm training to do a half marathon so the day after my long run (14 kms so far) I just accept that I need a couple of panadol to shut my back and hip up.

It depends how bad your pain is. If its an indication of something really wrong that you could damage or injure further then of course, dont push it. If its a chronic whiny condition like my heel bursitis was or somethign unfixable like sciatica, then there really ARE benefits to remaining active despite the pain, exercise will reduce the pain overall probably. But if it has you feeling nauseous or in tears of agony, that's quite different to moderate discomfort.

[make33 2]

I also have bad knees and have belonged to Curves now for five years.

First of all, the squat machine is totally out! (the one where you are standing under two shoulder pads and you squat down and raise up again).

Avoid the leg curl (the seated one where you curl your legs around the padded bars) if it hurts your knees and also the leg press (seated where your legs are up pushing on two metal plates). The inner and outer thigh machine (seated spread-eagle where you bring your legs in and out) shouldn't affect your knees.

If you have a leg extension at your Curves-you may not- (standing, where you press back with your foot), test that one out for yourself.

When I've had issues with my knees, I don't hesitate to skip that machine and go on to the next aerobic pad. And you can then just time 25 minutes around, instead of "three times around on the machines".

I got a steroid shot in my worst knee last August and it has lasted until this past month, so that may be an idea for you! It may just be a while until you reduce the amount of weight bearing down on your knees.

I work out at the YMCA also (weight training) but I adjust my program there also to accommodate for my knees. Working through the pain isn't an option for us--because it IS pain and not the good "burn" of working muscle groups.

Whatever you do, don't give up--it's all so worth it! :thumbup:

[luluc 6]

Not sure the source of your knee pain (injury/disease) - but you probably want to find an exercise that is "low impact" . Swimming / Elliptical might be a better choice than the treadmill.

I have a version of RA & get Indomethacin Injections each month. I'm new to this, only had 2 treatments - and it seems to get the "kinks" out...I sorta force myself to deal w/the hip/back pain and workout anyway. My Dr told me the best thing to do for myself was exercise - and I find the days (like today) that I have the most issues is when I'm not active.

You might have to do a little of trial/error to find what works best for you..

[Jachut 487]

I'd like to clarify, I dont mean exercising through horrendous pain or injury! I mean the kind of stab down the back of the thigh pain that sciatica gives you with each step and I tolerate stiffness and feeling out of sorts (my back all kinked out) after a particularly tough session. Not OMG I'm gonna throw up because I"m running on a broken ankle pain.

[allheart 0]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. I'm going to continue curves every other day and skip machines that irritate my knee - hopefully as I build up my thigh muscles, it will help my knees. I've been avoiding going to an orthopedic surgeon because when I went a couple of years ago, that particular doctor told me my knees were too fat to tell what was going on. I have the name of another one that several people at work are pleased with - one thing at a time.

Thanks again for your thoughts!!

[TulipStar 2]

allheart,

I just went to an orthopedic surgeon for my knees and he didn't even weigh me...didn't tell me that I was fat. He just evaluated my situation and told me to avoid high impact exercises. He said that I could do the stationary bike, swimming, walking or the elliptical.

[4nefertiti 0]

I have very bad knees as well. So bad that I am now a candidate for a knee replacement in my left knee. Surgery has already been approved but both my surgeon and I agree that I should go as long as possible before doing it since the life span of replacement is 15-20 years. What I have done is have both knees cleaned out. My left knee had to have some bone fragments removed due to the bones rubbing together. I also do regular synvisc treatments(injections) to keep them lubricated which helps alot with the pain and movement.

My surgeon recommended using the reclined stationary bike as well as Water activities.