i am having trouble finding exercises that i can do. My knees are bad so that makes it harder too. Does anybody have any ideas that can help. All are appreciated. Thank you.
Carrie
Swimming is great for people who have knee problems. Do you have a gym near you with a fitness center that includes aqua aerobics, etc.? Or, do you have a pool, or live near a friend with a pool?
You can also use the stretchy bands and do resistance training with them. Just don't do any deep squats. You can perhaps use light weights, up to five pounds. Start with lighter ones though, like 1 - 2 lbs weights. You can sit in a chair on the side of a bed to do a lot of the upper body weights, thereby alleviating pain in your knees. Elliptical trainers are good for people with knee problems. I will be testing that out shortly, as soon as my doctor releases me from crutches (I had knee surgery). He said I would be able to use my elliptical machine. Also, depending on why your knees hurt (is it the weight bearing, or the range of motion?) a recumbant bike or even regular exercise bike may work for you. Probably a recumbant bike would be better. I have one and LOVE it, but once again, cannot use it right now, due to all kinds of restrictions thanks to my surgery.
Can you do any walking at all? If so, how much? Is it just certain surfaces that bother you? Is grass easier than concrete? If so, perhaps walking in a park or field with lush grass would be better than on a roadway. Leslie Sansone DVD's walk away the pounds is something you can do in your house. Do you have nice, thick carpet? Or, you can buy those rubber puzzle looking pad things (very comfly to stand on) and use those in your exercise area. Even if you only walk a quarter mile at a time, you can quit walking at any time when you do the walk dvd. Then you don't overuse your knees.
Have you seen a doctor about your knees? You should probably do that before attempting any kind of exercise. Find out if the problem is just because of weight, or if there really is something wrong with them (for instance I had a torn meniscus). Remember, every pound you lose relieves your knees of I believe, 4-5 lbs of force per pound per overweight per knee. Dr. Oz was on the health channel the other day and he said when you are going upstairs, it increases and is actually 7 extra lbs of force per pound of overweight per knee. An example was if you are 10 lbs overweight, your knees are bearing the weight of 70 extra pounds per knee, when going upstairs. No wonder our knees hurt!!! But, the good news is that losing the weight can help our joints and knees.
Hi! Here are a few suggestions—I hope that they work for you!
Swimming is a great exercise for people with joint problems because it is non-weight bearing. This includes any exercise in the pool too, such as water aerobics, treading water, or even walking. Just walking normally is also easy on the knees, and is something you can do anywhere. I would also recommend a yoga class, which can help strengthen the muscles that support the knee as well as being incredibly relaxing. Don't hesitate to use extra knee support in your activities. Good Luck!
I have arthritis and fibromyalgia, so I understand how hard it is to exercise when you're in pain. I agree with Kathy that you should talk to your doctor first about what you physically can do, and then start very small.
The arthritis foundation certifies warm water exercise programs, so there may be one in your area. You can google warm water exercise and your city name, contact the arthrits foundation directly to see if there is a program in your area. Warm water, is so amazing. You'll find it so wonderful, you won't want to get out of the water. Usually, the cost is very inexpensive.
We have a warm water thereapy pool in our area that has an accredited program. The have free swim times and also water aerobic and water walking classes. You do need a note from your doctor, and then it's $2.50 to use the pool (and the cost of the classes is about the same). The cost is even reimbursable by some insurance plans.
I've always loved to swim, but cold water freezes up my muscles and joints. The warm water isn't so warm it feels like bathwater, it's just warm enough to be a little warmer than the air. That way there is absolutely no "shock" in getting in the water, and you can start exercising right away. The even have water dumbbells to use. Unlike regular dumbbells, the resistance isn't from the weight, but from the bouyancy. The more bouyant, the harder it is to pull the dumbbells through the water, so you get quite a workout.
As for land exercises, I can recommend tai chi, but if you're not able to do much exercise, make sure you get a beginner's tape, and don't be concerned if you can't do the whole tape from the start. Do what you can, and gradually increase. If standing is even painful, there are also "chair dancing" videos, I haven't tried, but I've thought of buying.
Really, anything that is more movement than you're used to is a start.
I had a LOT of knee pain when I started working out. I actually couldn’t go up a flight of stairs without my knees hurting. I am very happy to say that with exercise and weight loss the pain has almost completely gone away.
Umm. . . basically everything that Kit said. I definitely think that building the muscles in your legs will help make your knees hurt less. Ball squats against a wall helped me so much when I started. I also work with a personal trainer who is very conscious of my knees and doesn't have me do anything that hurts them. If I did them in the right form they were fine, but I had to be very careful.
Also, personally I have found that the elliptical machines in the gym are fine on my knees when both regular walking and the treadmill were too tough on them. It is because with the elliptical you are eliminating the impact, even though there is some bending.
help with exercise
