Gym/workout question

[Jand3rson]

So I have a question for you gym/workout/fitness types. I have a gym membership, and hardly ever go. Well, since I'm still paying for it, there's something I need to work on, and want to know if the gym can help me with it.

I have VERY weak knees. And this isn't something that's come about recently, it's been this way for a long time. I can't stay in a crouched position for more than about 30 seconds before I feel like my knees are going to literally burst into flames. When I am crouched or knelt down, when I stand back up, my knees sound like someone is stepping on rice krispies, and it hurts.

I'm not even 30 yet, and I can't stand to think that my knees are going to be in this kind of shape forever. I'm very active, I longboard, snowboard, and cycle, as well as having a VERY physical job. And in my job, I have to be kneeling down a lot, as well as a lot of crouch/stand/crouch/stand repetitive actions. What can I do to start working my knees out to make them stronger, along with my legs? Please help!

[fiftytakedowns]

*EXB major here*

You talked about how they burn, but was not quite specific if it was muscular or joint pain. but no worries I have a solution for both:

A supplement you could pocket or buy at whole foods, Trader joes safeway or whatever is Glucosamine Chondroiten and MSM. Taking those once a day and you will feel better in your joints. I had knee surgery from wrestling and had a mad bad knee. glucosamine will really fix that up you just have to be dedicated to take it once a day.

As for the exercises. I recommend squats with with a barbell, mixed in with some lunges. I could bust out an entire Program for your needs pretty easy. If you want it send me a PM with your specific goals, and I'd be able to fix one up for you within a day or two.

Edit: Re read it, and I really think you would benefit from some glucosamine:

http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/Supplements/Double-Strength-Glucosamine-Chondroitin-Complex/ID=prod3426993&navCount=1&navAction=push-product?V=G&ec=frgl_557312&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=sku3425833

PM me if you want a workout program.

[Aptyp]

i had same problem with knees. Swimming is just about the best exercise, because it's low-stress.

[Jand3rson]

Thanks a lot man! It's hard to tell if it's muscle or joint pain, I think it's probably both! I know I do have joint pain in other areas too, such as my elbows. It's my own fault, because I hardly eat any vegetables, so I bet a good multivitamin is in order as well. I'll check into that Glucosamine Chondroiten and MSM, and let you know about a possible workout plan. I've got other stuff I'd like to work on as well (pudgy midsection/upper body).

[shiftbmw]

They also make "knee savers" or whatever they are called for people who constantly kneel(insert blunt joke here). A lot of baseball catchers and construction/contracter types wear them. They ride on the back of the calf.

If you don't already, they might be worth looking into.

Here's an example.

http://www.baseballexp.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=5768&code=I99FNA1ZGE010001&cm_mmc=Google_Base-_-Baseball-_-Products%20Link-_-DWEDGE-B84

[daniel]

definitely low-impact workouts, like swimming, help strengthen your knees while not straining them.

another thing that will help is just to lose weight everywhere else. the less weight you have on your frame, the less stress there will be on your joints.

good luck!

[gwb72tii]

lunges will work
when i had my acl redone, this was the single hardest/best exercise for strengthening the muscles around the knee

[mrsleeve]

Josh I have the same issues with my knees and we are the same age. I was told when I was 19 I would have to have my right knee replaced by the time I was 30. Foot ball injuries and latter on injured on the job several time thanks to ditch cave ins.

Well I am still going on them both and both hurt to beat hell. What I do for my really bad knee is heat when its really bugging me and just when I am sitting work it through the whole range of motion over and over and I eat Motrin by the hand full when its acting up. That and the Mens heath formula one a day vitamin with a Glucosamine supplement has really helped.

My biggest issue anymore is sitting in one position for more than a 1/2 hour or so and my knee will kinda lock up and its hard to walk on it for about 5 mins

[KenC]

Josh,

Over the past year, I have been shadowing the chief of Orthopaedic surgery at the hospital I work at. (I'm interviewing to attend medical school in the fall). His specialty is knee and hip replacements, so I've had a ton of exposure to people with knee pain.

Where are you experiencing the pain? Have you had any previous knee injuries?

There is some clinical evidence to suggest that Glucosamine and Chondroitin (when taken together) can slow down the degeneration of cartilage (it can't regenerate itself with or without supplementation), however, unless you're starting to develop osteoarthritis (which barring any previous injuries, I would seriously doubt given your age alone) it's a waste of money.

My guess is that you're having a patellar tracking issue. If the pain you're experiencing is generally in the front of your knee, that would greatly support my hypothesis. In the picture below, you can see that the quadriceps muscle group is responsible for the way your patella glides over your femur. Simple quadriceps strengthening exercises are generally enough to correct this in a relatively short amount of time.

[KenC]

Josh,
Also check this article out. It may be a little esoteric, but it's basic enough for most to be able to understand 90% of it:

http://www.clinicaladvisor.com/assessing-knee-pain-in-the-primary-care-clinic/article/140986/

I have the hard copy of the journal sitting right next to me... saves me a stamp instead of mailing it to you :).

[kishg]

i'd get a medical opinion if I were you. ken is right, MSM/GNC might work (i give it to my dogs - labs have genetic disposition to weak joints) but there's never been conclusive scientific proof. i wouldn't rely on it.

[e34john]

some of those supplements give people headaches, I am one of them the only one that works for me is triple flex. I get it at costco but they sell it everywhere. I use it cause my knees pop, no pain but I am trying to save the cartilidge. And get some calcium too.

try body weight lunges and squats. Then add leg presses and weighted workouts. Work on your quads, they are a major support muscle.

[czag13]

I've had horrible knees for as long as I can remember, and while running Track in college, my athletic trainer had me doing leg extensions almost everyday. Really any leg workout will help, just keep the weight low and the reps high. Swimming is great, and so is getting on the stationary bike.

[der affe]

i am starting to get the knee pain and have cracking and popping when i kneel for long periods of time. i am sure that playing soccer from the time i was 6 until Jr in HS, skateboarding, working out heavily, and working on cars have all taken a toll on my knees.

i take a shark cartilage suppliment along with the glucosimine/condroiten (sp) and that seemed to help some, but excercising my legs seemed to make the biggest difference. i was/am doing a 45 min 2x a week spin class along with a 2 1/2 hour leg work out once a week combined with 1 hour of cardio split into 3 sessions EVERY DAY i was at the gym. That made a bigger difference than anything ever did. i have not been to the gym since my last surgery and have noticed the pain begining to return to my right knee. as soon as i can get back to the gym, hopefully this week, and lift things with out my incisions tearing open and bleeding, i will be back at it.

as for the excercise advise you were given, i would like to add one thing. since you are (and don't take this as an insult) generally out of shape to be working out hard since you don't go to the gym, when you do legs, stick to the machines. squats, while they are great for your leg stregnth also involve MANY more muscles than just the legs. to get the best benefits from them you need to go somewhat heavy and the rest of your body may not be too happy about that. i would suggest that you do leg extensions, leg curls, lunges, spin classes, eliptical (low impact!), hack squats, and laying leg extensions (all of these are done on machines) first, then work your way up to free squats.

i am no expert, but have been a gym rat a little over half my life and have trained may friends (most who were starting from ground zero) so i have a little insite to what walls you might hit.

[stegosaurus]

If you're really concerned about this go see a specialist. There's no substitute for a professional opinion, especially when it boils down to something that's such a big part of your life (like walking).

I have knee problems, that are just catching up to me now (I'm 18) because of things I did and didn't do when I was younger. I started skating at 3, i picked up a lacrosse stick at 4, and I started weightlifting when I was 8. I never stretched at all, and when I started to grow, my big bulky leg muscles started to pull on things that they shouldn't have been pulling on.

My patella sits a few degrees lateral of where it should and even though I'm making progress walking and going up stairs can still cause problems. I use a combination of manual and mechanical traction to get through the day. I loosen things up a little by manipulating the patella north south, and then east west. I put a strip of tape laterally across the patella as an anchor and secure another on the lateral side before giving the patella medial pressure and wrapping the tape across to pull it towards a normal position. This and swimming have helped so much in combating my knee pain, hopefully it won't be a problem in a few more years. BUT, the only reason I'm doing better is because I was placed on a good treatment plan, which is something you can only get from a physical therapist.