Cathe, want to continue weight loss, but knees hurt

[adriennesmith0]

Hi Cathe, I've been very successful in losing 20 lbs using all of your dvds, and I still have another 10 to go. The problem is my knees are starting to bother me when I do step and lots of leg work . Could you give me any ideas of how to still work intensely but give my knees a break. I don't want lose any of my fitness gains, and above all I definitely don't want to set myself up for injury.

Thanks,

Adrienne

 

[fitnessangel]

Adrienne,

Obviously not Cathe, but I have had similar problems. Are you stepping every day? Or, doing anything high impact very often? This may be the problem. Also, if you are doing anything over and over this may lead to injury. I found it out the hard way. I love step, and was doing it almost everyday, but the knees couldn't handle that much step. Without knowing your history, or medical ailments, I would say that you may want to back away from doing step as often. You can also lower your step height or not use it at all for the time being. It is hard to get used to not using the step, but it will fall into place. If you are doing to many leg workouts per week this may be the problem as well. Make sure you are doing squats and lunges correctly. You may have to decrease the weight until your knee is strong enough.

I guess what it is ultimately down to is the actual changes in routines, the type of routines, and the resting days that you provide yourself with. Even if you do low-impact step it is still step, same with the high step. If possible, try to incorporate low-impact floor aerobics and lowered step while you are "taking it easy". I only had to "take it easy" for about a week, but everyone is different. I know it stinks especially when you are on your way to losing the weight, but in the long run your knees will thank you.

Once you get back up to par, try mixing up your routines and aiming for only 2 high-impact classes a week. There are so many variations in Cathe's workouts that you can effectively lower the impact down on many of them. Also, make sure you are stretching and taking your resting day(s) off. I am sure you are already eating healthy, but make sure that your diet has essential vitamins, nutrients, and proteins to help build back the muscle. Oddly enough, when I started strength training my knees it really helped relieve the strain. Then, I really cleaned up my eating habits and it helped even more.

Good luck.. I know any injury (or strain) can dampen the spirits. It is a sign, though, that you need to take care of your body. Your body is giving you a warning now, so hopefully you can change/modify whatever you may be doing that it doesn't like before you get injured.

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Adrienne! Congrats on your weight loss. Good for you for losing the weight, but better yet, for making the effort to do it safely and effectively.

If your knees are bothering you, take about a week off of lower body activities (cardio and strength) and simply ice 2 to 3 times per day along with stretching the quads, hamstrings and calves two times a day. A couple of anti-inflammatory meds a couple of times a day will be good too. After about 3 days into the week, you can do some light leg isolation work every other or every three days. These would include:

Quad isolation strengthener: (Hold off on this exercise if you feel any pain in your knee while doing it) Put ankle weights on and lie down flat on your back with one knee bent and the other straight. Now lift your straight leg about 8 inches off the floor and hold for 5 seconds and lower back down....ITS SO IMPORTANT that your lifting leg remains perfectly straight so that your knee is not doing ANY of the work or taking on any stress. This is probably one of the few instances where locking out a joint is advantageous and encouraged. Do up to 20 reps all on the right leg, then repeat the same amount of reps on left leg.

Be sure to do quad stretching exercises as well as hip flexor stretching exercises, holding all stretches for at least 10 seconds.

Also stretch the hamstrings as well as the calves. Even include calf strengthening exercises too.

After one week, continue with this leg therapy work while adding in biking, elliptical, or swimming for cardio until knee pain subsides (do not do any of these cardio activities if it hurts your knee while doing this exercise).

If after three weeks you feel better, gradually add in other cross training activities. Any activity that originally caused you knee discomfort should not be done more that 2 times per week non-consecutively. If knee discomfort does not go away after these conservative measures, its time to see your doctor for an evaluation.

Good luck and go easy!

 

[thinkgod1]

i go swimming at a indoor gym