? for those with knee issues

[Timber99]

For all you out there that have knee issues, are there any particular moves that you have difficulty with and/or modify b/c of the knee?

I seem to have trouble with these:

Plyo (I modify or sub every other with jacks, depending on how it feels)

Power scissors (some days better than others)

Glute raises on the step with the non-working leg raised in the air (less stress with that non-working leg on the floor but working on it )

I noticed today that during the floor work in GS legs, there were a couple of moves w/the band that really made me tender. It was supposed to rain and there is moisture in the air, but still... The one where you lay on your side (to work inner thigh) with the band around one foot (the working leg) and use the other leg to step & hold down the band. In that position, the working leg was at the wrong angle and pained me a lot. I decided to just keep hold on the band as close to the ground as I could w/my hand but not use the other leg to step down on the band.

Sometimes I feel like a whimp for modifying but I really don't have a choice! There are times when nothing hurts at all (so I push harder) and times when everything hurts (so I focus on upper body). Just wondering what bugs others out there w/a knee issue

Christine

 

[kathryn]

I have a touchy knee, and it lets me know what is good and not good for it. It hasn't bothered me for a while, even with higher impact (like IMAX2 done almost all as-is, and IMAX3 with LOTS of modifications!). I've been very good to it!

One thing I do is NEVER wear ankle weights when doing inner/outer thigh work, as the pull of gravity is in a direction that doesn't track with the normal bend of the knee, and it puts torque on the knee. I always hold a dumbbell on my thigh above the knee, or put a heavier ankle weight in the same spot. Wearing ankle weights for exercises that work the quads and hamstrings isn't a problem, because the pull of gravity is in the same direction as the knee bends. The exercise you're describing puts the pull on the leg in a side-to-side direction, so I see why it might cause problems. You can substitute by doing the "dumbbell on the thigh" version to remove the stress from the knee (to keep the same intensity as when you would use an ankle weight, be sure to up the poundage, as the lever is shorter, so the weight will "feel" lighter than it is).

Quite a few of Cathe's moves are not friendly to my knee (mainly because of torque rather than the impact), so I don't do them and subtitute with something else. I will NEVER AGAIN do a ricochet move (to fast, too much risk of torque), a flying angel, or anything similar. I also take out most pivots (and just do mambos) to reduce some possible torque (but mainly because I hate turning moves like that). For ricochets, I substitute an "over-the-top, tap outer foot, return, jack. For flying angels, I just keep facing forward and do the move as Cathe preps it in IMAX2.

And while I can take a certain amount of impact, IMAX3 has so many moves that have too much impact, IMO. I omit ALL the "jump down OFF the step" moves and turn them into step-downs. I pretty much do the moves more like in IMAX2, which has a more sensible amount of impact without being "easy."

I sometimes feel like a wimp, but not much any more, because I'm nt competing with anyone else (though I think I'm in much better shape than most people near my age that I know). I'm in it for the long run, and if that means modifying to keep my parts working better longer, then so be it! And I actually have fun coming up with substitute moves.

 

[ColleenM]

I modify a lot because of knee pain. I do all my step with just the step; no risers. I do my tall box with with bottom half of the Firm Box that is two pieces blue and purple (can't remember the name). I used to use a 14" tall box. I am very careful with lunges and tall box work. I also can't do hover squats at all.

Colleen

 

[finsgirl]

I do a lot of modifications, too. I rarely do lunges with weights, and don't go down as far as Cathe does with squats. I skip the leg raises - those hurt a lot. I twisted my knee oh so slightly last night doing reverse V steps in Low Max but it seems to feel better today. Some days are definitely better than others - I keep taking my glucosamine and modifying. I don't feel like a wimp anymore - I do what works for me. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to do it AT ALL! And that's just not an option!!!


Angie

 

[klirosi]

I don't really have knee issues, but I'm afraid I will develop some because I'm starting to hear some cracking and popping. I don't modify so much as really, really concentrate on my form when doing lunges, squats, etc. and make sure all the weight and energy is in my heel. I was also advised to take Glucosamine which I did until they started giving me really horrible stomach pains. Now I don't take them (nothing is worth that!) but I'm back to worrying about my poor knees. I don't know what I'd do if I couldn't exercise because of injury or arthritis! Any other prevention ideas out there?

Kerrie

 

[hippahips]

I do step aerobics on a 4" step. Sometimes, when doing the Imaxes, I take out the step altogether.

I don't do the peg-leg mambo because the pivots are uncomfortable. There are many other pivot-turns in other workouts I don't do. I don't do power squats either. In C&W, I sub windmills for the power squats, and in Imax 2, I sub squats done laterally on each side of the step.

I've stopped doing airborne jacks because they give me tendonitis. I do airborne jumps instead. And when those make my knees uncomfortable, I do regular jacks.

I don't do power scissors either. I do the regular scissors, where my knees aren't bent into a lunge position. And on that note, I don't do power lunges (like in L&G) either. I just do regular lunges.

I can do plyo jacks, just not too many of them. When my knees start complaining, I do regular squats, moving from one side to the other.

I do regular squats and plie squats against the wall, with a stability ball between my back and the wall, and my toes pointed about 30 degrees outward. This is a modification my PT friend suggested. He also suggested I do the 30-degree thing with my foot when doing leg presses to strengthen the side of my knee opposite the quad.

Don't feel like a wimp for modifying. Just because an exercise is modified doesn't make it "easier" per se. Try Kathryn's modification for the inner thigh exercise where you put a weight on your inner thigh instead of a weight around your ankle. I've tried doing it that way. It still burns. We all have to work with and around our limitations. The important thing is that you're not giving up.

Pinky

 

[Norma48]

I am so glad I read this topic because I have develope some pain in my left knee due to some moves on the step, but must be my age, definetly, I am 48 so aches and pains come around once in a while, I feel like a wimp when I can't do some moves, like jump squats foward back and foward, please!!!! its hard! so I do 3 squats in place,,, hahahaha, I dont think Cathe is going to mind, thou sometimes she pushes a little hard to get a good work out but I just have to wait till I get there, mmmm maybe some day.

The older I get the more I love me.

http://www.geocities.com/norma123nyc/MyJourney.html

 

[kimmie2191]

No POWER SISSORS ever! To much knee pain.

Not alot of plyo unless I am on rebounder (which is knee friendly)

Not alot of tall box work. I normally will not go over a 12 in. box and sometimes 8 ins. depends on how my knees feel.

LOTS OF power-walks and surprise I can include some jogging in there as well but not total jogging.

Never go over a 4 in step for step workouts.

This keeps my knees and me very happy.

Kim

 

[kimmie2191]

No POWER SISSORS ever! To much knee pain.

Not alot of plyo unless I am on rebounder (which is knee friendly)

Not alot of tall box work. I normally will not go over a 12 in. box and sometimes 8 ins. depends on how my knees feel.

LOTS OF power-walks and surprise I can include some jogging in there as well but not total jogging.

Never go over a 4 in step for step workouts.

This keeps my knees and me very happy.

Kim