Help!! Bad Knees are preventing me from using Cathe!

[mrsprincess07]

Dear Cathe,

I really enjoy your DVDs, especially the weight DVDs, Gym Style Series being my personal favorite. I wanted to ask you about what to do with problem knees. I have Runner's Knee on both sides and they crack, snap, and get sore doing Lunges other than walking lunges, Leg Presses w/ the Step, as well as Squats. Those exercises really put too much strain on those sensitive areas. I do the stretches and strength moves prescribed by my Dr. and Physical Therapist, but the don't do much for overall lower body strength. Being that I'm only 26, I don't want to cause further damage if I can avoid it. I can use machines at the gym which helps, but I'm not always able to make it there for a lower body workout.

My Question for you is what can I do to modify the movements or what movements can I sub in so that I may continue to use your lower Body DVDs like GS Legs and Butts n Guts? I use a stability ball for squats (on the wall), but I don't know what I can do for lunges and leg press on the step.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Rice Krispy Knees

 

[Cathe Friedrich]

Hi Mrsprincess!

I know rest and recovery for Runners knee (chondromalacia) is not exactly exciting (nor is any form of physical therapy) but, coming from someone who has had this condition herself, I am telling you that in order to really heal you must absolutely go through the physical therapy program in its entirety and sometimes add a couple of months to it. The typical healing time for chondromalacia is about 3 to 6 months depending on just how "rice crispied" your knees are. In my personal experience I have determined that the more crunch I hear in my knees, the more advanced the case.

In all honesty, if you want to rid yourself of chondromalacia, you MUST rest. Any activity that aggravates your knee pain is causing further irritation and inflammation. You need to give your body a chance to heal.

As boring as the repition of the exercises are...they are done for a reason. And that reason, as you have discovered is not necessarily to make you as strong as you are capable of becoming (though you do gain strength), but rather to promote better balance of muscls around the knee. Without the specific strengthening and stretching exercises that are prescribed to treat chondromalacia, you will not properly recover and only prolong your healing process. Take it from someone who knows first hand

So do yourself a favor for the long haul and take several weeks to be faithful to this recovery program.

I have been with you for years and I will continue to be there for you when your recovery is complete. Hang in there!

Good luck and keep me posted

Dear Cathe,

I really enjoy your DVDs, especially the weight DVDs, Gym Style Series being my personal favorite. I wanted to ask you about what to do with problem knees. I have Runner's Knee on both sides and they crack, snap, and get sore doing Lunges other than walking lunges, Leg Presses w/ the Step, as well as Squats. Those exercises really put too much strain on those sensitive areas. I do the stretches and strength moves prescribed by my Dr. and Physical Therapist, but the don't do much for overall lower body strength. Being that I'm only 26, I don't want to cause further damage if I can avoid it. I can use machines at the gym which helps, but I'm not always able to make it there for a lower body workout.

My Question for you is what can I do to modify the movements or what movements can I sub in so that I may continue to use your lower Body DVDs like GS Legs and Butts n Guts? I use a stability ball for squats (on the wall), but I don't know what I can do for lunges and leg press on the step.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Rice Krispy Knees[/quote]