Knee's hurt!
- Thread starter Heidisue
- Start date
melodygirl
Cathlete
Heidisue
what step height did you use?
what step height did you use?
melodygirl
Cathlete
Since you indicate you are fairly new to step workouts, you may want to lower the step height. Trust me, you'll still get a workout with IMAX 2 even using just the topper (4"). And you can lower the height with the HST also and work up.
Are you doing other cardio that does not involve the step? It is best to vary your cardio...some step, some hi lo, some kick box, maybe treadmill and elliptical if you have access.
BTW each riser (level) adds 2" to the height of the step with the toppers being 4".
Since you are not experiencing actual pain, lowering the step could help. But if problems continue, I'd stop the step until you have a doc check out those knees.
HTH
Are you doing other cardio that does not involve the step? It is best to vary your cardio...some step, some hi lo, some kick box, maybe treadmill and elliptical if you have access.
BTW each riser (level) adds 2" to the height of the step with the toppers being 4".
Since you are not experiencing actual pain, lowering the step could help. But if problems continue, I'd stop the step until you have a doc check out those knees.
HTH
Heidisue
Cathlete
Thanks for your advice. The last thing I would want is to be totally out of commision with my knees, and from talking with friends, once you have knee problems, you always do. I do Kickboxing some days and I walk a lot. I have a spin bike but haven't used it lately. I just have been so determined to get the routine down in Imax2 that I've been doing that mostly. I almost have it figured out!!!
I will start doing more of a variety like you said and with lowering the step, that's got to help. I guess I just want results now!
I will start doing more of a variety like you said and with lowering the step, that's got to help. I guess I just want results now!
melodygirl
Cathlete
Although it's sometimes hard to do, backing off or slowing down is best. Slow and steady wins the race, so to speak, you don't won't to injury yourself with too much too soon. Sounds like you may be doing IMAX 2 a bit too much. I wouldn't do it more than once per week.
Take care.
Take care.
melodygirl
Cathlete
Thanks, we love our cabin in the woods.
BTW I notice you're in CO, my DH dreams of living in Co. Maybe one day....
BTW I notice you're in CO, my DH dreams of living in Co. Maybe one day....
Heidisue
Cathlete
I love Colorado. Where we are now we aren't in the mountains but we lived in Durango for a year... WOW!!! It is so pretty. Just Ten minutes from our home and you would see a heard of deer, better yet, Elk. Hopefully we will be back to the woods some day. Our dream house is a cabin. There's just something about being in the mountains that makes us happy.
Our dream house is a cabin. There's just something about being in the mountains that makes us happy.MarleysMom
Cathlete
Best advice I can offer, and please take it from someone who just underwent knee surgery 5 weeks ago. Go to see an orthopedic surgeon just to have them take a look at your knees. If they give you a diagnosis of patellofemoral pain syndrome either a. ask for a few weeks of Physical Therapy so they can work with you to show you exercises to help strengthen your hip muscles and your quads or b. go home a do a Google search on exercises for this. It is quite common in women also know as patella dislocation. What ever you do, don't ignore it! Your knees are very important and you need them! Knee surgery is not a fun thing! In the mean time try the RICE-rest, ice, compress and elevate and maybe cut out the step for a few weeks. Stick to the bike which puts little strain on the knees.
Hope that helps some!
Hope that helps some!
August
Cathlete
Heidisue,
Definitely listen to your knees.
I never, ever had pain in my knees and like you, do mostly kickboxing and a ton of walking.
I don't do step workouts but I started doing lunges and squats at the beginning of this year on a regular basis. I'm fairly sure I was doing them correctly - I certainly checked a zkillion times LOL.
After a couple months of doing squats and lunges regularly, I started to become "aware" of my knees. They didn't hurt (and they didn't hurt when exercising), but I'd just be "aware" of them which I passed off as being that my knees simply weren't used to doing that kind of exercise. So I continued on and slowly I started feeling pressure in my knees - like just as my bottom would reach the seat of a chair I'd feel my knees, or just on the standing up from sitting, or if I sat on the floor cross-legged for very long, I'd feel the strong need to stretch my knees out. Of course I thought, "wow, I'm really working my legs and my knees need to catch up!"
I'm not even talking pain here, I'm talking just mild weirdness...but it was on my mind and I started to wonder if I should stop the squats and lunges.
The next week walking down the street, one of my knees kept locking and I'd have to stop every few steps to bend the leg completely in order to put it back into "gear." That was what did it for me.
Luckily I'd been talking with Jana about her own knee problems (she posted above - Hi, Jana!)...and long story short, I decided to do the Upper Body Bliss rotation . It's been three weeks of giving my legs a bit of a break, and the locking and funky pain is almost gone. But I can tell you, I'm very glad I stopped when I did.
You might try the lower step as someone suggested, but if you still have discomfort, I'd try to figure out Plan B.
Definitely listen to your knees.
I never, ever had pain in my knees and like you, do mostly kickboxing and a ton of walking.
I don't do step workouts but I started doing lunges and squats at the beginning of this year on a regular basis. I'm fairly sure I was doing them correctly - I certainly checked a zkillion times LOL.
After a couple months of doing squats and lunges regularly, I started to become "aware" of my knees. They didn't hurt (and they didn't hurt when exercising), but I'd just be "aware" of them which I passed off as being that my knees simply weren't used to doing that kind of exercise. So I continued on and slowly I started feeling pressure in my knees - like just as my bottom would reach the seat of a chair I'd feel my knees, or just on the standing up from sitting, or if I sat on the floor cross-legged for very long, I'd feel the strong need to stretch my knees out. Of course I thought, "wow, I'm really working my legs and my knees need to catch up!"
I'm not even talking pain here, I'm talking just mild weirdness...but it was on my mind and I started to wonder if I should stop the squats and lunges.
The next week walking down the street, one of my knees kept locking and I'd have to stop every few steps to bend the leg completely in order to put it back into "gear." That was what did it for me.
Luckily I'd been talking with Jana about her own knee problems (she posted above - Hi, Jana!)...and long story short, I decided to do the Upper Body Bliss rotation
. It's been three weeks of giving my legs a bit of a break, and the locking and funky pain is almost gone. But I can tell you, I'm very glad I stopped when I did.You might try the lower step as someone suggested, but if you still have discomfort, I'd try to figure out Plan B.
Heidisue
Cathlete
Thanks. That's what it sounds like. There isn't pain, just kind of wierd and a dull hurt. I think I will give them a break for a bit. See if the lunges and squats is what is doing it... "I hope not!" Those exercises seem to be what gives me results. But it's not worth it. And if it doesn't seem to get better or if it keeps coming back, I will go see a doctor. I wish this wasn't happening! I've been working hard to get my lower half back to normal after having a baby and finally I am starting to see results. I will just Have to do a different route. I have a spin bike, that never has given me any trouble. I think I will buy a spinerval tape and go from there.
melodygirl
Cathlete
Heidisue,
Good luck...listen to your knees and if they continue to bother you after adjustments and/or a break, as I said earlier, get it checked out.
Good luck...listen to your knees and if they continue to bother you after adjustments and/or a break, as I said earlier, get it checked out.
Marleysmom,
I was wondering if you went through physical therapy and if it really helped. My Dr. diagnosed me with patellofemoral pain syndrome and told me to go to physical therapy for just what you said. That was a week ago and I have not set up physical therapy because I figured I've built up my quads and hamstrings doing Cathe's workouts (my legs are definately alot more toned than they used to be). I just assumed PT would be a waist of time. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Ashley
I was wondering if you went through physical therapy and if it really helped. My Dr. diagnosed me with patellofemoral pain syndrome and told me to go to physical therapy for just what you said. That was a week ago and I have not set up physical therapy because I figured I've built up my quads and hamstrings doing Cathe's workouts (my legs are definately alot more toned than they used to be). I just assumed PT would be a waist of time. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Ashley
dogs2birds
Cathlete
Heidisue,
You've received some great advice. Like you, I never had any knee pain and I was a runner for 20 years (don't ask me about my hips and ankles though!). Anyway, now I cycle and during cycling season my knees are very, very happy but if I add in some step, my knees let me know they're not happy - and this is only in the last 8 months or so since doing more step (I only discovered Cathe in November). I think it's probably overuse for me. In the off-cycling season, I have to be careful not to do too much step - maybe once or twice a week. For me and my knees, variety is the key. So I would recommend getting on that spinning bike! I don't know what workouts you have, but there are some great Spinervals workouts on spinervals.com.
Good luck!
Suz
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France
http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
You've received some great advice. Like you, I never had any knee pain and I was a runner for 20 years (don't ask me about my hips and ankles though!). Anyway, now I cycle and during cycling season my knees are very, very happy but if I add in some step, my knees let me know they're not happy - and this is only in the last 8 months or so since doing more step (I only discovered Cathe in November). I think it's probably overuse for me. In the off-cycling season, I have to be careful not to do too much step - maybe once or twice a week. For me and my knees, variety is the key. So I would recommend getting on that spinning bike! I don't know what workouts you have, but there are some great Spinervals workouts on spinervals.com.
Good luck!
Suz
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." - Anatole France
http://www.picturetrail.com/dogs2birds
darli ann
Cathlete
Ashley-
Actually someone on this forum suggested adding a large area rug with a pad under it on top of my carpet (which does have padding between it and the concrete, but not enough to soften the jarring of jumping around). The extra cushioning that gave me made all the difference to my knees, and of course good quality shoes help. That was over a year ago and I no longer have knee pain.
Actually someone on this forum suggested adding a large area rug with a pad under it on top of my carpet (which does have padding between it and the concrete, but not enough to soften the jarring of jumping around). The extra cushioning that gave me made all the difference to my knees, and of course good quality shoes help. That was over a year ago and I no longer have knee pain.
MarleysMom
Cathlete
Hey Ashley,
Here is my opinion, this is not a medical opinion, and this is only a personal opinion:
PT is well worth it. If you look up patellofemoral basically what happens is your knee cap pulls outward and causes only your outer thigh muscles to get benefit. Your whole leg is not benefiting from the exercises due to the dislocation. If you continue to put stress on the knees you have the possibility to end up with Chondromalacia Patella which is the softening and progressive breakdown of the articular cartilage of the patella. If you get to the point of having this (which I did) you will end up needing surgery. You also need to work on your hips as well, because again they are not benefiting from the exercises you do.
A PT will be able to work with you to show you different exercises to help with the dislocation. They will also be able to measure the extend of the dislocation, which again is very important. If your Dr ordered it, I would go no questions asked.
This is a very hard surgery to rebound from. After 5 weeks and 2 days I still am unable to walk with out a limp, put weight on the knee while going up the stairs, sit for longer than 1 hour with a bent knee and raise my knee up from a sitting position. My rehab is 30 mins every day on the bike and 3 days a week of PT for 1.5 hours. If you can avoid this surgery do it. It's not a waste of time at all!
PM me if you need any additional information.
Jana
Here is my opinion, this is not a medical opinion, and this is only a personal opinion:
PT is well worth it. If you look up patellofemoral basically what happens is your knee cap pulls outward and causes only your outer thigh muscles to get benefit. Your whole leg is not benefiting from the exercises due to the dislocation. If you continue to put stress on the knees you have the possibility to end up with Chondromalacia Patella which is the softening and progressive breakdown of the articular cartilage of the patella. If you get to the point of having this (which I did) you will end up needing surgery. You also need to work on your hips as well, because again they are not benefiting from the exercises you do.
A PT will be able to work with you to show you different exercises to help with the dislocation. They will also be able to measure the extend of the dislocation, which again is very important. If your Dr ordered it, I would go no questions asked.
This is a very hard surgery to rebound from. After 5 weeks and 2 days I still am unable to walk with out a limp, put weight on the knee while going up the stairs, sit for longer than 1 hour with a bent knee and raise my knee up from a sitting position. My rehab is 30 mins every day on the bike and 3 days a week of PT for 1.5 hours. If you can avoid this surgery do it. It's not a waste of time at all!
PM me if you need any additional information.
Jana