Knees

E

elliemom2

Cathlete
Hi,
I am somewhat new to cathe videos. I started about 6 months ago and have not really completed a full one yet!! They are wonderful, but killer for a newbie. Lately while trying to lose weight I have noticed a lot of knee pain. I had no injury that caused pain, just a constant nagging pain in both knees. Overuse? Poor technique? Not enough stretching? Or did i just over do it? I tried LowMax but it still hurt. Any suggestions.
I absolutely love all the videos and have about 12 of them. Cathe is awesome. I'd really like to get in great shape and lose some weight. I am 41 and weigh 125#.
Thanks for any help
ellie:-(
 
Hi Ellie,
I have a couple of suggestions for you:
1) What is the condition of your exercise shoes? Are they new or too old?
2) What surface are you exercising on? Maybe some exercise matting under your workout area would be beneficial.
3) Since you are relatively new to Cathe videos, and they are very high impact, you might consider 2 rest days a week, or 1 rest day and another day dedicated to lo impact (i.e. Lomax is perfect!)
4) What variety of videos are you using besides Lomax? If you are performing step almost everyday you might consider cross-training more often with kickbox or hi/lo aerobics. Or even swimming/biking/elliptical if you have access.
Any more details that you can give us concerning your routine/area will help us to pinpoint what might be your problem.
HTH,
Mattea
http://www.picturetrail.com/saia11
 
Ellie,

125 lbs doesn't sound like all that much weight to me. When I read your email I was thinking of a number much larger than that. I agree with points that Mattea has made and would like to add that you should not take on too much too fast. You may also want to ensure that you have properly fitting shoes designed for aerobic type workouts.

More details would be quite helpful...


http://www.GlitterMaker.com/created/39583717.gif[/IMG][/URL]
(fitxme)
http://www.picturetrail.com/fitxme
 
I was actually thinking to post a thread similar to this one...however I'm not doing any step aerobics.

I'd always read how some people chose not to do lunging and squatting due to knee pain. Up until this year, I had never done them because I didn't like them (a.k.a. My legs were weak and they sucked ;) ). But after getting so into Cathe, I've started doing all the lunging and squatting and now my legs are getting much stronger.

But, I can't say that I have absolutely no pain in my knees.

I don't particularly feel a pain when I'm doing the exercise, or when I'm walking or going up/down stairs, but just as my bottom reaches a chair as I sit down, I feel stress in the knee, or if I sit on the floor with my knees bent for a long time, I'll notice that my knees ache.

Is this something I should be concerned about? Do you lungers and squatters have absolutely no knee discomfort at all?

P.S. I apologize, Ellie, for posting a second question on your post! Those darn knees!!

P.P.S. Hi, Mattea! Long time!
 
Thank you all for the great ideas.
A) My sneakers are probably WAY too old, now that you mention it. I haven't changed them in about 8 months. YIKES
B) I am doing only step aerobics with Cathe (well some light weight work on non-cardio days). Maybe I should try another form of cardio
Any suggestions?
C) I have been doing all those luges and squats etc on Legs and Glutes as well as the other lower body ones. Now that you say it, my knees hurt like hell afterwards.
I realize that 125# does not sound like a lot, but I am 5 feet tall and very petite. I was 100# when i got pregnant with my second son 2 years ago. So technically I am 25 pounds heavier. I know I will never be 100# again, I just want to look and feel better and more fit! Thanks everyone for listening and responding.
Any suggestions on a good sneaker?
ellie:7
 
I definitely advise doing cross training, and not doing step aerobics on consecutive days. Start with two days a week, and if your knees tolerate that, go to 3.

Also, when doing squats and lunges, make sure that your knee not ony stays behind your toes, but also does not buckle inward on the up or down motion, which can cause lateral stress in the knee.

Try to arrange your workouts so that you don't often have a 'leg intense' workout two days in a row, that means weights AND cardio. For example, do lower body weights one day (maybe with some cardio, if that's your preference) then upper-body-focused cardio (like kickboxing, with no jumps, or boxing, if you have some workouts).
 
Get new shoes.

Modify your hi/impact moves for now.

Don't do the same type of workout on consecutive days.

Take a break, your body is going to rebel if you do too much too fast.

This pain is telling you something, and right now you are doing so much it is hard to pin down exactly what is going on.

When the body is shocked into doing so much it will react negatively, but if the pain persists after you have made alterations you will need to seek medical help.

Good luck!:)
 
You have gotten a lot of good advice. Do take a break. As far as cardio, you can do ellipticals, spinning, swimming. if it keeps up, a visit to a PT can do wonders. . .but be prepared, it takes 6 weeks for improvement. You may want to visit webmd and search for knees exercises. it's important to strengthen the muscles around the knee, and although we may think that doing all those squats should do the trick, sometimes it takes a bit more (or less;-) ). also, be sure to stretch and ice!
 
Thanks everyone,
This forum is wonderful. I really thought I was supposed to be doing step everyday. No wonder my knees hurt!
I have gotten great ideas from all of you, Thanks
I am hoping to try one rotation when my knees feel better. What is a good place to start?
ellie:7
 
Oh My goodness this is exactly my knee problem. I can feel it when I kneel or bend then they ache I can say that I have not worked out for a couple of weeks (BUSY<BUSY) it is subsiding, I workout on carpet in my living room I alternate workouts step once or twice a week so I think it is the squatting and lunging with weights. I have tried with and without shoes I have cross trainer shoes. Any more advice?

beth6395
 
Yes, yes, I'd really appreciate any more info on this!

I am sure that my knees don't go in front of my toes during a lunge/squat, and I look in the mirror while I do the exercises so I know that I'm not twisting my foot in a weird position, and I always alternate upper with lower body....but still, I feel pressure in my knees (not when doing the exercises).

Anyone? I'm starting to worry if I should stop the lunging and squatting!

By the way, I also feel the stress in my knees when I'm doing a hip flexor stretch, and recently when I do pushups.
 
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