Question about form on lunges

Francine,

Wow! Thanks!! :) I'm going to copy this whole thread and save it for future reference... I've got enough information on lunges to last me for at least a year. :) It will be interesting to try all the different variations.

As far as how I do my lunges right now, the answer is mostly carefully and with lots of breaks! :) The only Cathe leg work outs I have right now are MIS, CTX Leaner Legs and Power Circuit and Cathe's Wedding Video. When I first began working out again I actually skipped all the lunges for a week or two to avoid pulling my hamstring, and now I've been adding them in. I try to do the same sets as Cathe, but sometimes have to take a break in the middle (like at the end of Leaner Legs). I have not gotten up to where I need to use weight yet, and I kind of think not using dumbells helps me concentrate on my form. Sometimes I even use a dowel for support a la FIRM.

Thanks so much for the breakdown on the exercises... I know that will be very helpful for me, especially when planning the gym workouts that I sometimes do with a friend.

I think I will start substituting reverse lunges for some of the forward lunges on these videos... it seems to me that my hamstrings could use some extra strengthening, and this may be a non-threatening way to do it.

Thank you so much again!

Amanda
 
Amanda,
You are very welcome! I'm glad that I could provide you with info that you will be needing! Take it slow, start with one set of each exercise you select and gradually add a set when you feel comfortable to do so! Try doing a mini leg workout once a week (consistently) focusing on your lunge form (maybe 1 set of 20) til you have worked up to maybe 4 or 5 sets of 20(or 16) as your goal(just an example )

Also since you have access to a gym you can use the equipment there to focus on strengthening your hamstrings ( with lying leg curl , seated leg curl, single leg curl,stability ball leg curl etc ) also focus on maintaining muscle balance in your legs by working your quadriceps(leg press ,leg extension)adductors, abductor(machines or pulley system) calf raises, and glutes(butt blaster, squats etc)

For your home scenario you're covered with doing "Cathe" videos ! Just Add extra stretches on your own focusing on your tight areas to stay flexible !

Have fun!Keep me posted!;-)
 
Thank you Francine - I will definately print this thread also - very informative. Quick question: When I am doing lunges or leg presses I feel discomfort on the inner side of right knee and sometimes days after. I think I read on another thread something about a "clicking" sound in your knee could indicate a problem. Any ideas?

Thank you again!

Take care,

Iris
:9
 
knee clicking

Hi Iris! Your welcome!
I'm sorry to hear about your knee situation and the discomfort it brings you! I had a similiar problem from overusage and I contacted MARIBETH who is an expert in this field! She was extremely helpful! Try to email her personally or make a post on the open discussion!

Just in case someone else pops in on this thread who can chip in with ideas , maybe you can answer some questions so that they can better assist you!
Did you ever have your knee looked at by a dr? How long has this been going on? Ever had any trauma to this area? Do any other exercises feel uncomfortable to you other than the ones you mentioned? How about walking up or down stairs? Do you have any bruising or swelling in this area especially after exercise? Of couse add whatever else that you think is needed to pin point it more!

I'm no expert but here's some advice(HTH)
Best Treatment
For approximately the first 72 hours following an injury, the RICE regime should be followed to ensure control of inflammation and pain relief.
R - Rest
I - Ice
C - Compression
E - Elevation

Rest from aggravating activity.

Ice should be applied in the first 72 hours or when inflammation persists. Ice should be applied for 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Ice should not be applied directly to the skin, but through a wet towel or cloth.

Compression can be achieved with an elastic bandage.

Elevation is used to help swelling to return to the heart through the blood stream.
The injured area should be elevated above the level of the heart

Other treatment options
Medications (ibuprofen)to reduce the pain .
A brace to relieve pressure on the joint surface.
A conditioning program with exercises to increase the strengthen of the muscles in your thighs !You can also do strengthening exercises, such as isometric quadriceps exercises or flexibility exercises.
And do activity modifications to reduce knee pain

Strengthening programs should only start up when
The injury is not painful to touch, not painful in the morning, not painful to stretch and not painful with light to moderate exercise.

Let me know how you make out with your knee ordeal,I highly recommend getting it checked out, so that you will be able to peform your daily activities without discomfort! It's better to know than not know! You don't want to make it worse! Hopefully it can be corrected through quadricep exercises and stretches! Good luck!
 
RE: knee clicking

Thank you so much Francine you're the best! In answer to your questions, I have never had an injury to my knees and I did have my knees looked at by my ortho doc (he's also my doc for my lower back, which by the way is 99% better and I'm back working out with my Cathe). It doesn't swell or look bruised, doesn't hurt when I go up/down the stairs. I did CTX this morning (first try at it - i'm a bit challenged with it but will improve)and when I pivot (this is with any video I workout with) that's when I feel this discomfort. I modify as I workout because of the fear of doing major damage and then when I'm done and cooled down I feel this discomfort. Up to now it's not dibilitating but better that I ask than suffer with permanent damage later. My knee is not bothering me now, but a while back it was constant. I did however notice that once I started with my lumbar stretching which engages my core, stretching of my hamstrings, glutes, calves, lower back, etc. this discomfort on my knee was not as painful. Could it possibly be a question of proper stretching before and after my workouts? I'm dumbfounded because at one point I thought I was suffering from shin splints because the pain I had felt was in that area. I'm sorry if I sound like i'm rambling with this, but I'm at my wits end trying to figure this out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Take care,

Iris

My progress on my lower back is in a thread on open discussions.

Thanks again Francine!!:D
 
RE: knee clicking

Hi Iris!
Thanks for the added info! I totally understand your frustration! My best advice to you is to see a physical therapist since you already had an existing knee problem! From reading what you wrote about your shin splints concern and your knee pain, they are both issues of a overuse condition that may have several causing factors, such as: improper footwear, muscle strength imbalance, muscle inflexibility, or improper running surface. You stated that when you were stretching more you felt less pain( your muscles were more elastic) Definitley make more time for stretching and hold your stretches longer "after" you have worked out (since your body temp is up and your ROM is better)
If you don't keep a workout journal, I recommend doing so to keep track of what aggravates your condition! Do both stretching and strengthening exercises to help prevent your knees from getting injured !Watch out for exercises that place a lot of stress on the knees ! Keep your thighs strong — exercise quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors, and adductors ! Reduce tension on the knee by regularly stretching hamstrings and quadriceps! When doing sitting stretches, do not lock your knees ! Also make sure your shoes offer adequate support!(proper fit and arch support)

Exercises and stretches

Try crosstraining on a bicycle or swimming

Do leg stretching with the knee straight and with the knee bent. Use tubing or the Loop theraband! Also the gastrocnemius is best stretched with the knee straight, while the soleus is stretched with the knee bent.

Quadriceps knee extension
Sit on a chair, your knees bent. Straighten one leg slowly, and then lower it back down slowly. (Using tubing first , then ankle weights increases the effectiveness.) Repeat 20 to 30 times.

leg raise
Sit in a semi-reclined position, leaning on your hands behind you. Keep one knee bent, one leg straight. Squeeze the quadriceps of the straight leg, and raise it 45 degrees. Hold ten to 20 seconds. Repeat eight to ten times.

Just some ideas for you to do! When you are working on any imbalance you have to focus on the surrounding muscle groups and improve flexibility, so what I wrote in the lunges previously also co-insides with this.
I hope this additional info helped you out! Try to see a therapist or contact Maribeth to find other exercises that pertain to your condition and will be more helpful! In the meantime also try to wear a knee bandage to see if that helps any!
Good luck Iris! Please let me know how you are doing and you can email me anytime at [email protected]
Take care!
 
RE: knee clicking

Hi Iris,

Could it be that lateral (side to side) motions are affecting the tracking of your knee? Sometimes it is our own body mechanics, coupled with lack of strength and flexibility, as Francine pointed out, that contribute to knee problems.

The biggest issue I see with my clients is improper footwear - wearing the wrong type of shoes for their sport and even their foot type. You might even want to have your gait assessed by a physical therapist or podiastrist to nip this in the bud before it worsens. Maybe your foot over pronates or supinates. For Cathe workouts, I recommend investing in a good pair of aerobic shoes that offer lots of cushioning and are mid-cut, to support your ankles. This will keep your feet more stable as you move and reduce torquing through the joints.

Francine's idea of keeping a journal to track events of pain is really good. This is great information to take to a specialist in the hopes of pin pointing the problem.

Better to know what is causing the pain and take appropriate measures to reduce it, than not know at all, right? :7

Keep us posted!

-Roe
 
RE: knee clicking

Roe, Francine - thank you. I've printed out this thread to keep for future use. For all my workouts I use New Balance aerobic shoes; they provide excellent arch support and provide excellent traction for stepping, among other exercises. I could be overcompensating on my lunges or while stepping. I did cardio this morning and stretched for about 15 minutes before I began and again afterwards. And yes, Francine I have been wearing a knew bandage to protect my knee. I will ask my PT when I see him next week about this concern.

Francine, do you have Maribeth's email address? She can write to me also at [email protected].

Thank you both - that's why I love this forum!! I always learn new ideas from all of you!

Thanks again - Happy 4th to you and yours.

Iris :D
 
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