I have been working out regularly for three years now. I do step and weight lifting five times a week. I moved my workout "room" to our basement which is cement with carpet and padding. Recently I noticed that my knees ache? They are not really hurting during working out but I can "feel" them. I can even feel them sometimes going up and down the stairs. They don't always feel this way and they aren't so intense that I need to quit the stepping during the DVD. I don't know how to describe it as it really isn't painful, just tender. Anyway, I moved all my step aerobics back upstairs so that I am not jumping etc on the cement. Do I need to quit step all together and get an elliptical? Should I lower my weights? I am trying not to panic. I LOVE step and really don't want to quit but I don't want to have to have knee surgery in the future either. I NEED to workout, it is my stress reliever!! What should I do?
sore knees
- Thread starter VickyWI
- Start date
i only do cardio or lower body 3X a week like mon-step,wed circuit(circuitmax,sjp,mm,me,etc.),fri kb.upper body sun and tues,yoga thurs. i find mic high/low part not hard on knees so i might add that in with weights. just doing cardio every other day i do not have knee pain anymore.
laura
laura
spyrosmom
Cathlete
Not Cathe here, but I also excersize in the basement. Mine is carpet remnants from upstairs over a cement floor. OWIE!!! My basement isnt finished, obviously. I ended up putting puzzle mats under the carpet. Took about 4 packages of 4 to cover all the room I need, but made a !big! difference, especially for anything with any kind of impact. Feels a little wierd at first, btu you get used to it. Just makes sure it covers all the space, so your're not stumbling over the edges. Just my 2 cents.
AMBERLEEISME
Member
I did the same thing in my basement but my floor is finished with tile and the puzzle mat slips..any ideas on how to fix...i've tried everything...thanks amber
spyrosmom
Cathlete
Maybe double sided rug tape? the kind that keeps your rugs from sliding across wood floors? But I don't know if that would ruin your tile, which is not what you want to do. They also make rug mats, which are rubbery open weave stuff to keep your rugs from sliding - that might work, and it shouldn't stick to anything.
kathryn
Cathlete
Do you mean that you are doing step aerobics 5 times a week?
That's way too much of one type of cardio, IMO, and increases the riskk of overuse injuries and imbalances.
Many people seem to do best with not doing step workouts on consecutive days, and doing anywhere from 1 to 4 step workouts a week. I personally do best when I don't exceed 3, though usually keep it to 2.
Mix things up to give your body a break: kickboxing is high intensity without necessarily being high impact, and if you focus on the recoil of your kicks, you can work the hamstrings more to balance out step work (which doesn't work them much.
Your body is telling you something, so listen to it. If you don't, the 'tenderness' you have now may progress to something more serious, either acute or chronic.
I'd take a week off of step all together for now, then gradually get back into it, and never doing it on consecutive days. And you were wise in moving your cardio out of the basement. Carpet over concrete is one of the worst surfaces you can workout on, especially with any impact (the worst would be plain concrete, but carpets really don't offer mush cushioning.
To add more cushioning, you might try some puzzle mats (HOme Depot and Walmart sell them) as well (but still not on the concrete/carpet area).
If your knees ache after a workout, try icing them to reduce any swelling (which is probably what is causing the achining, and which is caused by excessive trauma).
That's way too much of one type of cardio, IMO, and increases the riskk of overuse injuries and imbalances.
Many people seem to do best with not doing step workouts on consecutive days, and doing anywhere from 1 to 4 step workouts a week. I personally do best when I don't exceed 3, though usually keep it to 2.
Mix things up to give your body a break: kickboxing is high intensity without necessarily being high impact, and if you focus on the recoil of your kicks, you can work the hamstrings more to balance out step work (which doesn't work them much.
Your body is telling you something, so listen to it. If you don't, the 'tenderness' you have now may progress to something more serious, either acute or chronic.
I'd take a week off of step all together for now, then gradually get back into it, and never doing it on consecutive days. And you were wise in moving your cardio out of the basement. Carpet over concrete is one of the worst surfaces you can workout on, especially with any impact (the worst would be plain concrete, but carpets really don't offer mush cushioning.
To add more cushioning, you might try some puzzle mats (HOme Depot and Walmart sell them) as well (but still not on the concrete/carpet area).
If your knees ache after a workout, try icing them to reduce any swelling (which is probably what is causing the achining, and which is caused by excessive trauma).
Thanks for reply! I usually do 2 days in a row of step then one day of full body weight training, then 2 days with step then one day off. I will change it up, I need to anyway, I have hit a plateau. I am not too fond of kickboxing but it seems to be the only other thing Cathe offers besides weights. I am considering an elliptical and it may be worth the expense to save my knees. I am only 30 and not ready to quit exercising any time soon!
In not doing the step 2 days in row would that also include the curcuit workouts, like HSC? I have a lot of her DVD's but as you know, most have step at some point in them
I am thinking I need to really change things up and not sure where to start. I guess I am just really familiar with my "routine" and reluctant to change.
(Oh, wait, if I do more kickboxing I get to buy more Cathe DVD's... Yea for me, not my wallet!)
In not doing the step 2 days in row would that also include the curcuit workouts, like HSC? I have a lot of her DVD's but as you know, most have step at some point in them
I am thinking I need to really change things up and not sure where to start. I guess I am just really familiar with my "routine" and reluctant to change. (Oh, wait, if I do more kickboxing I get to buy more Cathe DVD's... Yea for me, not my wallet!)