Hi,

I am new and very glad to have found your forum. I apologize for this being long. I am trying to find some exercises I can do, now that my knee prevents me from the ones I was doing.

Background:
1) In April I started working out with trainers I worked with 6 years ago with great success. This time went form 175 to 160. Doing mostly weights and some cardio. Then I stalled and nothing changed for a month-not weight or inches.

2)Reoccuring knee pain sent me to the doctor, and I have chondopatellamalatia--basically my knee cap moves sideways instead of in the groove, due to a malformity in my leg. It was digging into the tissue and causing pain and doctor said no more exercises that bend my knee 90 degrees, or it will lead to further deterioration.

OK.


3) on the same day as the doctor appt: I went in for dress fitting(yes I'm getting married) and they couldn't zip the dress up even though I have lost 15 lbs and gone down two sizes because my back was too big-hahahah.

Turns out I was building more muscle on my upper body faster than I was burning off the fat.

So I have had to stop doing the leg stuff, and now layed off the chest presses ect so the dress will zip up.

Pretty much that leaves me with walking an hour a day(3.5 miles) I am doing crunches or pilates every day as well. I am stumped on what to do.
I feel great! But I have a stomach that I can't get rid of.

My waist has gone from (41 to 37inches) but now the weight bearing exercises/lunges and squats are no longer an option because of my knee pain. And those really helped me burn the calories.
I work out my biceps and triceps but don't know how much to do on those, and not get big arms.

Perhaps someone else has been in this boat? And regarding food: maybe I am not eating enough? 6 years ago I did low carb with great results. Thru diet , weights and cardio, I was at 148 and 5' 8 ". I had good muscle and was very fit. This time around, I have been stuck at the same weight and size for almost two months. My calories add up to 1500-1800 a day. Do you think that is too little?

Thank you for any ideas you might have!

Someone here recommended the Aquajogger www.aquajogger.com. I use one exclusively (sprained my toe) and it works great.

Janine

Although PF isn't your ailment, Runner's World has an article on knee pain, "Cure Runner's Knee," knee pain, with instructions for three exercises to strengthen the quadriceps. None of the three involve bending the knee. (My emphasis below.)


Cheers--
Terry-24

Wonderful suggestions! Thank you- that helps me with two things, exercise for the quads, which are starting to look soft and overall good exercise in the pool. Thanks!

I had the exact same condition. My symptoms included paid getting up from a chair and sitting down. Also pain going up and down stairs.

I was told that my problem resulted from doing leg extensions at high weight with improper technique, I agreed.

I did physical therapy.

1) NO LEG EXTENSIONS EVER. Yes it isolates the quad muscle but if your kneecap doesn't slide properly (in the groove) you are damaging your knee and quad muscles.

2) List of exercises I did (and still do) are as follows:

always warm up with 5 minutes on recumbant bike - I hate it but it really burns the quads,

Wall slides - feet shoulder width apart, slide your back down the wall, slide down as far as you can without pain, do not allow your knee to go beyond your toes. Once you master this, add weights....this really gets the quads.

Straight Leg raises - lay on the floor, attach leg weight to thigh, above the knee, lift up keeping leg straight. At first I couldn't even lift 2 pounds. This should be done in all 4 directions (lay on side twice, on back once, stomach once)

Front knee dips - stand facing a wall. Make your toes touch the wall. bend your knees until they touch the wall (very little movement) Adding weights helps. This move isolates the knee-cap.

Single leg press - stand on the side of a step in your house. Slowly lower yourself almost touching the floor with your other foot (pretend you are stepping on an egg but not crushing it) and push back up. This one is the hardest since it is your body weight.

Hamstring curls - you should know what this is

Golden rule with leg exercises - never allow your knee to go beyond your toes...NEVER DO LEG EXTENSIONS!!!!

There are several other exercises I do but these are the main ones. Hope they help you like they helped me.

Rob

Thanks! yeah and I'm not supposed to bend it to 90 degrees-anymore, my knee cap out of its groove is permanently. I have a Q angle that is off by 20% due to a curve in my bone. Just the way I was designed! Never had problems with it til I did walking lunges 4 times a week. It's been a month and half and the pain is almost gone. But my legs look squishy. I don't want to cause premature knee deterioriation, So I appreciate the exercise tips!

Hi Goldenblue,

You got some great suggestions here and i may use them to. I didn'T have the same knee condition, but i did have surgery about 1.5 years ago for a completely torn ligament ACL in the knee and had to do tons of rehab. One of the main sources of rehab and what became my main cardio for much of the year, was biking - just to be sure you know, unless it is to close to 90% angle. Otherwise, started with various legg lifts like someone suggested here then moved up to squats which sounds like you can't do know. I also was told from physio to do no leg extensions. Another idea, although a lot less intense, is doing various balancing exercises (on one leg on the floor or both or one leg ont he BOSU ball or balancing toll) which seems to work the quad of the resting leg.

Good luck!

Latté

Thanks for your ideas! I have stopped doing any squats, leg extensions ect and it has greatly improved. It only hurts once in a while when I first get up in the morning. I walk, jog and do weights and core exercises. I have held off on the bike thing, because the stationary bike forces you to put your foot into the feet holders, which twists my leg to face straightward almost a 90 degree angle,and puts stress on my kneee. My leg is naturally turned out enough(note the 20 degree Q angle) that trying to conform to the straight facing forward pedal doesn't work without pain. When I was younger I did it, but now that I am older and understand what's at stake, I don't want to force it.