Just because you've got balky knees doesn't mean you should stop working out.
Feeling weak in the knees — even if it has more to do with an old sports injury or extended body use (read: advanced age) — doesn't automatically result in an exercise exemption. In fact, doing smart exercises can help ease pain and increase strength in your body's creakiest joints.
Generally speaking, so-called creaky knees or sore knees will "absolutely, positively" benefit from strengthening the muscles that support the knee, says Mike Bracko, EdD, CSCS, spokesperson for the Indianapolis-based American College of Sports Medicine.
"Knee pain almost goes away with muscle build up."
Even men who suffer soreness or swelling with a degenerative joint disease (osteoarthritis) or who have torn cartilage in their knees can benefit from strengthening the muscles that wrap the knee. In some cases, knee pain "almost goes away" by building up those muscles in the hamstrings and quadriceps, Bracko says.
Fortifying the knee area can increase range of motion, allowing people to experience less pain while doing typical day-to-day movements (like bending down to pick up the paper or your dog's deposits). And, Bracko adds, it will help people hoping "to engage in sports, bike better, hike better, play hockey better."
Low-impact exercises such as cycling and swimming are ideal. If your knee starts hurting, ease up to avoid further damage or discouragement. And be sure to check with your doctor before engaging in an exercise program.
Bracko suggests these creaky-knee-strengthening exercises:
At the gym
Beefing up quads is easy to do at home, but weight equipment is required to really strengthen hamstrings. Doing the leg press with enough weight that makes you work but allows you to do high reps in a "pain-free range of motion" is one of the best knee-strengthening exercises, Bracko says. Leg extensions and leg curls will also work the hammies and quads. Before trying these exercises, ask a trainer at your gym how to do them properly or talk to your doctor to avoid hurting your knees even further.
At home
Having your back against the wall isn't just a sports cliché. The "wall sit" can be effective for knee injuries. Stand against a wall, walking your feet out in front of you and bending your knees as close to 90 degrees as possible. With your thighs and knees supporting your weight, hold the position as long as you can, between five and 10 counts if possible. Try to repeat 10 times, attempting to resist the burn inside your thighs.
Try a "wall ball squat." First, get an exercise ball, and make sure it's one of those light, squishy, rubber ones that are 2 to 3 feet around, not the 15-pound medicine ball your gym teacher used to throw in your gut. Next, place the ball between your back and a wall, lean into the orb and slide up and down for 10 repetitions.
Sit on the ground and put a pillow or rolled-up towel underneath your slightly bent but extended knees for a "quad set." Straighten your leg to contract the quad muscles and hold the position for five to 10 counts. Relax the leg. Do 10 to 15 times. Don't forget to do both legs, or your lower body might become lopsided. (Picture one leg looking like the Incredible Hulk's, the other like Paris Hilton's).
On the road
Biking — either on the stationary/spinning apparatus at the gym or on the road bike you bought when you were convinced that you were going to become the next Lance Armstrong — is an excellent exercise. Cycling outranks jogging and even walking in the non-weight-bearing exercise department, Bracko claims. But fair warning: While it's easier on your knees, it might not be easier on your behind.
At the pool
Those ladies who rule the pool doing their best Jane Fonda impersonations are onto something. If you want to "choose an exercise that will best accommodate pain in the knee, the best choice is some type of water exercise," Bracko says. Though female-to-male odds might be tremendous, water aerobics isn't your only H2O option. Try swimming, doing other exercises and simply moving around in the pool. But avoid activities like belly-flopping contests or doing the triple lindy off the diving board, because unlike Rodney Dangerfield, you might hurt yourself even more.
Generally speaking, so-called creaky knees or sore knees will "absolutely, positively" benefit from strengthening the muscles that support the knee, says Mike Bracko, EdD, CSCS, spokesperson for the Indianapolis-based American College of Sports Medicine.
"Knee pain almost goes away with muscle build up."
— Mike Bracko, American College of Sports Medicine
Fortifying the knee area can increase range of motion, allowing people to experience less pain while doing typical day-to-day movements (like bending down to pick up the paper or your dog's deposits). And, Bracko adds, it will help people hoping "to engage in sports, bike better, hike better, play hockey better."
Low-impact exercises such as cycling and swimming are ideal. If your knee starts hurting, ease up to avoid further damage or discouragement. And be sure to check with your doctor before engaging in an exercise program.
Bracko suggests these creaky-knee-strengthening exercises:
At the gym
Beefing up quads is easy to do at home, but weight equipment is required to really strengthen hamstrings. Doing the leg press with enough weight that makes you work but allows you to do high reps in a "pain-free range of motion" is one of the best knee-strengthening exercises, Bracko says. Leg extensions and leg curls will also work the hammies and quads. Before trying these exercises, ask a trainer at your gym how to do them properly or talk to your doctor to avoid hurting your knees even further.
At home
Having your back against the wall isn't just a sports cliché. The "wall sit" can be effective for knee injuries. Stand against a wall, walking your feet out in front of you and bending your knees as close to 90 degrees as possible. With your thighs and knees supporting your weight, hold the position as long as you can, between five and 10 counts if possible. Try to repeat 10 times, attempting to resist the burn inside your thighs.
Try a "wall ball squat." First, get an exercise ball, and make sure it's one of those light, squishy, rubber ones that are 2 to 3 feet around, not the 15-pound medicine ball your gym teacher used to throw in your gut. Next, place the ball between your back and a wall, lean into the orb and slide up and down for 10 repetitions.
Sit on the ground and put a pillow or rolled-up towel underneath your slightly bent but extended knees for a "quad set." Straighten your leg to contract the quad muscles and hold the position for five to 10 counts. Relax the leg. Do 10 to 15 times. Don't forget to do both legs, or your lower body might become lopsided. (Picture one leg looking like the Incredible Hulk's, the other like Paris Hilton's).
On the road
Biking — either on the stationary/spinning apparatus at the gym or on the road bike you bought when you were convinced that you were going to become the next Lance Armstrong — is an excellent exercise. Cycling outranks jogging and even walking in the non-weight-bearing exercise department, Bracko claims. But fair warning: While it's easier on your knees, it might not be easier on your behind.
At the pool
Those ladies who rule the pool doing their best Jane Fonda impersonations are onto something. If you want to "choose an exercise that will best accommodate pain in the knee, the best choice is some type of water exercise," Bracko says. Though female-to-male odds might be tremendous, water aerobics isn't your only H2O option. Try swimming, doing other exercises and simply moving around in the pool. But avoid activities like belly-flopping contests or doing the triple lindy off the diving board, because unlike Rodney Dangerfield, you might hurt yourself even more.
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