getting in shape while being gentle on the knees - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

cheerios · 06-29-2003, 09:10 PM

Ok, i came to college and took on an extremely sedentary lifestyle that's catching up w/ me. I am feeling the need to get back into shape, and lose 15 or so lbs, mayhap even get my butt back into single-digit sized clothing. problems being this:

#1: I'm way strapped for time. I attend class full time with a maximum course load to graduate on time, and work part time in a department store stockroom to pay the bills.

#2: i have bad knees. i played soccer up till my senior year in high school, and also have a problem who's name I forget, where my kneecaps get pulled to the outsides, which causes much unhappiness, and discomfort. In general this doesn't give me problems, but I can't walk too long, and i can't do stairs regularly. Flat surfaces are alright, usually, though.

So, what's left for me? I can't afford a gym membership, and besides my schedule varies so much that it doesn't seem practical, and I have no clue what I would do with one, anyway! any advise is appreciated...

crfpilot · 06-29-2003, 10:43 PM

bicycle riding or just walking isn't too rough on the knees. You are probably talking about Osgood Schlatters disease, where the tendon wraps to the side of the kneecap or something. I have it too and it's uncomfortable when I bump my knees.

HeyAgain · 06-29-2003, 11:46 PM

Any chance you are close to a swimming pool? Some water aerobic exercises will certain help you get yourself back in shape. If senior citizens can perform exercises in a swimming pool, so can you.

Runner's World ranked the following surfaces on a scale of 1 (awful) to 10 (best):

Grass - 9.5
Wood chips - 9
Dirt - 8
Cinder track - 7.5
Track - 7
Treadmill - 6.5
Asphalt - 6
Sand - 4
Snow - 2.5

cheerios · 06-30-2003, 12:59 AM

awful and best in what way? we have a river down the block, that has a people-path up on the levee... safety running along it is in question, but it DOES exist... what kind of things do I want to do, if walking and running? distances? time lengths? times of day? warmups/cooldowns?

mrquackers · 06-30-2003, 02:05 AM

If water aerobics aren't your thing and there's a pool nearby, there's always good ol' swimming. Lane sprints build cardio vascular endurance and give a complete workout.

Memalvada · 06-30-2003, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mrquackers
If water aerobics aren't your thing and there's a pool nearby, there's always good ol' swimming. Lane sprints build cardio vascular endurance and give a complete workout.

I'd go with swimming too...

human · 07-01-2003, 07:59 AM

More on swimming and stuff like that. Main advantage as far as I can tell from a non-kinesiology majour's perspective, is that it's basically a zero impact workout. If you can swim fairly well, check out masters swimming, it's competitive (sort of) which is a great motivator for some people and the level of skill of people there is wide to say the least, so don't feel bad if you've never raced before. If your campus has a pool, then it'll also be nice and convenient for between classes.

As far as knees go, just stay away from breaststroke kick (whip kick) cause that can be rough if you have a nagging injury, which I do as well.

This is all coming from an 11 year competitive swimming vet so there may be a touch of bias...

Sparhawk · 07-01-2003, 09:42 AM

Swimming is a very low impact workout, and the BEST cardio workout out there. Mix it in with some *very* light weights to get you started on the legs, and go from there.

Remember, no matter how frustrating it is, if you are feeling pain, then you have to stop. You're young, you have time to work on this. Good luck

*edit missed the part about can't get a gym membership. nix on the weights part

HeyAgain · 07-01-2003, 07:19 PM

ARE YOU ABUSING YOUR KNEES?

Although walking is certainly easier on joints than many high impact activities; it is not totally without problems. Walking tends to over use certain muscles, while not using others. If you are adding mileage, speed, or hills be sure to do it slowly. (A general rule of thumb is 10% per week.) To much too soon will more than likely result in an overuse injury.

To avoid problematic knees:
You should maintain a balanced fitness program that includes low-impact crosstraining, strength training and stretching

Begin (or increase) any fitness activity gradually

Maintain a healthy body weight

Wear appropriate shoes for your activity, your foot type and your walking gait (with correction for overpronation, if that is a problem)

Choose a soft walking surface

"Overpronation"

Overpronation is when your foot rolls in excessively after landing, and continues to roll when it should be pushing off. This twists the foot, shin and knee and can cause pain in all those areas. If you overpronate, your shoes may show excessive wear on the inner side, and they'll tilt inward if you place them on a flat surface.

If you overpronate is it important to wear shoes with motion-control and stability features that limit pronation. For some people over-the-counter orthotics or arch supports can help. Those with severe overpronation problems may need to have custom fitted orthotics.

Overpronation causes extra stress and tightness to the muscles, so do a little extra stretching.

"Walking Surfaces"

Choosing a good walking surface is important to avoid injury. The best surfaces are flat, firm, and not too hard. Avoid concrete if at all possible. This is the hardest walking surface. Hills and cambered roads can also be a source of high stress on joints.

If walking on a road with an obvious camber it is a good idea to walk out and back on the same side. A beach or track with a slant has the same issues. Change your direction frequently to avoid too much pressure on one leg.

If you walk on a harder surface out of necessity, be sure to wear well cushioned shoes. If walking on a rocky natural terrain choose a good hiking boot.

Runner's World ranked the following surfaces on a scale of 1 (awful) to 10 (best):

Grass - 9.5
Wood chips - 9
Dirt - 8
Cinder track - 7.5
Track - 7
Treadmill - 6.5
Asphalt - 6
Sand - 4
Snow - 2.5

The list represent the best surface to walk on. Grass is the best.

06-29-2003, 09:10 PM	#1 (permalink)
cheerios Banned Location: 'bout 2 feet from my iMac	getting in shape while being gentle on the knees Ok, i came to college and took on an extremely sedentary lifestyle that's catching up w/ me. I am feeling the need to get back into shape, and lose 15 or so lbs, mayhap even get my butt back into single-digit sized clothing. problems being this: #1: I'm way strapped for time. I attend class full time with a maximum course load to graduate on time, and work part time in a department store stockroom to pay the bills. #2: i have bad knees. i played soccer up till my senior year in high school, and also have a problem who's name I forget, where my kneecaps get pulled to the outsides, which causes much unhappiness, and discomfort. In general this doesn't give me problems, but I can't walk too long, and i can't do stairs regularly. Flat surfaces are alright, usually, though. So, what's left for me? I can't afford a gym membership, and besides my schedule varies so much that it doesn't seem practical, and I have no clue what I would do with one, anyway! any advise is appreciated...

06-29-2003, 11:46 PM	#3 (permalink)
HeyAgain Psycho	Any chance you are close to a swimming pool? Some water aerobic exercises will certain help you get yourself back in shape. If senior citizens can perform exercises in a swimming pool, so can you. Runner's World ranked the following surfaces on a scale of 1 (awful) to 10 (best): Grass - 9.5 Wood chips - 9 Dirt - 8 Cinder track - 7.5 Track - 7 Treadmill - 6.5 Asphalt - 6 Sand - 4 Snow - 2.5 Last edited by HeyAgain; 06-29-2003 at 11:49 PM..

06-30-2003, 02:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
mrquackers Exhausted Location: Northeastern US - please send help!	If water aerobics aren't your thing and there's a pool nearby, there's always good ol' swimming. Lane sprints build cardio vascular endurance and give a complete workout. __________________ "If you're walking on thin ice, you may as well go ahead and dance."

07-01-2003, 09:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
Sparhawk Dubya Location: VA	Swimming is a very low impact workout, and the BEST cardio workout out there. Mix it in with some very light weights to get you started on the legs, and go from there. Remember, no matter how frustrating it is, if you are feeling pain, then you have to stop. You're young, you have time to work on this. Good luck *edit missed the part about can't get a gym membership. nix on the weights part __________________ "In Iraq, no doubt about it, it's tough. It's hard work. It's incredibly hard. It's - and it's hard work. I understand how hard it is. I get the casualty reports every day. I see on the TV screens how hard it is. But it's necessary work. We're making progress. It is hard work."

06-29-2003, 10:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
crfpilot Punk In Drublic Location: So Cal	bicycle riding or just walking isn't too rough on the knees. You are probably talking about Osgood Schlatters disease, where the tendon wraps to the side of the kneecap or something. I have it too and it's uncomfortable when I bump my knees.

06-30-2003, 12:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
cheerios Banned Location: 'bout 2 feet from my iMac	awful and best in what way? we have a river down the block, that has a people-path up on the levee... safety running along it is in question, but it DOES exist... what kind of things do I want to do, if walking and running? distances? time lengths? times of day? warmups/cooldowns?

07-01-2003, 07:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
human Tilted Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada	More on swimming and stuff like that. Main advantage as far as I can tell from a non-kinesiology majour's perspective, is that it's basically a zero impact workout. If you can swim fairly well, check out masters swimming, it's competitive (sort of) which is a great motivator for some people and the level of skill of people there is wide to say the least, so don't feel bad if you've never raced before. If your campus has a pool, then it'll also be nice and convenient for between classes. As far as knees go, just stay away from breaststroke kick (whip kick) cause that can be rough if you have a nagging injury, which I do as well. This is all coming from an 11 year competitive swimming vet so there may be a touch of bias...

07-01-2003, 07:19 PM	#9 (permalink)
HeyAgain Psycho	ARE YOU ABUSING YOUR KNEES? Although walking is certainly easier on joints than many high impact activities; it is not totally without problems. Walking tends to over use certain muscles, while not using others. If you are adding mileage, speed, or hills be sure to do it slowly. (A general rule of thumb is 10% per week.) To much too soon will more than likely result in an overuse injury. To avoid problematic knees: You should maintain a balanced fitness program that includes low-impact crosstraining, strength training and stretching Begin (or increase) any fitness activity gradually Maintain a healthy body weight Wear appropriate shoes for your activity, your foot type and your walking gait (with correction for overpronation, if that is a problem) Choose a soft walking surface "Overpronation" Overpronation is when your foot rolls in excessively after landing, and continues to roll when it should be pushing off. This twists the foot, shin and knee and can cause pain in all those areas. If you overpronate, your shoes may show excessive wear on the inner side, and they'll tilt inward if you place them on a flat surface. If you overpronate is it important to wear shoes with motion-control and stability features that limit pronation. For some people over-the-counter orthotics or arch supports can help. Those with severe overpronation problems may need to have custom fitted orthotics. Overpronation causes extra stress and tightness to the muscles, so do a little extra stretching. "Walking Surfaces" Choosing a good walking surface is important to avoid injury. The best surfaces are flat, firm, and not too hard. Avoid concrete if at all possible. This is the hardest walking surface. Hills and cambered roads can also be a source of high stress on joints. If walking on a road with an obvious camber it is a good idea to walk out and back on the same side. A beach or track with a slant has the same issues. Change your direction frequently to avoid too much pressure on one leg. If you walk on a harder surface out of necessity, be sure to wear well cushioned shoes. If walking on a rocky natural terrain choose a good hiking boot. Runner's World ranked the following surfaces on a scale of 1 (awful) to 10 (best): Grass - 9.5 Wood chips - 9 Dirt - 8 Cinder track - 7.5 Track - 7 Treadmill - 6.5 Asphalt - 6 Sand - 4 Snow - 2.5 The list represent the best surface to walk on. Grass is the best.