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Old 08-27-10, 11:20 AM  
gmfreund
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Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
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Originally Posted by neatski View Post
Stretching, stretching, stretching!

I have cranky knees due to past running injuries, and I stretch at least 10-20 minutes every day. It makes an incredible difference.
Good point. I should mention that in physical therapy they were really concerned about how tight my muscles were (are), and I really should be stretching 10 to 20 minutes a day, as well. I'm getting better about that . . .
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Old 08-27-10, 11:21 AM  
Laura S.
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Helen - Thanks for the info. It sounds like you manage it well. One of the nice things about this thread is that it's reassuring me that I'm not NUTS to try some of this stuff. My doctor said to mainly avoid bending the knee in half and high impact, something I've already gone to.

Neatski - Any specific stretches or stretches in general? I need to start making more time for some of this "extra" stuff - like stretching. I do better when it's an integral part of my routine.
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Old 08-27-10, 12:20 PM  
neatski
 
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Originally Posted by Laura S. View Post
Neatski - Any specific stretches or stretches in general? I need to start making more time for some of this "extra" stuff - like stretching. I do better when it's an integral part of my routine.
Yes, I have a little stretching circuit that I do daily, as well as supplemental glute and arm stretches that I do depending on my workout. I hold all stretches for 14-25 seconds (or longer) on each side.

1. Quad stretch (http://www.fitness.com/exercises/49/quad_stretch.php)
2. Toe touch with knees straight and legs together (I'm very flexible so I always pull my chest to my knees- make sure you don't round your back!) (http://www.fitness.com/exercises/48/...g_stretch2.php)
3. Standing hamstring stretch (http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/leg-st...ng-stretch.asp)
4. Seated toe touch (http://www.fitness.com/exercises/197..._toe_touch.php)
5. Butterfly stretch (http://www.fitness.com/exercises/188...ly_stretch.php)
6. Seated V stretch, which I usually do in several stages, holding each one for 14-25 seconds:
-Reach arm out up and to side
-Nose to knee
-Repeat on other side
-Bend forward to center, forehead toward floor
-Repeat on both sides
-Take legs wider, and repeat whole segment
(http://www.fitness.com/exercises/102..._v_stretch.php)
7. Seated hurdler stretch
-Nose to knee
-Nose to bent leg (stretches the hips) http://www.fitness.com/exercises/192...er_stretch.php
8. Side split, but you could do a lunge stretch if you're working up your flexibility (http://www.fitness.com/exercises/34/...ge_stretch.php)
(I do both upright and nose to knee side splits, holding each for 14-25 seconds)

Supplemental, depending on my workout:

1. Glute stretches- variations of this, either standing or lying down- http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/leg-st...te-stretch.asp
2. Triceps stretch- http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/chest-...ps-stretch.asp
3. Chest stretch- http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/chest-...st-stretch.asp
4. Shoulder stretch- http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/neck-s...er-stretch.asp
5. Calf stretch- either http://www.abc-of-fitness.com/leg-st...lf-stretch.asp or downward facing dog

Plus a few more (back, biceps, wrists, neck) that I won't bother you with!

I know that some of these don't pertain directly to the knee, but overall muscle flexibility has definitely prevented me from placing strain on my knees, and has also helped me strengthen the around-the-knee muscles.
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Old 08-27-10, 02:02 PM  
antbuko
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Quote:
Originally Posted by neatski View Post
Stretching, stretching, stretching!

I have cranky knees due to past running injuries, and I stretch at least 10-20 minutes every day. It makes an incredible difference.

Also, I've done a lot of leg strengthening exercises (making sure to both sides of the leg), and those seem to have made a difference too.
YES!!!! I forgot to mention that. Stretching is crucial!
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Old 08-27-10, 03:36 PM  
kitty12
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Strong Knees really covers all of the basics for both strength and stretch and does a good job at addressing any sort of imbalances that you might have that would add to knee pain. I no longer use the strength portion as I've moved on to more advanced versions, but absolutely love the stretches and still do them 3-4 times a week. She holds the stretches for 30 seconds so you don't have to count (she mentions that 30 seconds is the optimal time to lengthen a muscle). I sometimes modify the stretches slightly just to change how I'm doing them a little bit. She is also good at explaining why each of the muscles are important. For each strength area there is a "basic" exercise and an "advanced" exercise.

Strength:
Quadriceps, Hip Adductors and Hip Flexors: Single leg straight leg raises with foot turned out, wall slides. You could add light weights to the wall slides if you wanted to.
Hamstrings: Bridges, Bridges on a chair
Calves: calf raises, single leg calf raises
Gluteus Medius: (this was really important for my recovery) Clam Shells, Side leg lifts, side leg circles. You could easily add a resistance band for the clam shells and I also use ankle weights placed just above the knee for the side leg lifts and circles.
Gluteus maximus: standing hip extension, prone hip extension

Stretch:
hamstring stretch with strap, inner thigh stretch with strap, hip/glute stretch, quadricep stretch, hip flexor stretch, two versions of calf stretches, IT band stretch

There is also a 7 minute routine that combines strength and stretch if you are in a hurry but I never really used it.

The menu is set up in such a way that you can build your own strength program if you want. So, you can skip an exercise if you like, or select an exercise more than once to do another set.
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