knee, general safety, books, tips?

gaki · 01-12-03, 10:36 AM

Hello,

I am somewhat new to this community and very new to fitness and fitness videos in general, and I was hoping I could get some feedback here.

I have been having slight knee pain during (but not so much after) my workouts. I am thinking it is because my foot placement during some activities like lunges could be incorrect. my knee doesnt go past my toes, but I think my foot position/angle might be adding some strange torque to my knee. I will go to a doc or personal trainer, if this persists, but in the meantime i want to see what i can figure out before hand.

So does anyone have any tips regarding this, and even any other common safety mistakes during workout? or can recommend a good book that details this kind of info? I am thinking there must be a list of common mistakes and how to correct them somewhere.

I have only just just started working out with some tapes I have; A general description of where I am right now is at http://205.214.68.83/vbulletin/showt...threadid=21250

thanks much in advance,

gaki

KayM · 01-12-03, 11:44 AM

I'm sure others will have better tips, but this is what I've learned so far.

In lunges (not sure if they are forward lunges?), make sure you always concentrate the push-off movement in your heel, not the toes.

When doing aerobics, if you're on a carpeted surface, be very careful that if you do any pivot moves or turning, you lift your feet up. It's really easy to torque your knee on carpet, I do it sometimes and it makes my knee sore for the rest of the workout.

One tip someone gave me - if you think that the aerobics moves might be causing problems, then you can get some packing tape and wrap it around your shoes, right where the balls of your feet are. Then if you do any twist/pivot/turn moves, the shoes will slide a lot easier without sacrificing much traction.

These are all of the ideas I have. Hope it helps!

SharonNYC · 01-12-03, 12:13 PM

I'm sure KarenP will have some as well, but I've found this one to be very helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

There's one very negative review you should read, because I think it has validity, but I still find this book helpful and easy to use. And my physical therapist was impressed when I brought it along to a session.

Of course I was able to annotate it with her suggestions to make it even more useful...

mel VF · 01-12-03, 02:23 PM

Some thoughts:

Are your kneecaps always pointed in the same direction as your toes? If you are putting a twisting strain on your knees, that could certainly cause knee pain.

Are you doing high impact? Some people find that their knees can't tolerate high impact.

You are already paying attention to making sure that you don't let your knees go out beyond your toes, and that is important.

Another book to check out is Jennifer Rhodes' Peak Performance Fitness . I don't think it is a perfect book, but it will give you some tips on some exercises to help prevent knee pain.

WWWendy · 01-12-03, 02:36 PM

Do you have appropriate shoes and are they in good shape? That's one thing that's easy for some beginners to overlook, especially if you're already spending $$ for equipment and videos to get started. Shoes truly are a critical investment in comfort and injury prevention.

When my shoes have gotten to the point where they need to be replaced, my knees are the first place to feel it. Fitness shoes, especially those that are only worn indoors, may not look worn out even if the cushioning inside has broken down. Likewise, if you are wearing athletic shoes that you've already been wearing around town for a few months, you probably need to get shoes to be reserved for exercise only. I plead guilty to making that mistake when I first started out, and it did cause me knee pain. Just another possibility to consider.

sparkle j · 01-12-03, 02:50 PM

I find that when I stop running for an extended period of time, or am sedentary completely for a long time (which is what happened this time 'round) I have to take care when starting up again that my knees do not get injured.

I recommend doing some sort of squats to strengthen the muscled above and around the knees. Doing a few of these a day, and holding them instead of doing the whole "up down, up down" thing helps the stabilizing muscles to get stronger, so that the knee can do what it needs to do. It's a hinge, not a swivel joint, so as was mentioned by mel VF, keep your knee cap pointing in the same direction as your toes. Perhaps doing something like this in conjunction with your workouts, you may see improvement. This is what works for me.

Good luck.
Joelle.

Daphne M · 01-12-03, 05:06 PM

I think Weight Training for Dummies is a very good book. I still refer to it, despite having much more comprehensive and advanced weight-training books around. I think the authors (Neporent and Schlossberg) did a very good job of describing proper form, explaining the basic principles and science of weight training and warning you away from some of the riskier moves. They also provide some sample weight training workouts and splits.

If you find it, buy it. I think it's worth it's weight in gold.

meredith · 01-12-03, 06:36 PM

If your patella (knee cap) is moving around too much, you should try a cho-pat strap or knee brace. They make a new open brace that stabilizes the knee on both the top and bottom. I love it. Since I started using it, I have no more sore knee. That's all it took. Cho-pat makes many different kinds of joint devices - however, they are famous for the "cho-pat knee strap", which just looks like tubing under your knee cap. Maybe that's all you need. It just stabilizes the knee for those of us that need it.
Meredith

Kathryn · 01-12-03, 08:21 PM

Some things to try:
For lunges, avoid forward lunges and substitute with static lunges. Try putting your front foot on the 4" platform of your step, which will allow you to dip deep without putting as much stress on the knee.

For squats, try a wider stance (shoulder width or a bit wider) and angle your toes out a bit (try around a 30- to 45-degree angle).

Re: taping your shoes for cardio. This is only for kickboxing and boxing, to help avoid knee torque. If you would tape your shoes (the ball of the foot only) for regular arobics, you could risk injury from sliding).

Some good books for exercise technique are: Karen Andes' "A Woman's Book of Strength", Stuart McRoberts (name?) "The Insider's Tell All Book Of Weight Training Technique" (exact title? It is at amazon.com)

\

gaki · 01-12-03, 10:05 PM

you guys really come to the rescue to help a sistah out! hehe cool!

Thanks for the suggestions, KayM.. it is true, i am doing aerobics on a carpeted surface. so far I have just used the Kathy Smith fat burning workout, and i think what is likely to be happening is what you described.. my shoes are sticking to the carpet when i pivot on them. It probably doesnt help that since im new, so my moves are rather unsure. I think ill try that packing tape suggestion, at least to give it a try, but Ill be careful of that slipping that Kathyn warned about.

Ill also watch more abut my knees pointing in same direction of toes.. thanks mel VF, thats something i hadnt thought about. I am doing, i think, all low impact, but since im so out of shape, even low might feel like high impact to my knees.. hehe..

Wendy, the shoes i have are plain reebok sneakers. I have two new pair, so I thought i could get away with using them instead of buying special aerobic shoes (i had just bought these before i decided i was going to get into these workout tapes). I am going to take a suggestion i think i found elsewhere on this site about alternating shoes. But I will try and be concientious of the wear in their cusioning.. Thanks

I think i definately have to work on making my knees stronger, like joelle suggested, and go easy on them ala Kathryns suggestions for easing strain on them. in the meantime i'll look for those cho-pat straps like meridith said; i have a feeling those would be a worthwhile investment for me...

Where is a good place to get cho-pat straps for cheap? are they all the same?

Also thanks Sharon, mel, Daphne, and Karyn for your book suggestions. Ill look for them in bookstores to flip through them and decide which to get that way..

man, you guys are so handy! Thanks!

gaki

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01-12-03, 10:36 AM
gaki Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: NYC	knee, general safety, books, tips? Hello, I am somewhat new to this community and very new to fitness and fitness videos in general, and I was hoping I could get some feedback here. I have been having slight knee pain during (but not so much after) my workouts. I am thinking it is because my foot placement during some activities like lunges could be incorrect. my knee doesnt go past my toes, but I think my foot position/angle might be adding some strange torque to my knee. I will go to a doc or personal trainer, if this persists, but in the meantime i want to see what i can figure out before hand. So does anyone have any tips regarding this, and even any other common safety mistakes during workout? or can recommend a good book that details this kind of info? I am thinking there must be a list of common mistakes and how to correct them somewhere. I have only just just started working out with some tapes I have; A general description of where I am right now is at http://205.214.68.83/vbulletin/showt...threadid=21250 thanks much in advance, gaki __________________ boingy boingy boingy!

01-12-03, 11:44 AM
KayM Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Wichita, KS	Lessee... I'm sure others will have better tips, but this is what I've learned so far. In lunges (not sure if they are forward lunges?), make sure you always concentrate the push-off movement in your heel, not the toes. When doing aerobics, if you're on a carpeted surface, be very careful that if you do any pivot moves or turning, you lift your feet up. It's really easy to torque your knee on carpet, I do it sometimes and it makes my knee sore for the rest of the workout. One tip someone gave me - if you think that the aerobics moves might be causing problems, then you can get some packing tape and wrap it around your shoes, right where the balls of your feet are. Then if you do any twist/pivot/turn moves, the shoes will slide a lot easier without sacrificing much traction. These are all of the ideas I have. Hope it helps!

01-12-03, 12:13 PM
SharonNYC VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Brooklyn, New York	I have a book recommendation. I'm sure KarenP will have some as well, but I've found this one to be very helpful: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846 There's one very negative review you should read, because I think it has validity, but I still find this book helpful and easy to use. And my physical therapist was impressed when I brought it along to a session. Of course I was able to annotate it with her suggestions to make it even more useful... __________________ Sharon (You can get to my sketchblog through my profile page.) __________________________ I'm what I am, and what I am, Is back on Boogie Street. Leonard Cohen/Sharon Robinson "Boogie Street" 10 New Songs. (I have a professional/personal relationship with an instructor who produces video and book material relevant to this site.)

01-12-03, 02:23 PM
mel VF Join Date: Apr 2002	Some thoughts: Are your kneecaps always pointed in the same direction as your toes? If you are putting a twisting strain on your knees, that could certainly cause knee pain. Are you doing high impact? Some people find that their knees can't tolerate high impact. You are already paying attention to making sure that you don't let your knees go out beyond your toes, and that is important. Another book to check out is Jennifer Rhodes' Peak Performance Fitness . I don't think it is a perfect book, but it will give you some tips on some exercises to help prevent knee pain.

01-12-03, 02:36 PM
WWWendy Community Manager Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Northern VA, USA	shoes? Do you have appropriate shoes and are they in good shape? That's one thing that's easy for some beginners to overlook, especially if you're already spending $$ for equipment and videos to get started. Shoes truly are a critical investment in comfort and injury prevention. When my shoes have gotten to the point where they need to be replaced, my knees are the first place to feel it. Fitness shoes, especially those that are only worn indoors, may not look worn out even if the cushioning inside has broken down. Likewise, if you are wearing athletic shoes that you've already been wearing around town for a few months, you probably need to get shoes to be reserved for exercise only. I plead guilty to making that mistake when I first started out, and it did cause me knee pain. Just another possibility to consider. __________________ Wendy Niemi Kremer Community Manager DISCLOSURE: I have a professional relationship with a seller or producer of fitness videos or products. For details, please see my profile.

01-12-03, 02:50 PM
sparkle j Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Massachusetts	from an "on again off again" runner... I find that when I stop running for an extended period of time, or am sedentary completely for a long time (which is what happened this time 'round) I have to take care when starting up again that my knees do not get injured. I recommend doing some sort of squats to strengthen the muscled above and around the knees. Doing a few of these a day, and holding them instead of doing the whole "up down, up down" thing helps the stabilizing muscles to get stronger, so that the knee can do what it needs to do. It's a hinge, not a swivel joint, so as was mentioned by mel VF, keep your knee cap pointing in the same direction as your toes. Perhaps doing something like this in conjunction with your workouts, you may see improvement. This is what works for me. Good luck. Joelle.

01-12-03, 05:06 PM
Daphne M Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Northern Virginia	Hi Gaki I think Weight Training for Dummies is a very good book. I still refer to it, despite having much more comprehensive and advanced weight-training books around. I think the authors (Neporent and Schlossberg) did a very good job of describing proper form, explaining the basic principles and science of weight training and warning you away from some of the riskier moves. They also provide some sample weight training workouts and splits. If you find it, buy it. I think it's worth it's weight in gold. __________________ Daphne M Gone anaerobic one time too many. Member, Tough Love Club Breast Cancer Survivor Sneaking up on the next event

01-12-03, 06:36 PM
meredith VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana	Cho-pat straps If your patella (knee cap) is moving around too much, you should try a cho-pat strap or knee brace. They make a new open brace that stabilizes the knee on both the top and bottom. I love it. Since I started using it, I have no more sore knee. That's all it took. Cho-pat makes many different kinds of joint devices - however, they are famous for the "cho-pat knee strap", which just looks like tubing under your knee cap. Maybe that's all you need. It just stabilizes the knee for those of us that need it. Meredith

01-12-03, 08:21 PM
Kathryn VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Illinois	Some things to try: For lunges, avoid forward lunges and substitute with static lunges. Try putting your front foot on the 4" platform of your step, which will allow you to dip deep without putting as much stress on the knee. For squats, try a wider stance (shoulder width or a bit wider) and angle your toes out a bit (try around a 30- to 45-degree angle). Re: taping your shoes for cardio. This is only for kickboxing and boxing, to help avoid knee torque. If you would tape your shoes (the ball of the foot only) for regular arobics, you could risk injury from sliding). Some good books for exercise technique are: Karen Andes' "A Woman's Book of Strength", Stuart McRoberts (name?) "The Insider's Tell All Book Of Weight Training Technique" (exact title? It is at amazon.com) \ __________________ Kathryn ^. .^ > ^ < 2010 season speed-walking 5K PR: 35:47 2011 season race-walking 5K PR: 34:42

01-12-03, 10:05 PM
gaki Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: NYC	wow you guys really come to the rescue to help a sistah out! hehe cool! Thanks for the suggestions, KayM.. it is true, i am doing aerobics on a carpeted surface. so far I have just used the Kathy Smith fat burning workout, and i think what is likely to be happening is what you described.. my shoes are sticking to the carpet when i pivot on them. It probably doesnt help that since im new, so my moves are rather unsure. I think ill try that packing tape suggestion, at least to give it a try, but Ill be careful of that slipping that Kathyn warned about. Ill also watch more abut my knees pointing in same direction of toes.. thanks mel VF, thats something i hadnt thought about. I am doing, i think, all low impact, but since im so out of shape, even low might feel like high impact to my knees.. hehe.. Wendy, the shoes i have are plain reebok sneakers. I have two new pair, so I thought i could get away with using them instead of buying special aerobic shoes (i had just bought these before i decided i was going to get into these workout tapes). I am going to take a suggestion i think i found elsewhere on this site about alternating shoes. But I will try and be concientious of the wear in their cusioning.. Thanks I think i definately have to work on making my knees stronger, like joelle suggested, and go easy on them ala Kathryns suggestions for easing strain on them. in the meantime i'll look for those cho-pat straps like meridith said; i have a feeling those would be a worthwhile investment for me... Where is a good place to get cho-pat straps for cheap? are they all the same? Also thanks Sharon, mel, Daphne, and Karyn for your book suggestions. Ill look for them in bookstores to flip through them and decide which to get that way.. man, you guys are so handy! Thanks! gaki __________________ boingy boingy boingy!