Strong Knees or Rehab Your Body at Home?

[alisoncooks]

Two months post-surgery (ACL) and things are coming along fairly well. This also means that I've spent 2 months relying on (and overworking) my good knee...which is now feeling unhappy. Not terrible, just creaky and sore. (Run-of-the-mill wonky knee feelings.)

Anyway, I'm considering getting either GAIAM's Strong Knees or JB Berns Rehab Your Body at Home. I've read all the threads and reviews, but most are pretty old.

Anyone still use these? Are they still good? I have limited ability to get up and down from the floor, and I have limited bend in my bad knee (comfortably 90 degrees, more depending on the position).

Anyone care to recommend one of these DVDs over the other (and why)?

[Vantreesta]

I have RYBAH and liked it but don't reach for it much anymore. I love Strong Knees and regularly do some of the exercises (and I love the stretch post-run). I definitely feel like SK helps. I remember not feeling much improvement in my knees from RYBAH but liked it more for other areas. Another good one is Jill Miller's KneeHab but I haven't done it often enough to speak to its effectiveness (which is odd since I use Jill's stuff for all my other problem areas!). I have not had a specific knee injury that I know of, just more like what it sounds like you're feeling with your good knee. HTH.

[monterey vidiot]

I traded away Rehab and Kneehab a long time ago. I use Strong Knees a lot, especially the bonus chapter 7 minutes to save your knees.

[bfit]

I like Rehab because it has workouts for other body areas too. Strong Knees was too easy for me, but for someone recovering from an injury/surgery it would probably be good. Knee Hab was just plain strange - it had a lot of awkward and uncomfortable moves, and I found myself wondering if they were really good for me.

[boukilisa]

I second Strong Knees.

[Paula]

What did you have done to your knee? I've had arthroscopic surgery on both knees (not at the same time).

Two things I found helpful in addition to PT, was slow forward/backward cycling on an exercise bike and Jessica Smith's Chair Cardio. At first I didn't even try to keep Jessica's pace but as I healed I got better and better at keeping up.

[toaster]

I'm having some knee issues, and I just did the segments from Rehab Your Body at Home today! It's actually "Hip & Knee," so it's not just knee-focused, but everything is connected, right? J.B. Berns isn't my fave instructor, but I think there's enough on this DVD to make it worthwhile.

Since several people seem to have found Strong Knees very helpful, I'm wondering if anyone can share any of the exercises from that DVD that were particularly useful? Thanks!

[Vantreesta]

Beth, the SK exercises I do the most (and this is partly bc I have a hip injury and these are very helpful for it too) are the modified straight leg raise, bridge, prone hip extension, calf raise, and the clam series. I feel like the leg raise benefits my knees the most of those. I think the wall squats would too but I'm always too lazy to do them.

[alisoncooks]

Originally Posted by Paula

What did you have done to your knee? I've had arthroscopic surgery on both knees (not at the same time).

Two things I found helpful in addition to PT, was slow forward/backward cycling on an exercise bike and Jessica Smith's Chair Cardio. At first I didn't even try to keep Jessica's pace but as I healed I got better and better at keeping up.

I had ACL reconstruction (arthroscopic, allograft).
I have PT once a week -- though he seems to be more focused on overall imbalances (pelvic tilt) to prevent future injury. I'm glad to hear cycling helped! I actually cycled (forward and backward) tonight for 25 minutes. I bought one of those heavy duty "under desk" bikes, and it's great! Too much walking still causes swelling, so it's nice to have an option for cardio.

I've not seen Jessica's chair cardio workout. I'll definitely look into that! Thanks.

[Vantreesta]

Alison, what kind of under desk bike did you buy? I've looked at them but reviews are so mixed on what will actually work under a desk.