Bad knees

[Formerly SK]

I need advice...

I've had bad knees my whole life (I turn 38 on Friday). I've never had an injury, but I've also never been able to run or do anything high-impact. Hiking is difficult. Sometimes just spending the whole day walking around will make them ache.

I've been lifting (deadlifts/squats) since last summer and I've increased my weight pretty significantly so I would *think* my knees are stronger but I was dancing with my dd this weekend (for all of a minute) and it hurt my knees.

I was xrayed several years ago and the doc didn't see anything wrong - just prescribed exercises. Is there anything else I can do? Is there another doc to go see? I'd really like to be more active than I am.

Also - with squats/deadlifts my whole body will be in great form except my knees wobble. Does that mean I should lower my weight, or should I be doing things like leg extensions (on a machine) to focus on just my knees?

[azphx1972]

Exercise bike. I'm 38, and I've dislocated both kneecaps (on separate occasions). I've used the exercise bike machine to strengthen my quads and hamstrings, and haven't had any issues with my knees since. I even managed to run a half marathon last year, which was something I never thought I could do thanks to my knee issues.

www.livestrong.com/article/205101-will-riding-an-exercise-bike-strengthen-my-knee/

[Malarky]

I'm fond of my elliptical. I find that the fact that I'm not pounding my feet down allows me to exercise for longer. The treadmill makes my knees hurt within 10 minutes.

[Formerly SK]

The *only* cardio I do is on the elliptical. But, if I can do something to strengthen my knees I'd like to. Sigh...it's just frustrating I can't do more activities.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

I would suggest that you get a prescription for a physical therapist and look to them to strengthen your knees. Deadlifts and squats don't work the smaller muscles around your knees, but go after the larger ones. If you don't find some way of strengthen the smaller muscles, the larger ones just overtake them and leave the others just as weak - not solving your problem.

It may cost you more than you'd expect, but there are a lot of exercises that will target the muscles around the knee rather than your quads/gluts (which is really what squats/deadlifts target). A physical therapist will also make sure that you're doing the exercises correctly. There are 100 ways to do some exercises, 99 of them are usually wrong and won't do what you want them to do.

[pig]

Too little info. What do you mean knee problems? If you're not used to things like hiking and running it's very normal for them to ache just like your muslces will, the joints will be sore as well. If you've been running/hiking regularly for over a year and they still ache then that's something to be concerned about. That might be why your doctor prescribed "more" exercise.

Does your knee give way when you step on it just right or have above normal pain when it's used "just so"?

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

I know there have been studies saying glucosamine/chondroitin supplements are worthless, but my parents (age 79) are very active and swear by them.