Lunges = ouch

[joyfulDisneytears]

A question: Anyone with bad knees, or anyone who can't do lunges for some other reason...what strength-building exercises do you prefer to do in place of lunges?

I find when I do a set of lunges my knees start cracking immediately without any pain, but once I get to about 10-12 they're hurting. I'm hoping this will subside once I lose some weight, but in the meantime I definitely don't want to cause any damage.

TIA!

 

[cewait]

Crepitis is common... If you are starting to feel pain then your form may be incorrect. Have someone watch to assure your knee stays well behind your toes in mid lunge and tha toes point forward. If the knee floats even to the ball of the foot you can start to feel pain as the joint is being over stressed. What can happen in a new lunger is that you do not have sufficient strength to do many reps and thenform starts to compromise. Essentially the back leg starts to push off in the middle of the lunge forcing your forwad.

Also, make sure your upper body is in a natural position and straight up. Check that you are not leaning too far back. Ladies lean back and guys too far forward - in general terms - just one of those observed things.

Other than that I am big on squats, sitting against a wall and step ups. Again great form needed. Since you are new I would focus on wall sitting and squating with a exercise ball between you and the wall. The form for both are toes straight ahead and knees no further forward than your toes (see a pattern?). Wall sitting is simple, stand far enough from the wall that you can come back against the wall and then slide into a sitting position. Form as mentioned and thighs parallel to the floor. Hold for 20 seconds and then release. Ideally you will work into a minute quickly then into minutes.

The ball squat is just a squat with the ball between you and the wall. It is there to enofrce form. See the form cues about toes and knees. Your motion is one of sitting into a chair. Lead down with your butt and squat til your legs are parallel to the floor and hold for 1-3 seconds and come up. 3 sets of 15...

 

[Bilberry]

Dumbbell Romanian dead lifts. If you do them, you'll hate me for life for telling you about them! They work similar muscles as the lung, and are easier on the knees I've found.

When doing Romanian dead lifts my muscles do not hurt. They seem easy. It is the next day, when getting out of bed, that you feel it.

 

[cewait]

Actually no it is a glute/ham exercise. Lunges and squats bring into the mix the quads and hip flexors.

Would defintely addd to the mix but only after we get to the point of doing a full leg excercise. It is also a more advanced move that does require a little understanding of form. e.i. straight back and tight core and the cues of how to assure they are followed.

 

[hillfamilyx4]

Hi,

Just wondered if you are warming up properly? I used to have awful pain, I found swimming and building up strength gradually before I went back to lunges.

Good luck

 

[stefsko]

Make sure you are using proper form with the lunges. Your knee needs to be right over your foot in the lunge. If you are forcing it over the knee this could cause alot of pain (and damage) Look in a mirrow when lunging and check it out. ITs easy to correct.

 

[ohMom]

do you have a stability ball? you can do lunges with it, put the ball behind you, place one foot ontop of the ball, then lunge.

 

[cewait]

do you have a stability ball? you can do lunges with it, put the ball behind you, place one foot ontop of the ball, then lunge.

pretty advanced for one who is havings issues with a regular lunge. But a great exercise to wrok towards.

 

[ElizabethG]

I have bad knees (Osgood–Schlatters in one ACL reconstrucion on the other). I prefer squats to lunges. For lunges, just be really careful about form. I can also do stairs (up only, not down).