My knees have been sore for a long time so I finally went to a doctor today who told me to keep up the exercise but to stop squatting. Currently, the squat is a staple of my routine as I am focusing on compound exercises to try and build mass. Is there something that I can replace the squat with? Im real bummed because the squat always seemed like the perfect exercise.
|
Closed Thread
Results 1 to 24 of 24
-
03-15-2010, 03:58 PM #1
Options for people w/bad knees who cant squat
-
03-15-2010, 04:02 PM #2
-
03-15-2010, 04:13 PM #3
I wasnt great at squatting (or any other exercise=why I am trying to build mass) but I never wanted to push it too hard with my knees so I would do like sets of 6-8 with 235lbs
-
03-15-2010, 04:16 PM #4
Do body weight squats all the way down and all the way up in a controlled fluid way with emphasis on hip drive. And ice your knees. After a month or so the pain should be gone. I never went to a doctor but I had some knee pain. A couple weeks without squatting heavy with emphasis on good form and a good amount of ice and I haven't had any pain since and that was a year or so ago. I'm now squatting close to 400 lbs.
Disclaimer: I could be completely wrong as every situation is different.Last edited by Blizzard589; 03-15-2010 at 04:24 PM.
-
-
03-15-2010, 04:19 PM #5
-
03-15-2010, 04:25 PM #6
- Join Date: Jul 2006
- Location: Bangkok, Thailand
- Age: 34
- Posts: 7,531
- Rep Power: 12188
Rest, Ice, etc.
Definitly take a video of you squatting from various angles, post it here. Most people who have sore knees from squatting have persistent injuries or have crap form. I dont mean to sound like a jerk, but you might have bad form.https://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=180003183&p=1635918623#post1635918623
New Shanghai Log!
"225, 315, 405 whatever. Yeah these benchmark digits come to mean a lot to us, the few warriors in this arena. They are, however, just numbers. I'm guilty of that sh*t too, waiting for somebody to powder my nuts cuz I did 20 reps of whatever the **** on the bench. Big f*king deal. It is all relative." G Diesel
-
03-15-2010, 04:54 PM #7
Many people who attempt squats don't have any hip drive. Focus on hip drive and you will reduce the torque on your knee. I've also found that squats have been great rehab for my injured knee. That's how you regain strength after an injury, through weight-bearing exercise.
-
03-15-2010, 08:21 PM #8
The pain isnt necesarily from squatting- its more that both knees are constantly sore and my doctor told me to stop squatting and other exercises that put an emphasis on using the knees
-
-
03-15-2010, 08:28 PM #9
Well take a couple weeks off of any leg exercises then. Listen to your doctor. Make sure you're icing every day. Take ibuprofen or something if it hurts too much. It should get better and if it does then start squatting just with body weight focusing on form and hip drive. Then progress to weighted squats. If the pain starts coming back then you're progressing too quickly. Take your time. Injuries aren't fun but the more you follow protocol to recover from them, the quicker you'll be back to your old weights and beyond.
-
03-15-2010, 08:49 PM #10
Which is a typical doctor response in regards to weight training. Most don't know much about it, so their response is something like "Oh, that hurts? Well then stop doing that".
Squats done properly don't hurt your knees. Squats done badly do. There are people who have had multiple knee surgeries (not as a result of squatting), or even knee replacements who still squat some big weights without pain because they squat correctly.
-
03-15-2010, 09:22 PM #11
- Join Date: Dec 2008
- Location: Rochester, New York, United States
- Posts: 19,533
- Rep Power: 9404
Doctors are almost going to always tell you to stop lifting heavy due to liability concerns. Too many stupid people in the world that will load up the bar too much, hurt themselves, and then sue the doctor for telling them to lift weights.
If it is pain, then I would stop squatting for a couple of weeks. I've had times where I've had bad pain in a joint, stopped lifting for two weeks (admittedly due to laziness a couple of times), and the pain magically goes away. If it is just sore, you can lower the weight for a little while and use the RICE method suggested.1
-
03-15-2010, 09:47 PM #12
On a side note my hips have been sore in that good way lately. I love the feeling. I love my squats now. Use to hate them. Shame on me
-
-
03-16-2010, 01:16 AM #13
lol, it wouldn't matter if you walked in there perfectly healthy, doctors are ignorant about exercise and the vast majority would tell you to stop squatting.
If your knees hurt from squatting you are not using good form. I suggest buying Starting Strength so you can learn all the finer points of one excellent way to squat.
-
03-16-2010, 03:19 AM #14
I have had the same problem for years, and have avoided squats.
The knees aren't much better(I often have a pronounced limp, and they hurt regularly), but I do squat again. I do box squats, which seem to be much nicer to my dodgy knees. Try them.
In the past, I tried replacing them with trap bar deads. They are more like a squat than a deadlift. But when the poundage got challenging they morphed into stiff leg deads as my body mechanics adjusted to use my strong back rather than my quads. They still might work for you, since the shins can be kept almost vertical(like the box squats). Try them.
I do ass to the grass bodyweight squats, in sets of up to a hundred reps. That pumps blood into the quads. Also pumps blood into the knees without traumatizing them. Actually seems to help recovery from the box squats. Do them.
If you train in a commercial gym, the leg press, tho' it doesn't REPLACE squats, is a great assistance exercise. Find the sweet spot on the plate that allows you to use a good ROM while still sparing your knees, and that doesn't cause your tail to tuck in(putting bad pressure on your lumbar spine), and press away. I'd go for really high rep counts.
Remember that not training legs is damnable. There really is a special place in hell for people who avoid leg training, apart from paraplegics and the like.
Lift well and prosper.
-
03-16-2010, 03:37 AM #15
- Join Date: Jun 2007
- Location: New York, United States
- Posts: 6,196
- Rep Power: 14833
the real question is WHY the knee pain. has a reason been given? once that is known, perhaps a plan can be adopted.
i have horrible knees. arthritis, as well as bi lateral patella femoral syndrome or something like that...essentially my kneecap doesn't track properly.
the short of it is that my doctor and physical therapist put me on a regimen to build up the tear drop muscle in my quad to "pull" things over, so the patella would track....and to build up the hamstrings, as muscular imbalances existed.
if you can't squat, maybe work on your hamstrings: rdl's and leg curls. leg extensions, LIGHT and only the top range of the exercise.
my knees still hurt. but not when i squat. i learned to use a wide stance, toes pointed significantly out, atg. my squats are more glute and hamstring dominant than most. and it has helped and at least permits me to squat.
hope this helps.
-
03-17-2010, 10:50 PM #16
Leg extensions should be avoided imo. not gud
-
-
03-18-2010, 04:46 PM #17
My two cents (and it probably has devalued to around 1.3 cents by now)...I had both patella tendons reconstructed around 12 years ago now. One of my knees did not heal properly and has patella alta (high kneecap) therefore I refused to squat at all for the last decade or so. I say that to say this, I have just recently begun squatting again. It is not easy but I am using the Stonglifts 5x5 program so I am starting at bare bar and adding 5 lbs every workout. As others have stated above, PROPERLY performed squats will not harm your knees. I for one wouldn't just shelve the squats for life and give up on them so easily. Pain is what it is, at my stage in life a day without any pain is a day I make sure I mark on my calendar...Good luck to you, hope your knee feels better soon!
1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2
Soli Deo Gloria! Kabod Doxa!
-
03-18-2010, 05:13 PM #18
- Join Date: Mar 2008
- Location: Cumming, Georgia, United States
- Posts: 130,807
- Rep Power: 564604
That = true.
My doc (general practitioner) told me not to lift heavy weights and try to gain muscle mass/weight several weeks ago. I had questions about various supplements and my high blood pressure/blood pressure medication. When I said I wanted to he said "Why? You don't need to, you look good, really, why do you want more muscle?"
Uh.....thanks Doc
-
03-18-2010, 05:15 PM #19
- Join Date: Jun 2009
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Posts: 9,486
- Rep Power: 0
"Bad knees" is not a recognised medical condition. It's always something specific.
When we know exactly what the condition is, perhaps we can make suggestions. That may be simply to do the squat with good form, alter the squat a bit, do deadlifts, rest ice compression and elevation, or a zillion other things.
You should see a sports physiotherapist. Doctors focus on preventing further harm, so will almost always just say, "rest, don't do that thing that hurts you." That'll prevent further harm and reduce or stop symptoms today, but won't help you in the long-term. Sports physios focus on improving function, so they say, "do this exercise to strengthen that part, stretch to improve flexibility in this other part, and slowly return to what you were doing before."
Follow the doctor's advice today, but find a sports physio, and then follow their advice.Last edited by KyleAaron; 03-18-2010 at 05:17 PM.
-
03-18-2010, 06:00 PM #20
There is really no other alternative. You have to recover first.
-
-
12-08-2012, 08:34 AM #21
so what did u do to rehabilitate? I have same problem with my knees.. I had it several years ago and suddenly it go back from nowhere!
I ve been squating a lot, and deadlifting, also leg pressing. Im 51 kgs and Ive been doing squats and deeads with 21kg and leg press with 40kgs..
Im really concerned now cuz my knees ARE KILLING ME...
Will I be able to squat again?
-
12-08-2012, 09:30 AM #22
-
09-15-2016, 06:18 AM #23
Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think there are any muscles in the knee..
-
09-15-2016, 06:49 AM #24
- Join Date: Jan 2007
- Location: Suffolk, United Kingdom (Great Britain)
- Posts: 54,513
- Rep Power: 1338184
Please check thread dates before replying. This one is 6 years old.
Similar Threads
-
best quad excercise for people with bad knees? *reps*
By dun chavez in forum Personal Trainers SectionReplies: 15Last Post: 11-30-2009, 03:53 PM -
What are some good leg excercises for people with bad knees?
By oceansquire in forum ExercisesReplies: 13Last Post: 12-17-2007, 04:56 AM -
program for some one who cant squat injury.
By Nightwolfer in forum Workout ProgramsReplies: 2Last Post: 05-17-2007, 01:23 AM -
Leg workout for someone with bad knees?
By fatsac in forum Workout ProgramsReplies: 1Last Post: 11-29-2005, 10:29 PM -
a tip for those with bad knees
By AKR in forum ExercisesReplies: 12Last Post: 11-21-2003, 01:29 AM
Bookmarks