From painful experience, I have found that these activities and exercises must be avoided with my knee pain:
- Stair climbing
- Squats
- Jumping
- Running
- Lunges
For those of us who played sports in excess and even played through the pain, later in life, we must face the reality of the responsibility of attending to overworked injuries. For example, I played many sports and in trying to look tough, I made any injury that occurred worse. Unfortunately, as I have heard, you cannot save your face and your butt at the same time! I certainly wish my twenty-something old self had heeded that warning.
As a result, now in my early fifties, I am nursing the following injuries:
- Torn meniscus in right knee
- Torn meniscus in left knee
- Baker’s cyst in left knee
- Baker’s cyst in right knee
- Impingement in left shoulder
- Scar tissue buildup and limited range of motion in my right shoulder
- Pelvic floor muscle loss and nerve pain
- Sciatica on the lower left side of my back
- Limited range of motion in neck
- Bunyon on right foot
- Tendonitis in left hip
Recently, I have undergone physical therapy for my knees. The physical therapist said that the torn meniscuses couldn’t be repaired but that the goal was to build the muscles around the meniscus tears to take the brunt of the work off of those trouble spots.
The therapists had me start with riding the stationary bike for eight minutes and then utilizing a knee exercise machine that delivers perfect, smart range of motion to solve straightening and bending of the knee. From there, I would do a series of knee and hip stretches inside the exercise cage to support balance and reduce falls.
*Note: All content within this article is meant for informational purposes only and is in no way a replacement for professional medical or psychological advice or support. Seek immediate and appropriate care from a healthcare professional should you or a trusted loved one deem it necessary.
Low impact workouts for bad knees
Since completing my recent physical therapy round, I have now moved on to doing independent exercises at the gym with a low-impact workout because of my bad knees. Additionally, I limit my gym time to three days a week instead of overdoing it like I would have done in my younger years. I spent a few years not being able to do activities that I enjoy – I do not want to be benched again!
Always talk with your doctor, orthopedic doctor, physical therapist, chiropractor, etc., before implementing any new workouts. These are the exercises that are good for me based on my healthcare team’s suggestions:
- Stationary bike, ten minutes to warm up
- Machine chest press (three sets, ten reps, fifteen pounds)
- Machine row (three sets, ten reps, thirty pounds)
- Machine shoulder press (three sets, ten reps, ten pounds)
- Machine abdominal crunch (three sets, twenty reps, thirty pounds)
- Low row (three sets, ten reps, thirty-five pounds)
- Cable rope tricep pushdown (three sets, ten reps, twenty pounds)
- Cable crossover (three sets, ten reps, twenty pounds)
- Machine pec fly (three sets, ten reps, twenty-five pounds)
- Machine tricep extension (three sets, ten reps, twenty-five pounds)
- Machine bicep curl (three sets, ten reps, twenty-five pounds)
- Machine seated leg curl (three sets, ten reps, thirty pounds)
- Machine seated leg extension (three sets, ten reps, thirty pounds)
- Machine hip abduction (three sets, ten reps, thirty pounds)
- Machine lateral raise (three sets, ten reps, fifteen pounds)
- Stationary bike, ten minutes to cool down
- *Hydro massage for ten to twenty minutes as needed
Once the weather breaks here in Southeast Michigan, I will add swimming in my lake to this exercise routine, as water workouts have very low impact and are successful.
Upon returning home from the gym, I make a tall mug of caffeine-free green tea, soak in the bath with the jets on for fifteen minutes, pray and meditate, turn the jets off, add Epsom salt, and soak for another twenty minutes while listening to spiritual, self-improvement speakers.
So far, this method of working out has been effective for me, and I have yet to injure myself as I am focusing on taking it easy, going with light weights, and making sure to immediately take care of my muscles with massage and bath soaks.
However, the inflammation in my knees and shoulders isn’t just because of old injuries; I am also menopausal. So what’s a girl to do? Let’s see what the experts have to say.
Does low estrogen cause joint pain in women?
The role of estrogen is to protect joints and reduce inflammation. However, if estrogen levels drop to lower levels, inflammation might increase. Additionally, the risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis could also go up, and painful joints will be the result. And for someone like myself in menopause, my estrogen levels are dropping by the minute, it seems like!
According to the National Library of Medicine, “Osteoarthritis (OA) affects all articular tissues and finally leads to joint failure. Although articular tissues have long been considered unresponsive to estrogens or their deficiency, there is now increasing evidence that estrogens influence the activity of joint tissues through complex molecular pathways that act at multiple levels. Indeed, we are only just beginning to understand the effects of estrogen deficiency on articular tissues during OA development and progression, as well as on the association between OA and osteoporosis. Estrogen replacement therapy and current selective estrogen receptor modulators have mixed effectiveness in preserving and/or restoring joint tissue in OA. Thus, a better understanding of how estrogen acts on joints and other tissues in OA will aid the development of specific and safe estrogen ligands as novel therapeutic agents targeting the OA joint as a whole organ,”.
In the meantime, there are lifestyle adjustments and treatments that can alleviate some of the pain and inflammation I am experiencing. For starters, anti-inflammatory diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish such as salmon, and supplements can make a big difference. Additionally, specific vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D and Calcium are crucial for bone health and can help counter some of the effects of estrogen deficiency.
Exercise, although it may seem counterintuitive when in pain, has been highly beneficial. Low-impact activities like swimming or, for me, short walks and stretching keep my joints flexible and reduce stiffness without subjecting them to unnecessary stress. Strengthening the muscles around my joints also provides better support, minimizes pain, and prevents further damage.
Knee pain exercises to avoid
In conclusion, staying active with knee pain requires intention and care—avoid high-impact moves, stick with low-impact routines, and always listen to your body and your doctor.
