Frustrated! Is There ANY Excercise That Won't Cause More Pain?

  • Thread starter Thread starter dlib44
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I like the elliptical but it aggravates my knee terribly. I'm getting really depressed about this.

Thanks for your suggestion, though.
 
I swim l & laps every morning, but it's really taking a toll on my low back, I try to watch my form, it doesn't help. The pain has become excruciating in my low back, legs & neck. I'm trying to roll side to side for breaths, still not helping. Added a jog belt for effortless buoyancy, not helping.

Tried water jogging & walking--mind nurabingly boring, but messes with my bad knee & no relief from the back pain. Treadmill is out for the same reasons as is cycling--my knees can't handle it.

WTH is left?! I am absolutely berserk if I can't do some kind of aerobic work out everyday.:eek:
 
Have you ever tried a yoga or pilates class? Some are demanding enough to make you sweat. You may have to modify certain exercises, but that's okay.

It might help to determine which positions and movements are the least painful.
 
My surgeon won't allow me to use either a treadmill or elliptical...at least not until I am completely fused. I was able to find an elliptical that did not hurt my knees. I don't have the same problem as you. I would describe my knees as my weak link (well, before I developed spine problems!!)...I have to be very careful with activity and exercise or I develop bad knee pain.

A nuraber of years ago we went shopping for an elliptical and I discovered there is quite a difference in how they affected my knees. Most of them were too much like a "stepper" and hurt my knees. The one we ended up getting has 4 different "strides" that can be set and I can use it on one of the settings without it bothering my knees....

However, if you cannot even walk around the block without your knee hurting, you can't go any further on a treadmill without the same results, I would imagine.

Do you find that taking two or three shorter walks during the day might be a possibility or is the effect cumulative??

I really understand your problem and was in the same boat up until recently. It is very frustrating...my biggest aerobic activity was changing the sheets on the bed.:eek:
 
I'm going to experiment with swimming only every other day & walking the treadmill on low speed. Maybe the rubber won't aggravate my knee as much as concrete does.

Now, we'll see if I have the patience to go slowly on the treadmill. I normally don't have the patience to go slowly with anything. DH always says I hurt my knee because I walk with too much "vigor."
 
Yes, in fact, I'm a certified yoga instructor tho I don't use it. It's really difficult to get a good cardio workout via yoga or pilates, tho. Not impossible, but difficult.

I'm still hoping for something I can do at the gym or even better, in the water.
 
I understand your frustration, having recently had a 3 level lurabar fusion....I agree that walking in the water is extremely boring. Do you wear a vest that supports you in the deep water, so your body is hanging straight down in the water, and then move your legs as though you were running or walking? You can do a cross-country stride where the legs are straight and your knee isn't affected.

The other thing that has been suggested to me is to use a snorkle so you can keep your head in alignment with your body. Or just do the back crawl....I'm not allowed to swim on my stomach at all as my back cannot be in extension. Of course breast and butterfly were my favorite strokes...they're out.

Are you able to walk outside or does that hurt your knee?
 
Thanks! I'm planning to try the snorkel.

Since I had Effluxa in my right knee, I can do the spinning thing in the water & I do have a jog belt. It does get awfully boring awfully fast, tho . . .

I used to do 2 mi walks everyday, but since I blew out my knee, around the block is all I can handle before it hurts too much. :(

Maybe the snorkel will turn out to be the solution. You definitely have a good grasp of how this all works.
 
Hi Sassy,

I forgot to mention that I 've been told to swim only every 4th day. In my case, we are trying to build strength while limiting any nerve irritation...so my guy suggested I try this schedule. I walk the other days.
 
Ahhh-haaaaaa! You just confirmed my hunch, ie that I need to cut back a bit from 6-7 days a week of lap swimming.

I'm going to try slow walking on the treadmill on off days & see if that's easier on my knee.
 
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