Knee exercises?

**Susan Wayward** · 10-25-2003, 01:55 AM

All of a sudde, my knees are bothering me - after 8 years in heels, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. I've started taking glucosamine and chondroitin supplements already since I read that a lot of women here have had success with them, but I was wondering if anyone did any exercises to strengthen their knees (or rather the muscles around them). I don't want to be hobbling!

**Ara** · 10-25-2003, 08:52 AM

I have suffered from knee problems since I was young - I was a competitive gymnast and I ruined them early. I have had a couple runs of physio where they gave me exercises that do help somewhat, but I never was able to keep them up, and I don't really remember them now. But, the BEST ever thing I have found for my knees is ballet. All those plies, and the slow controlled motions do wonders for strengthening, it hurts at first but once your muscles recover from the initial shock the results are amazing. You can buy videos to do at home, but if you have never trained in ballet, or haven't danced in years, I would recommend classes as correct form is crucial. Just a couple of hours per week and you should see huge results.

**anais** · 10-27-2003, 07:50 AM

This sounds ultra simplistic, but this is what my doctor suggested for my dancer knees and it has really helped. Sit on a firm chair (knes bent, feet on the floor, just like you're sitting) Now straighten one knee out so your leg is parrallel to the floor and hold it. Do that several times whenever you're sitting, watching TV, surfing the web, etc. It seems too simple, but you can feel it strengthenting the muscle right above your knee cap.

**Tonya** · 10-27-2003, 09:47 AM

I had a knee injury about a year, my doctor suggested I do wall slides. Stand with your back against a wall, feet about a foot from the wall and slowly slide down and up. This strengthens the tendons around the knee.

**Kobi** · 10-27-2003, 09:56 AM

This sounds ultra simplistic, but this is what my doctor suggested for my dancer knees and it has really helped. Sit on a firm chair (knes bent, feet on the floor, just like you're sitting) Now straighten one knee out so your leg is parrallel to the floor and hold it. Do that several times whenever you're sitting, watching TV, surfing the web, etc. It seems too simple, but you can feel it strengthenting the muscle right above your knee cap.

The idea behind this is pretty much a leg extension. You can also do them at them gym on a weight machine. Definitely start out light and work your way up.

**Dreamer** · 10-29-2003, 05:10 AM

What do you mean ,exercises to strenghten the knee? The knee is a joint, there are no muscles in it. You can strenghten the muscles around the joint to give it more stability.
The effectiveness of glucosamine is still undetermined. The real question is if it actually repairs and builds the cartiledge or does it simply ease the pain. I take it because I figure it can't do that much harm.