leg excercises (with a bum knee)

[bellavus]

I want to shape my butt, thighs and calves, but am unable to do squats, lunges or leg presses due to my knee injury (patellar malalignment). What can you guys recommend?

[The League Champ]

Thats the same problem rakel has. You can do your thighs and calves with leg extensions, curls, and calf raises.

One thing I want to have Rakel try, I'm not sure how well it will work. Do you have a full or almost full ROM? I'm going to suggest trying to do lunges, but do them at a squat station.

Try leaving the squat bar on the rack, then hold it and try to do the lunge lowering yourself down (kind of like a chin up with your feet on the floor).

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by The League Champ

Thats the same problem rakel has. You can do your thighs and calves with leg extensions, curls, and calf raises.

One thing I want to have Rakel try, I\\'m not sure how well it will work. Do you have a full or almost full ROM? I\\'m going to suggest trying to do lunges, but do them at a squat station.

Try leaving the squat bar on the rack, then hold it and try to do the lunge lowering yourself down (kind of like a chin up with your feet on the floor).

I have around 110 degrees comfortable, 120 degrees and it starts to hurt (135 is normal ROM).

Leg extensions I have been advised against doing at this point because it will put too much pressure on my patella.

I have always had a really hard time doing lunges, no matter how modified they were. Is there anything you can suggest that I can do easily at home with no equipment?

[The League Champ]

Wall squats?

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by The League Champ

Wall squats?

this may be perfect actually. I will try them out tomorrow after work.

[Rakel]

dont worry...i know exactly what ure going through...i had knee surgery last summer...for the same situation...so now i have one knee that does about 160-170...thats not an exaggeration i freaked out my pt's and the other after surgery does maybe around 130ish....so i can relate...did you have surgery? my one issue with that was getting back strength in my quads and also stiffness and fluid around my knee....my pt's had originally told me that if my quad was strengthened than it could possibly pull my knee cap back to tracking properly....which could work for you..depending on how severe your malalignment is and what ur quads are like.

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by Rakel

dont worry...i know exactly what ure going through...i had knee surgery last summer...for the same situation...so now i have one knee that does about 160-170...thats not an exaggeration i freaked out my pt\'s and the other after surgery does maybe around 130ish....so i can relate...did you have surgery? my one issue with that was getting back strength in my quads and also stiffness and fluid around my knee....my pt\'s had originally told me that if my quad was strengthened than it could possibly pull my knee cap back to tracking properly....which could work for you..depending on how severe your malalignment is and what ur quads are like.

I did not have surgery...yet. I am still undergoing PT and taking nabumetone (alternative to napoxen for swelling). My quads are defintely weak as of right now. I was doing a lot of squatting yesterday as I was changing my oil last night at a friend's house (but it was not without pain).

I have been lax with my pelvic excercises at home (two and one legged pelvic bridges). I can only really do the two legged ones because I am not strong enough to hold proper form with the one legged ones.

[cabezon]

Leg lifts. standing front, side, and rear. Leg curls.

yoga.

[The League Champ]

can you ride a stationary bike?

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by The League Champ

can you ride a stationary bike?

i ride a little of it at PT, but honestly, the bike has never been that comfortable with my knees in the first place.

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by cabezon

Leg lifts. standing front, side, and rear. Leg curls.

yoga.

ooo good ones.

[bellavus]

Originally Posted by bellavus

ooo good ones.

so i did some leg presses (one and two legged) today on the reformer (pilates machine). Defintely worked out my knees and helped immensely with strengthening. I could not hold a wall squat for more than 20 seconds.