Hi all,

I'm looking for professional help possibly for my knees and elbows etc as a preventive measure, but thought I'd check in with you more advanced people first.

First--I want to give the bigger picture in case it's important to what I'm talking about here.

HEALTH---I got sick recently from my allergies again, and that prompted me to jump-start my diet all over again. I'm very strict in what I actually eat--no artificial sweeteners, no wheat products, no dairy products, and I'm dropping a carb since I seem to be carb-sensitive and it works better for me.

TYPES OF EXERCISES--As part of my trying to take care of myself, I've started exercising my whole body for the first time in my life. I'm middle-aged. I started or re-started yoga, am doing QiGong (the Hexagram Dance), walking, plus going to the gym quite frequently--when my body lets me do so that is.

I'm going to GoodLife Fitness, which gives a lot of different classes. So there's Body Combat, in which you jump and punch for an hour. Or BodyPump, in which you lift weights for an hour. (We're not talking about just 10 or 15 reps here. We're talkign about pumpin' it for a whole hour.) Or Zumba which is a sexy dance. Or BodyVive which involves using a ball, a rope thingy that is stretchy, etc., etc.

I take all of these classes, and last Wednesday I did 3 hours, putting all of my energy into it.

MY KNEES AND ELBOWS

Anyway. This is where I'm asking around for help. I went to a BodyPump class, and the weights are small enough, these weights don't bother me generally speaking, they're small, but when I did my squats with the bar on my shoulders and went down into a deep squat, my knees were sort of ... not hurting, but ... acting up ... a shifting of something across the cap of my knees ...

Feels like things other than big muscles are involved, tendons maybe, in this sort of a lot of little different kinds of cracking and twisting and whatever ... i don`t have the exact words to describe these sensations though, it feels like sort of a cracking like knuckles cracking, but that's not really quite it, it`s a lot smaller, it`s a lot of different little things happening in different parts of the knees etc ...

Also when i raise my arms to stretch my body and then lower them, on top of my ribs there's sort of this sudden crunch like muscles or tendons or whatever it is moving over the ribs, but normally it move over them smoothly. it feels like stuff moving over bones in general?

My toes have been a problem on and off too. It's sort of ... I don't have the words to describe it! Uh ... anyway, it's sort of the same thing.

Different places in the elbows act up, and then there's this some kind of weird snapping of like strings across my arms, legs, etc., and my knees are affected too,

It's happening all over my body.

I stopped exercising

I do have some burning of the big muscles when I push myself, but the burning go away very quickly. But the wierd things I mentioned above linger on for days afterwards. I stopped exercising yesterday and today to let my muscles rest and recover--I try to exercise 5 days a week--and I'm still feeling the effects of these things.

Again, my exercising like this is very new to me, and I also am wondering whether I need to stretch more, but it feels (to me anyway) as if it's not the large muscles involved that's the issue, it's something else.

I don't know what kind of professional help to look for to help me make sure I'm not hurting myself. Anyone has any idea? Or if there's some information online I can look at to help myself?

Sarah

Hi, Sarah!

OK, so I am not an expert in exercise physiology or anything, but I might have a few things up my sleeve.

First, I do think a good warm up is important. Muscles get more loose, and then everything flows better.

Second, if you are just starting to jump into this, maybe try 3 days per week to get started. Try not to do it on consecutive days. Give yourself some time to recover.

Third, I think that a personal trainer might be of help to you, if you can afford one.

Fourth, fish oil can help.

There is a lot of info online, so you could start there. I don't have any specific recommendations, though. I think you just have to start more slowly. Low impact, day by day, slowly increase your intensity and length of time at it.

I tried to start up with running this past spring, and I decided not to do it. But, again with that, definitely something that you have to start slowly with, and work your way into it.

I recall you mentioning your pain specialist on another post. This person might also be of help with finding the right exercises for you, and giving you an exercise program that you can handle.

Hi Cranberry,

Thanks for your thoughts.

Hmm, there's very little warm-up in these fast-paced classes ... so I'm now realizing I now have to try to warm-up before and then cool down after these classes. I did try to warm up etc just before class, but it looks like I need a lot more warm-up--does walking with arms swinging help to warm up the whole body? I can do that if it helps ... I don't know how realistic a question this is to post here, but, does anyone here who does a lot of these kinds of exercises have any warm-up and cool-down programs online that I can look at? Examples, etc? Although for squats for the BodyPump class, I can look up "warm-up for squats" etc ... so I can put together something as well as hear from someone else hopefully who does a lot of these things.

I did start the classes recently, and I think I need more time to get used to it, definitely. So I'll slow down and not go all-out.

I just did a walk for an hour and as with those classes etc., it keeps feeling like there's something missing ... it doesn't quite hit the spot somehow, like I haven't spent it all as it were.

I'm talking about a SAFE all-out exercise thing that really pumps the heart, makes me breath hard for a while, and feel absolutely great afterwards. (I'm talking strictly about physical exercise here, people!)

I guess walking faster is the safe all-out exercise for me right now?

I'll alternate days then ...

Sarah

Do you ride bike?

I have a knee problem, but bike riding absolutely does not hurt my knee at all. Walking (and running) bother my knee a whole lot more than my bike does.

Ideas for warm ups, I generally just do a quick 5 min walk before I start (or in the case of bike riding, my first mile is usually a slower pace). You can do some easy stretches right before your class starts. These things might help. But, just consider the nature of the exercises. Some of them with more jarring movements might be the culprit to your pain.

Hi Cranberrycat,

Thanks for this ... warming up by walking, some easy stretches, etc., will help definitely. I just go to those classes and they don't have any real stretching time, etc, so I need to warm up beforehand!

Yes, there are a lot of jarring movements in many of these classes ... I have one hour free of consultation with a trainer from the gym, so I booked an appt for Wednesday and am hoping she will be able to help me. I can't afford to pay for a trainer ... but the one hour may be enough!

I don't know if I need physio? That's covered by insurance ... so ... ??????

Sarah

Me, personally, I have tried to do exercises with jarring movements and have not been able to continue them because of the pain to my knee (old injury still haunts me). I know that the lower impact does not always leave me with the feeling that I "worked out" (like you hinted at in your post about walking). Biking seems to help me increase the intensity of the workout just by pushing to go faster, but no jarring movements to cause pain in the joints (after getting used to the seat LOL).

Hi Cranberrycat, sorry to hear about your knee injury. :-)

But, your talking about the "workout" I was looking for ... maybe biking is it! I don't have a bike, but they have cycling classes at the gym too!!! I never tried one ... LOL.

So cycling/biking is overall more gentle but will give more of a workout--great! That's what I was looking for ... :-)

I am finding that if I spend some time massaging and stretching gently, etc., that my crunching feeling goes away mostly ...

Thanks!

Sarah

The seat is a problem for me too ... ouch! I need something soft ...

Try the recumbent bike at the gym, much more comfortable.
And a HIIT work-out minimizes your time and maximizes your work-out.
2 min warm-up, 30 sec at 80-100%, 1 minute at 40-60% rest, repeat for 4 to 6 sets and work up to 8 sets.
2 minute cool-down. 15 minute work-out!

Picture this...

Bicycle seats come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Your local bike shop can fit you with one that is most comfortable. I purchased a bike seat that has a gel covering, which is more soft than the traditional seat.

I also purchased a gel overlay to fit over the top of my bike seat, for added comfort.

I also purchased a pair of bike shorts with the padded "you-know-what".

So, I am triple-covered for comfort.

Seat positioning is also very important, and I recently played around with my seat to get it set at a slightly different angle, making a huge difference!

Bikes come in a variety of prices. A friend of mine has turned a $14 rummage sale bike into a REALLY good bike! If you can find the right fit, you can buy quality used bikes for much less than the newer versions.

Awesome ... thanks for all this. I'll try and find a cheap bike, and try cycling at the gym as well ... at my own pace that is. LOL.

Sarah

Hi John, thanks for the suggestion, I never tried those weird-looking bikes, LOL, but it sounds like it's better for my body anyway ... so I'll try them ...

Thanks for the info too!

Sarah

hi there. If it hurts, you have to stop. But, when I was having my workout in the gym, the instructor told me that if your body aches, either your abs, legs or any part of the body, it means the workout is effective.
But ofcourse, there are also time that it's not good for the body. or health. Just be conscious and be aware of your body's condition.