Blofeld

I'm looking for some advice on getting my legs day sorted, exercises weight etc.
Reason being is I have knee problems. Ok, that was a bit vague, I'll try to expand a bit.

As a teenager I had Osgood Schlatters, which isn't really anything serious but describes the problems I still get. Reading up on Osgood Schlatters tells me that I can't still have it as it only affects ages of around 9-16 and I am 32.

About 7 or 8 years ago my knees were causing me a lot of pain with daily swelling and sometimes locking of the knee joints. I went to physio twice a week and basicaly I thought what they did was a load of BS. They told me the pain and swelling was from having weak patella's.

These days, the pain hardly ever gets too bad but I get immeadiate pain and within 1 or 2 mins on a bike and the feeling of stiffening as if I'm aproaching the joints locking.

I've been training my legs with pretty basic exercises eg: squats, leg press, extensions. But I have been going a lot lighter than I feel I should as I'm worried about doing damage.

My questions:

1. (I'm planning to buy some decent knee supports to help me train)
2. What leg exercises would be most suitable?
3. What sort of weight/rep system would be best?
4. Will carefull/correct training strengthen my knees?

I'm only training my legs once a week on a friday as I need full recovery before monday.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer me!!!

Geo

If i was you id get some wraps for your knees it gives very good support when doing squats when going heavier than normal.

You can do most excersises but dont go to full lock with your knee's i feel this put more stress on the Muscle, so the muscle will be doing most of the work.

Sets wise i wouldnt change what your doing, play with the weight to see if you get any pain with more or less weight going on/off.

As you build your quads it wll in turn strengthen the surrounding area, but as always if you start to feel more pain than normal, stop what your doing!

Maybe change Legs to a Monday dude, that way you have all wknd to recovery and eat for a hard session on Monday.

Geo

Blofeld

Thanks Geo. I have to do my legs on a friday however as they are used pretty heavily at work which is why I need full recovery for monday.

I'm a felt roofer, so I spend all day carrying rolls of felt, timbers, and tubs of bitumen up ladders. (felt is 40kg a roll). And when I'm not carrying anything up a ladder I'm pretty much "walking" around the roof on my knees the rest of the time. So, as you can see I have a fair strain on my knees pretty much monday to friday.

I sometimes wonder if this is why my legs are on the skinny side as the muscles have no real rest/recovery time.

So not going full lock, would that be just dropping to parallel on squats and 90 degrees on presses etc?

Also, could you recommend some straps, or are they all pretty much the same?

Geo

Correct on the squats and presses dude, try it, you will find all the stress gets transfered onto your quads/thigh and hams.

Some people will do ass to ground for squats but as were are all different, its what works best for you,

I use these ones dude but they are all very similar, http://www.cnpprofessional.co.uk/pro...lcro-p-37.html

Geo

estfna

i don't know the science behind it, but i had, well still have a really bad left knee. when i was a kid with a broken leg in a cast i fell over and really messed it up, then a few years ago playing rugby i done it again. nerve damage or something, i never paid much attention at the time, i was only 14.

used to hurt me doing any leg exercises so i had to pre-exhaust with extensions etc. about 2 months ago now i got a boxox injection right into my knee into the soft tissue. haven't felt any pain since. no side effects, look into it if its the same problem for you.

Blofeld

Whats boxox mate? I googled it but it just kept sending me to botox clinics. What did it do, did it disguise the pain or solve the problem?

Greyphantom

Hi mate... I would be wary about using supports for you knee and would focus on strengthening the knee so it can keep up with your leg work out.

I do agree with everything else that Geo has said, nice, sound advice...

d@n

i have the same condition (Osgood Schlatters) i wouldnt wory about it, just train normally.

Blofeld

I don't have this condition, I had it as a kid. What I have now is something else.

d@n

if its the same thing as i have its a small growth of bone at the top of the shin near the knee? if it is i dont think it goes away.

Lost Soul

OS is simply where the bone development hasnt kept up with the musclar dvelopment at and early age. Can be a fcuker..having them shaved can help

as for leg training keeping the focus off the knees is still possble

Hack squats allow for the feet to be placed further forward than normal with less load through the knees. Front squat the same and keep the heels nailed to the deck. 45 degree press too allows for a jigging about to a comfy postition.
You can always look at higher reps to isolate the qauds more in squats (as much as you can isolate them) taking the load out of the knees and back

Its much about pure form

Kezz

nope it stays with you as i am living proof

Blofeld

Here's some info :

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/23069040/

Very uncommon past the age of 16, but not unheard of apparently.

SCJP

My left knee is fcuked at the moment & consequently I am not training it with any real weight at all, just some rehab exercises.

The problem can only have been exacerbated by my continuing to train despite the pain. If something hurts (in a bad way) stop & go to see a specialist.