Exercise for arthritic knees?

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Len

Sit on the floor with your back aginst the wall or you couch with your legs straight out in front of you like you were stretching.

Now curl you toes back and try to keep you leg strait.

Next lift you whole leg off the ground strait up about 12" or higher if you can do this 8 to 10 times then switch to the other leg. Do each leg 3 times.

If you do this once a day it will help strengthen your knee

I also would talk to your doctor about Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

I also have know idea what you look like but or how fit you are.

[Len Backus]

Thanks, guys. I use both of those over the counter items. I am pretty fit, cardio is usually not an issue, though it was a little last year because I was too lazy to get back into hunting shape after my surgery. But this year cardio won't be an issue.

But, hey, I don't want to give you the wrong impression about my physical condition or my Montana hunting buddy will get scared of what he has to deal with in November.

[silvertip-co]

The bicycle. Best for knees and the whole body. Biking builds abs too if you want that boyish 6pack the ladies love. Get high priced seat though or you'll be more bowlegged than a saddle bronc rider. If you get a good qual mtn bike you can use it for hunting, great for sneaking thru the woods faster than walking speed. We just bought two 'Specialized' brand bikes on sale from our local bike shop. Mines red, wifes is blue. Mine will soon be camo(taped). Good luck with them bad knees. I feel your pain(daily).

[Mark Roe]

Len,

Heartily agree with the bicycle recommendations. Very low impact and great range of movement on the knees. I have a couple of beat up jumpers knees and regularly use a bike as well as leg presses (after 2 months have maxed out on the machine weight stack) and primarily a quad machine (sit down, legs at 90 degree and lift the weights). Quad primarily used to strengthen muscles around knee to keep patella from slipping. Know that on particularly bad days, I use an elliptical machine that stays pretty horizontal and helps a bunch.

I guess the bottom line is find something that you can do regularly to get the old hinges moving without a lot of stress/impact on them.

Hope it helps.

Be well,

Mark