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Wow!
Yesterday's personal fitness training group was a GREAT workout! I was
so happy with how much better my knees felt. I have been doing
extensive training to strengthen and tone my quadriceps and it is paying
off. While it is true that I have bone on bone osteoarthritis (that
began at age 25 from running 3 hours a day due to an eating disorder), I have been able to reduce
the pain by staying fit.
You
see, when thigh muscles are toned that means the individual muscle
cells remain contracted, even when at rest. This keeps thigh muscles
more firm and helps increase the space between femur (upper leg bone)
and tibia (lower leg bone). This prevents bones from "grinding" into
each other even though I have very little cartilage left. If you have
knee pain, keep your legs strong and toned. This will help you too.
Here
is HOW I maintained and increased my leg muscle tone even when my knees
were very injured with connective tissue tears and I could not walk. I
tell you this because you may know someone who also has mobility issues
and needs movement that is extra gentle yet effective. This is the work
I have been honored to do with many clients who went from not being
able to walk to walking quiet well. (You may enjoy this story of going from wheel chair to dancing.)
The starting position for all of these is to Sit in a chair in good posture with your feet flat on the floor.
#1.) Heel Presses: While sitting in good posture, press your heels down.
Can you feel your thighs and buns contract? Good for you! Now do as
many as you can until your muscles are fatigued. Take a break and then
do it again. You will enjoy this more if you put on a good song. -
Continue this for a week or so, a few times a day, until you build
strength enough for ...
#2.) Almost: While sitting in good posture, reach your arms out in front of you as a counter weight, and ALMOST get up out of the chair. Just put weight on your feet and lift your butt so it almost lifts off
the chair. Then sit back down. Go as slow as you need to feel knee
stability. Continue until your thigh and butt muscles are fatigued,
then rest and repeat. - Continue this for a week or so, a few times a
day, until you build strength enough for ...
#3.) Little Bit: While sitting in good posture, reach your arms out in front of you as
a counter weight, and get up out of the chair a LITTLE BIT. Maybe
lift your butt an inch or two and then sit back down. Go as slow as you
need to feel knee stability. Continue until your thigh and butt
muscles are fatigued, then rest and repeat. - Continue this for a
week or so, a few times a day, until you build strength enough for ...
#4.) Get on Up and Do It Again!: While sitting in good posture, reach your arms out in front of you and GET UP, then sit back down. (This was a song in the 1980's by Suzy Q. It has a great beat for this workout.) Continue
until your thigh and butt muscles are fatigued, then rest and repeat.
- Continue this for a week or so, a few times a day, until you
build strength enough for ... LIVING WITH BETTER MOBILITY AND LESS KNEE
PAIN! |
Mission
