Registered: Nov 2002
Location: Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 218

These two photos are of my knee exercise. One photo is with my knees bent about 90% and the other photo shows me not sitting as deep. For beginners and for anybody with an already present knee condition start out in the position like the bottom photo. Stand against the wall and slide down to almost a sitting postion. Stay there about 30 seconds. Do this twice a day for a week. After a week start sitting for longer periods of time, try to build up to 3-4-5 minutes. Sometimes I bring a magazine or a book, it passes time better than just staring as the seconds pass. And I guarantee the longer you stare at the watch the slower it goes.
For stronger riders start off with your knees at about a 90% bend and start off at about 30 seconds couple times a day and then go up from there. This exercise is particularly good for tendonitis and bursitis. It strengthens the small muscles that surround the knee area . Those muscles are all around the tendons and ligaments. Also this excersice tends to lubricate the area, which is what bursa sacs in the knee do. As always try this and if it makes it worse, stop and see a doctor ( if you dare)

Freddy

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location: Arizona, Tucson
Posts: 88

Both explanations: Knee exercise and Cycling positions are excellent. Learning curve is on.

Thank you.

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Helmer

Last edited by Helmer H. on 08-18-2006 at 07:46 AM

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Registered: Nov 2003
Location: Detroit suburbs
Posts: 547

quote:

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Originally posted by bentnut
These two photos are of my knee exercise. One photo is with my knees bent about 90% and the other photo shows me not sitting as deep. For beginners and for anybody with an already present knee condition start out in the position like the bottom photo. Stand against the wall and slide down to almost a sitting postion. Stay there about 30 seconds. Do this twice a day for a week. After a week start sitting for longer periods of time, try to build up to 3-4-5 minutes. Sometimes I bring a magazine or a book, it passes time better than just staring as the seconds pass. And I guarantee the longer you stare at the watch the slower it goes.
For stronger riders start off with your knees at about a 90% bend and start off at about 30 seconds couple times a day and then go up from there. This exercise is particularly good for tendonitis and bursitis. It strengthens the small muscles that surround the knee area . Those muscles are all around the tendons and ligaments. Also this excersice tends to lubricate the area, which is what bursa sacs in the knee do. As always try this and if it makes it worse, stop and see a doctor ( if you dare)

Freddy

Freddy,

May I suggest that this information get sent to Wo for inclusion in the next ERRC.

Thanks,

Joe

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Registered: Apr 2003
Location: Napa, CA
Posts: 132

As always try this and if it makes it worse, stop and see a doctor ( if you dare)

Freddy why did you add "if you dare?" Wasn't your father a doc?
Howard

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Howard Gilbert

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pylesville, Maryland
Posts: 107

Freddy

Do you recommend doing the knee exercises every day, even on the days that you ride?

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Now that I'm back I can answer some of these questions. You can do the knee exercises everyday if you like and it's probably a good idea. I don't bother doing it on days where I've had a heavy workload. I almost always do it when I don't ride very much, it's a good way to keep your legs strong and it helps the muscles stay used to lactic acid.

Not only was my Dad a neurosurgeon, but my Mother was a nurse, first a trama nurse then later on she was the head nurse in several hospitals. Don't get me wrong I have the greatest respect for doctors and nurses. If I have a bad accident, I know that our medical system is perhaps the best in treatment. If however you develope a disease, than I think our system sucks. It then becomes all about treatment and nothing about preventing the disease. Our western medicine depends heavily on drugs, chemicals and cutting out the bad part instead of focusing on what is causing these diseases. And unfortunetly, most doctors are not up to speed on naturals cures. Speaking of natural cures, I urge everybody who wants better health or wants to stay healthy or if they have some kind of health challenge to buy a book called "Natural cures, "they don't want you to know about. Go to natural cures .com and order it. Start taking control of you health, don't relay on anybody else, because the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry are not looking out for you in fact I think it may be the just the other way. While I'm on this topic, I'll just say that I developed a vitamin and mineral supplement years ago and am going to start selling it online soon. I think it's one of the reasons I feel like racing again and did so well in Arizona. I'll be saying a lot more about this topic later.

Freddy

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Registered: Sep 2005
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 4

Anxiously awaiting the vitamin and mineral supplement.

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Registered: Apr 2006
Location: Arizona, Tucson
Posts: 88

Thank you Freddy; I'm faithfully doing the knee exercises. They are absolutely the best.

There are many reasons why the exercise is so good and one of them is for guys like me who doesn't stretch enough after a ride. My ham strings are like piano strings.

The exercise is the best. I felt a difference and benefit from the very first time I did them.
THANK YOU!!!

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Helmer

Last edited by Helmer H. on 08-18-2006 at 07:48 AM

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pylesville, Maryland
Posts: 107

quote:

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Originally posted by Fast Freddy
Now that I'm back I can answer some of these questions. You can do the knee exercises everyday if you like and it's probably a good idea. I don't bother doing it on days where I've had a heavy workload. I almost always do it when I don't ride very much, it's a good way to keep your legs strong and it helps the muscles stay used to lactic acid.

Not only was my Dad a neurosurgeon, but my Mother was a nurse, first a trama nurse then later on she was the head nurse in several hospitals. Don't get me wrong I have the greatest respect for doctors and nurses. If I have a bad accident, I know that our medical system is perhaps the best in treatment. If however you develope a disease, than I think our system sucks. It then becomes all about treatment and nothing about preventing the disease. Our western medicine depends heavily on drugs, chemicals and cutting out the bad part instead of focusing on what is causing these diseases. And unfortunetly, most doctors are not up to speed on naturals cures. Speaking of natural cures, I urge everybody who wants better health or wants to stay healthy or if they have some kind of health
challenge to buy a book called "Natural cures, "they don't want you to know about. Go to natural cures .com and order it. Start taking control of you health, don't relay on anybody else, because the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry are not looking out for you in fact I think it may be the just the other way. While I'm on this topic, I'll just say that I developed a vitamin and mineral supplement years ago and am going to start selling it online soon. I think it's one of the reasons I feel like racing again and did so well in Arizona. I'll be saying a lot more about this topic later.

Freddy

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Registered: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA USA
Posts: 422

quote:

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Originally posted by ofwaih
I have doing your knee exercises for about two weeks now and I do see an improvment. However my lower back has been hurting. While doing the exercises do you keep you lower back pressed to the wall? The legs seem to be getting stronger but my back is hurting more. I am up to 4 minutes per exercise.

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pylesville, Maryland
Posts: 107

quote:

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Originally posted by Helmer H.
Back problem friends;

First; I’m not a doctor just a professional back ache human, that is, I’ve had a back problems long enough to be quite professional about aches.
I’ve had back problems for over 30 of my 63 years. Since many, many back problems are due to lack of muscle strength we are in trouble. And, in the case of two parallel muscles with one stronger then the other, we back problem people have created our own problem, often unawares of our own doing.

As to the knee exercise I’m doing them and plan to continue, I too sense a little back ache, not during the exercise but after. However, unless it is serious and getting much worse, my theory is that the muscles are strengthening not only your quads but your back also.

Following is a simple back exercise; at first it may seem like your not doing much, take your time it gets better.

With the client lying upon the face, the forehead resting upon the hands, placed on above the other, do the following:

1. Head raising backward for times.
2. Leg raising, leg and foot extended, each four times.
3. Leg raising both together four times.
4. Head and leg raising, each leg two to four times.
5. Head and legs raising, both legs together, two to four times.

Repeat the above exercises while lying upon the back. Again take your time and be consistent.

If it’s the lower back do what’s called the “dog stretch”.
1. Go down on both knees.
2. Put both hands on the floor.
3. Move hands forward while legs remain perpendicular to the floor.
4. Stretch out as far as possible.
5. Curve your back downward.
6. With easy swinging motion push your now curved back towards floor 3-5 times or more.

Often this gives quick relief of pain.

Good luck & never give up.

Almost forgot. The best, the very best exercise for my back has been riding my bike, daily.

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pylesville, Maryland
Posts: 107

quote:

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Originally posted by Helmer H.
I do my best to hold a good posture while doing the exercise, however, the curvature of each individual back being different & size of butt will greatly determine if you can even get your lower back against the wall. I'd say do your best to keep a straight back.

Even though Freddy looks like his full back is against the wall I have a feeling that there may be a slight space under his jersey where his back is either off the wall or at least somewhat relaxed???

Maybe Freddy can give you a better answer.

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Keep your lower back pressed against the wall. As your sitting aginst the wall try and relax everything. This exercise works the muscles around your knee, but it also works a bit of your hamstring and that is quite possibly what your feeling. Hamstrings tend to pull your lower back a bit. You might try some stretching to target the legs and that usually eases the lower back pain. While I'm at it I might add that stretching is something you should do a little of everyday. You might lose a little muscle strength as you get older, but you don't have to lose your range of motion so do something like stretching or yoga.

Freddy

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Registered: Dec 2002
Location: Pylesville, Maryland
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quote:

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Originally posted by Fast Freddy
Keep your lower back pressed against the wall. As your sitting aginst the wall try and relax everything. This exercise works the muscles around your knee, but it also works a bit of your hamstring and that is quite possibly what your feeling. Hamstrings tend to pull your lower back a bit. You might try some stretching to target the legs and that usually eases the lower back pain. While I'm at it I might add that stretching is something you should do a little of everyday. You might lose a little muscle strength as you get older, but you don't have to lose your range of motion so do something like stretching or yoga.

Freddy

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Registered: Jul 2006
Location: Connecticut, USA
Posts: 379

quote:

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Originally posted by ofwaih
Although I have never had any luck with stretching I will gently try and stretch my hamstrings to see if the back pain eases.

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