Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

[Guest guest]

I am able to swim and do the elliptical. Walking hurts, as does cycling. I

commiserate...I gained 30 and have managed to lose only 10 in three months!

Joya

-- cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

Two thoughts:

1) Maybe try swimming with a Pull Buoy between your legs. You squeeze

the pull buoy between your legs and it keeps your lower body from

sinking while you swim with your arms only.

http://www.swimoutlet.com/Pull_Buoys_s/330.htm

2) If you can find a UBE (Upper-body Ergometer), that may be able to

help. It's like a stationary bike for your arms. You probably need to

go to a gym or a physical therapist to find one.

http://www.fitnessscape.com/page/F/PROD/upper_body_ergometer/ec_ub200

3) Maybe try walking or cycling for a very brief time (like 90

seconds), and see how that feels the next day. If it's alright, try 2

minutes the next day. And continue to build *very slowly* and very

carefully. It'll take alot of time and persistence, but you may be

able to work up to 30 minutes or more over the course of a couple of

months.

Hope that helps,

Doug

*** Snip

> What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

> (which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

> tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

> serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

[Guest guest]

> What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

> (which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

> tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

> serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Have you tried yoga? If you can find a good vinyasa yoga such as power yoga

or ashtanga, you may be surprised at how high your heart rate can get and

the cardio benefits. I would definitely try to go to a yoga studio with a

certified teacher rather than something like the local gym or ymca. I've

found the teachers there, even if they have a certification, aren't really

that good overall. And make sure you discuss your problem with the teacher

before you start. Yoga brings a world of benefits for this type of problem

assuming your body can handle it -- proper balance of muscles, proper

alignment, strength, flexibility, cardio, etc.

/

[Guest guest]

2) If you can find a UBE (Upper-body Ergometer), that may be able to

help. It's like a stationary bike for your arms. You probably need to

go to a gym or a physical therapist to find one.

http://www.fitnessscape.com/page/F/PROD/upper_body_ergometer/ec_ub200

My gym has one of these, and it's very aerobic, at least for me. Also, I find

that (if I use McConnel tape) I can use the Stairmaster, and also the treadmill

set on 7 degrees uphill. Each of these for 15 min., so a 45-min. aerobic

workout.

Ann(WA)

[Guest guest]

This should be able to answer all your questions. Also they have a contact

phone number if it doesn't. http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm

Ann(WA)

cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

Even with my CP I've always been able to do all the necessary walking around the

house, but didn't really do a lot of it, and gained 35 lb after retiring. Have

always for some inexplicable reason been able to go up & down stairs at home,

many times a day. But when I had to spend all day every day for a month on my

feet & using my arms, walking around the house, going up & down the stairs to

pack to move, I lost 16 lb. (And it still didn't hurt my knees. But I can only

walk so far on, say, a hike, before my knee starts hurting, or it'll deceive me,

make me think it's not hurting, then it'll hurt 3 or 4 days later for 2 or 3

days. Sometimes I have to put knee tape on just to sleep if that happens.

I'm having more pains in my shoulders & sternoclavicular (SC) joint now than in

my knee. My advice: do the standard exercises for rotator cuff even if you

don't have a problem there. And if you ever notice that the medial end of your

clavicle is " getting bigger " , don't assume it's because you've used that arm

more. The clavicle can become displaced or dislocated and it hurts like hell

when you use your arms for just about anything bec. the clavicle is the only

bone that connects the whole shoulder girdle/arm complex to the rest of the

skeleton. I'm looking for an SC joint surgeon now. Most OS's won't deal with

that because there are a lot of major blood vessels & nerves that live right

behind that end of the clavicle.

Ann

cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

Ann, how do they diagnose the clavicle problem? I have had a very painful

PAIN in my right shoulder for months now.

Some days I feel like I am just falling apart LOL. I know my DH is tired of

hearing of all the aches and pains (knees, hips, fingers, shoulders, elbows.

..groan).

Joya

-- Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

Even with my CP I've always been able to do all the necessary walking around

the house, but didn't really do a lot of it, and gained 35 lb after retiring

Have always for some inexplicable reason been able to go up & down stairs

at home, many times a day. But when I had to spend all day every day for a

month on my feet & using my arms, walking around the house, going up & down

the stairs to pack to move, I lost 16 lb. (And it still didn't hurt my

knees. But I can only walk so far on, say, a hike, before my knee starts

hurting, or it'll deceive me, make me think it's not hurting, then it'll

hurt 3 or 4 days later for 2 or 3 days. Sometimes I have to put knee tape

on just to sleep if that happens.

I'm having more pains in my shoulders & sternoclavicular (SC) joint now than

in my knee. My advice: do the standard exercises for rotator cuff even if

you don't have a problem there. And if you ever notice that the medial end

of your clavicle is " getting bigger " , don't assume it's because you've used

that arm more. The clavicle can become displaced or dislocated and it hurts

like hell when you use your arms for just about anything bec. the clavicle

is the only bone that connects the whole shoulder girdle/arm complex to the

rest of the skeleton. I'm looking for an SC joint surgeon now. Most OS's

won't deal with that because there are a lot of major blood vessels & nerves

that live right behind that end of the clavicle.

Ann

cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

I'll second that shoulder pain, I've recently been diagnosed with a winged

scapula, not only is it ghastly pain its also ghastly to look at

Ann <ruby2zdy@...> wrote:I'm having more pains in my shoulders

& sternoclavicular (SC) joint now than in my knee. My advice: do the standard

exercises for rotator cuff even if you don't have a problem there. And if you

ever notice that the medial end of your clavicle is " getting bigger " , don't

assume it's because you've used that arm more. The clavicle can become displaced

or dislocated and it hurts like hell when you use your arms for just about

anything bec. the clavicle is the only bone that connects the whole shoulder

girdle/arm complex to the rest of the skeleton. I'm looking for an SC joint

surgeon now. Most OS's won't deal with that because there are a lot of major

blood vessels & nerves that live right behind that end of the clavicle.

Ann

cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

I do Curves 3 times a week, where I've modified the exercises I do on the 3

machines that use your knees to only flex my knees 30 degrees (i.e. not to

full 90 degrees) to avoid the knee strain/pop issue.

For those of you who have lived under a rock for the last couple of years,

Curves is a women-only franchise which has between 8 and 11 machines

focusing on varius muscle groups. Each machine is separated by an aerobic

bounce square (but you don't need to bounce on it if you don't want to).

You spend 30 seconds on a machine, 30 seconds on a recovery pad, then move

to the next machine, followed by 6 minutes of stretching at the end. Pretty

much any " circuit " training is probably similar

It has strengthened my quads and my body fat percentage has dropped from

almost 27 to 21 in 7 months

Sheri

> 1. Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

> From: " dougfromct2002 " <dougfromct2002@...>

>Message: 1

> Date: Wed, 08 Jun 2005 18:57:51 -0000

> From: " dougfromct2002 " <dougfromct2002@...>

>Subject: Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt knees?

>

>Two thoughts:

>

>1) Maybe try swimming with a Pull Buoy between your legs. You squeeze

>the pull buoy between your legs and it keeps your lower body from

>sinking while you swim with your arms only.

>http://www.swimoutlet.com/Pull_Buoys_s/330.htm

>

>2) If you can find a UBE (Upper-body Ergometer), that may be able to

>help. It's like a stationary bike for your arms. You probably need to

>go to a gym or a physical therapist to find one.

>http://www.fitnessscape.com/page/F/PROD/upper_body_ergometer/ec_ub200

>

>3) Maybe try walking or cycling for a very brief time (like 90

>seconds), and see how that feels the next day. If it's alright, try 2

>minutes the next day. And continue to build *very slowly* and very

>carefully. It'll take alot of time and persistence, but you may be

>able to work up to 30 minutes or more over the course of a couple of

>months.

>

>Hope that helps,

>Doug

>

>

>

>*** Snip

>

> > What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

> > (which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

> > tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

> > serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

[Guest guest]

I found these links a while ago when i was looking to get myself a

belt to use when I wanted at the pool. You might have to cut and

paste to get the link all together.

water running tips

http://www.aquajogger.com/water_running_1.htm

tips on water exercises

http://www.hydrofit.com/information.html?

page=articles & art=cuffs_teaching

When your first starting out, whether its walking or swimming, etc,

you might want to start really slow. 2min, 5 min, then see how you

feel the next day. You probably want to slowly build up, and see

what your body can and can't handle.

You also might want to do some weight training for the upper body,

back, stomach low back, hips, etc... Just make sure if your doing

lower body, start super slow, and really light weights so you don't

aggrivate anything.

I'm not recommending any of the water products, they have some nice

pics of good form and some bad form not to do, and go thru some of

the movements you can try in the water.

Some gyms, some Y's, some local pools have water classes, belts you

can use. Before purchasing a water belt try it on. You need to

make sure the belt part is A) long enough to be able to close, and

It can be made snug enough so when your in the water it doesn't

float up under your chest. You pretty much want to suck it in like

your putting on a tight pair of jeans, snap the belt shut. Then

when you get in the water, you'll notice it will get a little

bigger, if its not tight enough it floats up on your body. Then in

the water you have to try to adjust it.

Also, if you know someone who works at the pool, instructors, etc

can get a discount at some retailers online. Some places its a

pretty big discount, mainly because they tend to purchase in

quantities.

Another reason to try the belts on is not everyone is the same

width. When you put the belt around your waiste, move your arms in

a motion like when your are running, swinging them, and make sure

your arms aren't hitting the belt. Some belts are big and wide,

all depending on your size if they work well. If you try it on in

the store, and notice the elbows hitting, your going to get

irritated in the water.

You can also do the impact water aerobics if your pool isn't deep

enough, or your just too tall to do complete floating exercises. I

think your like 90% weightless when your up to your shoulders.

Chest level, i think your around 70%.... i thnk its around 50% when

your waiste level.

So, the deeper, the lighter you become, and less impact if you want

to jump.

Only place I jump is inthe pool, when I'm pretty deep.

There are a variety of straight leg moves you can do so your not

even bending your knees... which is going to be good for many here.

You can even buy the floats for your feet. I recently started doing

the floats on my feet. You put them on your feet instead of putting

the water belt on your waist, its a lot more challenging, and I can

see more muscle going onto my legs.

It was weird at first, and I've slowly adjusted, class is more

difficult when your attempting to do all the moves with the floats

on your feet.

If you have any hand issues, arthritus, etc. I wouldn't purchase

the dumbell looking hand water weights. A pair of water gloves

wouldn't require you to be grasping the entire time in the water.

They have hand gyros, which can be used on the hands or feet.

Currently I can't find a picture of these, they provide the same

resistance, but you don't have to grasp that center bar..

I'll have to ask the lady at the gym what they are really called so

I can find a picture.

If you go with the feet floats of some sort, you will at the min

want something for your hands, gloves, or gyros because you need

something to counter balance you in the water.

If your looking for some extra resistance for your feet wearing the

aqua socks or a pair of water safe sandles will increase your

resistance of your feet. Might try that and get use to that before

purchasing feet floats of some sort. Target has decent prices on

water socks, if your looking for a retailer (of course not

affiliated with them either).

http://www.aglasshalffull.org/hf101-401-902-903-186.html

Here is a pic of the cuffs you can move from your waiste to your

feet. They are lots more expensive than the regular belts. You

would also have to have something for your hands if you are going to

put them on your feet so thats an additional expense, again no

endorsement of this site, just a pic I found quickly.

Connie

[Guest guest]

I have a small pool and a limited budget. My husband rigged up a " treadmill

swimmer " for me by tying a rope around one of our porch posts and the other

end goes around my waist. Works fine and cost less that 3 bucks!

Joya

-- Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

I found these links a while ago when i was looking to get myself a

belt to use when I wanted at the pool. You might have to cut and

paste to get the link all together.

water running tips

http://www.aquajogger.com/water_running_1.htm

tips on water exercises

http://www.hydrofit.com/information.html?

page=articles & art=cuffs_teaching

When your first starting out, whether its walking or swimming, etc,

you might want to start really slow. 2min, 5 min, then see how you

feel the next day. You probably want to slowly build up, and see

what your body can and can't handle.

You also might want to do some weight training for the upper body,

back, stomach low back, hips, etc... Just make sure if your doing

lower body, start super slow, and really light weights so you don't

aggrivate anything.

I'm not recommending any of the water products, they have some nice

pics of good form and some bad form not to do, and go thru some of

the movements you can try in the water.

Some gyms, some Y's, some local pools have water classes, belts you

can use. Before purchasing a water belt try it on. You need to

make sure the belt part is A) long enough to be able to close, and

It can be made snug enough so when your in the water it doesn't

float up under your chest. You pretty much want to suck it in like

your putting on a tight pair of jeans, snap the belt shut. Then

when you get in the water, you'll notice it will get a little

bigger, if its not tight enough it floats up on your body. Then in

the water you have to try to adjust it.

Also, if you know someone who works at the pool, instructors, etc

can get a discount at some retailers online. Some places its a

pretty big discount, mainly because they tend to purchase in

quantities.

Another reason to try the belts on is not everyone is the same

width. When you put the belt around your waiste, move your arms in

a motion like when your are running, swinging them, and make sure

your arms aren't hitting the belt. Some belts are big and wide,

all depending on your size if they work well. If you try it on in

the store, and notice the elbows hitting, your going to get

irritated in the water.

You can also do the impact water aerobics if your pool isn't deep

enough, or your just too tall to do complete floating exercises. I

think your like 90% weightless when your up to your shoulders.

Chest level, i think your around 70%.... i thnk its around 50% when

your waiste level.

So, the deeper, the lighter you become, and less impact if you want

to jump.

Only place I jump is inthe pool, when I'm pretty deep.

There are a variety of straight leg moves you can do so your not

even bending your knees... which is going to be good for many here.

You can even buy the floats for your feet. I recently started doing

the floats on my feet. You put them on your feet instead of putting

the water belt on your waist, its a lot more challenging, and I can

see more muscle going onto my legs.

It was weird at first, and I've slowly adjusted, class is more

difficult when your attempting to do all the moves with the floats

on your feet.

If you have any hand issues, arthritus, etc. I wouldn't purchase

the dumbell looking hand water weights. A pair of water gloves

wouldn't require you to be grasping the entire time in the water.

They have hand gyros, which can be used on the hands or feet.

Currently I can't find a picture of these, they provide the same

resistance, but you don't have to grasp that center bar..

I'll have to ask the lady at the gym what they are really called so

I can find a picture.

If you go with the feet floats of some sort, you will at the min

want something for your hands, gloves, or gyros because you need

something to counter balance you in the water.

If your looking for some extra resistance for your feet wearing the

aqua socks or a pair of water safe sandles will increase your

resistance of your feet. Might try that and get use to that before

purchasing feet floats of some sort. Target has decent prices on

water socks, if your looking for a retailer (of course not

affiliated with them either).

http://www.aglasshalffull.org/hf101-401-902-903-186.html

Here is a pic of the cuffs you can move from your waiste to your

feet. They are lots more expensive than the regular belts. You

would also have to have something for your hands if you are going to

put them on your feet so thats an additional expense, again no

endorsement of this site, just a pic I found quickly.

Connie

[Guest guest]

Well, first of all, most OS's, even those whose specialty is the shoulder, won't

deal with the SC joint. There are 3 doctors in Texas who do (they're all at the

same place), and one in England who actually replaced a clavicle for a guy who'd

had his ripped out in an accident. I may have said this before. There are a

lot of important blood vessels that run right behind the medial end of the

clavicle, so most docs don't want to have anything to do with it.

Secondly, you may need to ask your primary care physician (if s/he's a

cooperative one) for a Rockwood view X-ray of your clavicle. He probably won't

have heard of this. I had to tell both my doctor and the X-ray technician about

it & brought written instructions for the X-ray technician. They have to aim

the camera up toward your clavicle at an angle. Here are the instructions:

The camera is lowered to near the floor and aimed at the clavicle at a 45-degree

angle, and at the medial ends of both clavicles simultaneously (you need both to

compare). Even with this X-ray, which any drunk off the street would tell you

shows a displacement of my R clavicle, the radiologist said my clavicle was

" normal " . They just don't know how to deal with it.

NOTE: If your medial clavicle is displaced posteriorly, run, do not walk, to

your nearest ER and get someone to fix it posthaste -- a posteriorly displaced

clavicle can cut into one of those important blood vessels I mentioned, like the

aorta, the carotid artery, the vena cava, the jugular vein, little things like

that.

The US expert on clavicles is Rockwood himself, and I've corresponded with him.

He's a very nice man and was very helpful -- told me who to see near me.

Rockwood is at UT San Med Ctr. I didn't have any luck trying to

communicate with the guy in England who inserted a totally new clavicle, but I

did e-mail the guy who got it, and he's had no problems with it (BTW, he played

the usher in Shaun of the Dead).

Did I answer your question?

Ann

Ann, how do they diagnose the clavicle problem? I have had a very painful

PAIN in my right shoulder for months now.

Some days I feel like I am just falling apart LOL. I know my DH is tired of

hearing of all the aches and pains (knees, hips, fingers, shoulders, elbows.

.groan).

Joya

-- Re: cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

Even with my CP I've always been able to do all the necessary walking around

the house, but didn't really do a lot of it, and gained 35 lb after retiring

Have always for some inexplicable reason been able to go up & down stairs

at home, many times a day. But when I had to spend all day every day for a

month on my feet & using my arms, walking around the house, going up & down

the stairs to pack to move, I lost 16 lb. (And it still didn't hurt my

knees. But I can only walk so far on, say, a hike, before my knee starts

hurting, or it'll deceive me, make me think it's not hurting, then it'll

hurt 3 or 4 days later for 2 or 3 days. Sometimes I have to put knee tape

on just to sleep if that happens.

I'm having more pains in my shoulders & sternoclavicular (SC) joint now than

in my knee. My advice: do the standard exercises for rotator cuff even if

you don't have a problem there. And if you ever notice that the medial end

of your clavicle is " getting bigger " , don't assume it's because you've used

that arm more. The clavicle can become displaced or dislocated and it hurts

like hell when you use your arms for just about anything bec. the clavicle

is the only bone that connects the whole shoulder girdle/arm complex to the

rest of the skeleton. I'm looking for an SC joint surgeon now. Most OS's

won't deal with that because there are a lot of major blood vessels & nerves

that live right behind that end of the clavicle.

Ann

cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.

[Guest guest]

I learned alot! Thanks Ann

Joya

cardio exercises that wont' hurt

knees?

I have currently grade 3 Chondromalacia in my right knee, and had

surgery for it last year on my left. I haven't been able to afford

the time off work to have a LR done on my right so have been suffering

with it for awhile. I did PT that helped a lot, but once the insurance

stopped paying, I had to stop going despite trying to do the exercises

at home, I guess it isnt' the same as the pain is back. Anyway, I have

gained about 20 lbs from not being able to be active as I used to be.

What exercises can I do to burn calories to lose the excess weight

(which I'm sure would help) that won't hurt my knees? So far, I've

tried a lot of walking, cycling, and swimming and they all put me in

serious pain for days afterwards even though I tried to go slowly.

Also does anyone know what I can do to enforce the disabilities act at

work? I have to go up two flights of stairs to go to meetings often

(no elevator) and it hurts! There are also stairs with no ramp into my

workroom and work doesn't seem inclined to do anything about that

either.