Is there a way to get the benefit of lunges without putting weight on the bent knee? Since my right knee is ‘bone-to-bone’ the action of lunging is painful and grinding - ack! But I’m aware of how important the lunge is, therefore my question.
Hey On the path,
I am not giving you advice because I do not understand your problem and barely understand your terminology. Rest assured somebody educated on this subject will be with you shortly.
Where I can partially relate is my difficulty in lunges where my right leg is back. If I set my knee on the ground I feel pain in my meniscus(?) 90% of the time. When my knee is lifted and I am pulling my legs towards each other I feel not even a twinge.
Knee’s suck and after two years of practice I have overcome most of my physical obstacles, but have made little progress on this one.
All things in time brother, best of luck to you.
Since you have not stated what the ‘benefit of lunges’ means to you, I can only guess at strength in the thighs.
If you keep the angle at the knee of the bent leg at 90 degrees, so the lower leg/shin remains perpendicular to the floor and there is also a 90 degree angle at the ankle then there should be little or no pressure on the knee. If you take the knee forward over the foot then this puts pressure on the knee.
You could also try Uttkatasanana which also works to strengthen the thighs.
OTP,
Welcome to the neighborhood.
With therapeutic posts such as yours I find it necessary to have bona fide intake data. Without such info and the profound benefit of contact hours, a reply could only be anecdotal or guesswork.
The two things I specifically need here are some additional detail about the knee joint and the intention for you in lunges (vanarasana). Does “bone-to-bone” mean that you no longer have cartilage in the joint? And, as alluded to above, are you intending to build the thighs or open the hip flexors or both or neither?
There are a myriad of ways to modify depending on the answers to the above.
warmly,
gordon
Two years ago I was scheduled for knee replacement surgery. After an MRI I discovered that the real culprit was “alignment” - mostly of the spine. Instead of opting for surgery, I chose deep water aerobics, yoga, alkaline diet and walking. Lost 20 lbs - felt great. What a revelation! Everyone asked how I did it.
But then, work and responsibilities took over from my fitness ethic, causing decreased range of motion in my knee and hip. I did make huge progress but regressed to my present condition, which is regaining some of the weight and losing some flexibility, not to mention aging joints becoming painful. But now, I’m on a path again. I refuse to give up. I’ve tried some of what I’ve found on line - mostly yoga hip opening routines. Revelation!
Thought I knew what I was doing before, but now I realize that once again it is alignment - this time from knee to toe. Paying more attention now and am convinced that I can heal myself by building the lateral muscles around the knee, along with increased aerobic activity.
Being self-employed makes it easy to put fitness aside for the ‘real’ work of keeping the wolf from the door during these trying times. Is this TMI?
But wait, there’s more.
I’ve always been athletic - female - single parent - self employed with employees - makes it easy to put other things first. Now that I’ve turned 68, I realize - ack! what have I done? I know I can build strength again.
So-ho… the question of lunges - I know how beneficial they are but when I try bent knee, weight bearing poses - it just kills me - knee grinding! Painful and scary.
Deep down I just think I can beat this - that it is alignment or something - but if I can get the benefit of strengthening lunges through another technique that just might save me.
Have done some work with a personal trainer, using weights, which gives me the idea I can do this because when there was a routine that caused some pain (through something like a rotator cuff injury) he could always come up with another approach to work those same muscles without taxing the injury.
You see why I’ve asked my question now, yes? I’m convinced I can somehow get the benefit of the lunge poses but perhaps in another way (for a time).
Am accustomed to being physically fit. This seems like a strange time in my life - big transition…
Tried to keep question simple, but maybe, in this case, more info is good. Let me know if this is enough info. Used to be a runner, too…
Guess I’ve said too much.