Leg curls and knee arthritis

[DORKtoDIVA]

I have arthritis in both of my knees. I can do leg extensions ok. But leg curls are so awful and painful that I literally groan or whine every rep, clutching the underside of the weight bench and basically wanting to cry.

The issue isn't my muscles. But I'm not sure exactly what it is. I'm thinking the tendons in my knees? I do the curls with an extremely light weight - 5 pounds - which my muscles can easily do, but something in my knees cannot.

Does anyone have any idea what's going on here, and if there is something I can do to improve this?

One thing I hit upon last time is that instead of doing reps per se, I'll curl up the weight and simply hold it there to the count of 10 or whatever. Then I do far fewer reps (bending and unbending my knees) and most of the exercise is just keeping the weight up for some time. I find that challenging but not as painful as the regular reps (though, honestly, still fairly painful). Does that seem like something I should keep doing?

Whatever the issue is, it's about bending and unbending the knee with the effort being behind the knee (as opposed to in front of, as with leg extensions) and when the bending is more than is required for walking/running (which I can also do without knee problems). Probably TMI, but sitting down and getting up from the toilet is exactly the kind of task I have problems with. (And I'm only 32!!!!!!)

[5kgLifter]

You could just drop the leg curls and do stiff-legged deadlifts. You don't need to use loads of weight, since you could do more reps, unless you'd prefer to use a higher weight and less reps, but they target the hamstrings just as effectively and without the need to bend the knee.

Hope that helps.

[DORKtoDIVA]

That does help. I can do deadlifts, though I can't promise you how my form is. I probably spread my legs too much to minimize the knee bend. But the exercise doesn't make me cry

I still just kind of wonder if there's something I can do to improve my ability to bend my knees and support my body. It kind of sucks feeling elderly at age 32 when it comes to sitting on the throne and stuff. I'd love to know if anyone had any ideas about the actual mechanics of what I'm experiencing.

[5kgLifter]

I've heard that Glucosamine taken daily can help with the inflammation and pain of arthritis, some people swear by it.

[Trusylver]

Diva, have you had a doctor take a look at your knees ? if not the first thing you need to do is get them looked at ASAP. Leg curls are hard on the knees so 5kg's sugestion of stiff leg deadlifts is a good one.

I like hamstring raises for the hamstrings
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...ringRaise.html

but that may be a little hard to begin with so a modified assisted version may work http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...RaiseSelf.html

another form of hamsting curl that may be a little easier on your knee
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...erLegCurl.html

[DORKtoDIVA]

Well, a doctor diagnosed arthritis if that's what you mean, but he didn't tell me anything useful about my workout or anything else for that matter.

It sounds like you guys are saying I shouldn't force myself to do leg curls since they are apparently putting a lot of stress on my knees. That makes sense. Though at the same time I wondered if it would conversely make sense to specifically do that exercise as gently as possible to build up strength there. But, hmm, I guess the bottom line is that I'm sure it's not the muscles having the problem, and probably nothing else (tendon, bone) will be able to build up strength in response to the exercise. So it's pointless, perhaps, plus could be damaging.

Thank you both for the suggestions for alternate exercises. I will drop the leg curls and do those instead.