Worried about Damaging Knees
 

recently I have taken up trying to lose some weight... and well first was walking got up to running and then some point after running my legs started hurting, at first I was like eh no pain no gain what not

but it started to get really bad so I got braces and stopped running... went back to walking... been walking 5 miles 3 times a week...

I feel stonger and all, but I'm now having problems with my hips and knees...
it is more pain than I'm used to... not sure what to do...

had got a scale that reads your fat, water, bone, and muscle % and I'm low on bone and water compared to an adverage human my height... at least that is what the scale says

I more likely will have to find a doctor to talk to for this matter sometime, however, I don't find our family doctor to be smart and well I don't trust him... will have to look around first... sigh....

I can't completely cut out the exercise or my months of walking will go to waste wondering if anyone here knows anything about knee damage and ways to help reduse it or some exercises that are low impact on them so they can heal

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it doesn't hurt all the time, it hurts worst when I walk for too long and don't have the knee brace on, when I walk on stairs, or when I'm trying to go to sleep...

First off, keep in mind that your knee hurts when you walk too much and don't have your brace on and make a note to make sure you've got your brace on before you go walking. Don't entirely avoid stairs, but if they are already starting to hurt, don't push them.

Definitely go to a doctor as soon as you can find a competent one that you trust. It is a possibility that it is simply your joints not being used to the amount of exercise and the stress involved with it. It is also possible that the scale is wrong when it comes to your bone and water, sometimes those don't always read correctly.

On the other side of that it is possible that you have a mild osteoporosis, or a simple low bone density, and that can be helped by taking doses of calcium.

Is there a gym or something near you with a cheap membership fee? If so, you can go in there and do elliptical and ski machines, both will give you about the same workout as walking/running, but are lower impact and should hurt your knee less.

Just on the note of ellipticals, cause I absolutely love those things: I can't run for shit, it hurts and it's way too tiring so I don't get a lot done. However, I am capable of doing 10-20 minutes straight (more if I work up to it, which I've done before) on the elliptical. It's a great work out without being quite as exhausting as running as long as you jack up the level a little bit so that it isn't TOO easy.

>3< Just a thought, cause the elliptical and walking are my favorite things to do. The stairs are alright too if I do them slow enough and not for too long. (personally)

Usually there's at least one cheap gym around. I don't know if you have a YMCA but they have a good one, and at least around here, it's only 20$ a month or something like that. ^^

Yep I have been wearing the braces when I need it, before I go walking and when it hurts

yeah I know I can't avoid the stairs mostly just slowly been walking down stairs one step at a time or using the wall to brace myself if I don't have braces on

yeah sometime will go to a doctor about this and maybe get some blood tests done not sure what that is like though (will have to save some before I can... -_-;; )

yeah there is some places that has equipment but the ones I would need we already have

my family does certainly have a lot of equipment I could use hidden away in the basement but I'd have to have someone clean around it and move them around before I could use any... -_-
we may have an elliptical or at least something close to it...

though there is a rowing machine and an exercise bike I can use
if I use them with mostly arm power it doesn't seem to hurt my legs
so it seems to be helping (can either pull them with arms, legs, or an adverage of both so these seem to help)

one of my friends said to ice them
today which helped a lot
rested and iced
still hurts but not as bad

also thanks for your comments =D

I would look into some different vitamin supplements that might help with your joints. Because it sounds like they aren't being lubricated enough, a common problem for a lot of people and many just take some supplements to help combat the problem. I wish I could remember the exact one, I used to know because my Dad had to take them for a while.

I'd keep the brace though, very good idea. =3

Also, mine hurt occasionally from an old track injury that I got back in high school. The pain has decreased over time because I've been working the strength back up in my knee. So time also will be your friend after you sort things out. The body is an amazing machine.

nods, good idea
I've been looking into that trying a few things hopes they help