My ‘SECRET’ Jedi Lunge Exercise Tips To STOP Knee Pain
June 24, 2010 | Author Kevin Yates
Most of the clients I’ve worked with who initially suffered from knee pain while doing exercises like squats and lunges thought looked at me like I was completely off my rocker when I first told them that not only were squats and lunges (nor ‘old-age’) NOT the reason they had ‘bad knees’ but that those so-called “knee destroyers” were needed to get rid of knee pain.
“I don’t know if you heard me the first time but I already told you I can’t do lunges because________”(I have weak knees, of my arthritis, I have bursitis, I’m old–insert just about any other excuse you’ve heard here)
It’s not that I’m some mean masochistic personal trainer who loves to put his clients through pain..
…Well, maybe just a teeny bit–
Just kidding…Ok, all jokes aside
It’s just that the REAL problem has more to do with improper muscle recruitment patterns than it does with doing lunges and various lunge exercise variations
In the video below I reveal my ‘secret’ lunge exercise tips and tricks to help put an end to your clients’ knee pain:
5 Responses to “My ‘SECRET’ Jedi Lunge Exercise Tips To STOP Knee Pain”
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Great vid, had a few of these problems myself over past few weeks with clients, focussed on really getting form right, what would you recommend if clients really struggle to keep their heel on the floor and gripping almost to the floor with their toes
Regards, chris
Hi Chris,
Without viewing the clients movement it sounds like the calves are potentially tight causing the heel to lift as the knee comes forward.
I would spend some time working on flexibility of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to allow for a more natural movement at the ankle (dorsiflexion).
From there aim to use some form of balance support or overhead assistance to reduce weight bearing and improve stability during the lunge movement and gradually decrease the depth of movement as mobility improves, ensuring no postural or movement compensations occur.
hope that helps,
Nathan
@Nathan
By the way that should say increase depth of movement
Great video. Thanks
If the client doesn’t have plantargrade dorsiflexion it may cause this problem, however in anyone cable of walking without a limp this is pretty unlikely to be a cause in my experience. Try doing a proper assessment of movement patterns, length tension assessment, inner unit recruitment of the knee, hip and lumbar spine in particular and regressing the client to an exercise they can do correctly. @Nathan