How can one recover strength in the legs when one has weak knees and a pained lower back?
I have bad knees also. There are a few things that pop into my head. 1-there is a machine at the gym that you lay on your stomach and place you legs under the padded bar . You raise the bar to you butt-squeezing the muscles in your legs and butt as you go. This is good for the back of you legs. 2-the inflatable ball that you can buy for 14-20 bucks is also an easy way to strengthen the legs muscles if that person doesn’t go to the gym. Sitting on the ball and doing slow squats doesn’t put much strain on the knees and will work the front and back of the legs. She can also use the ball to stretch out her back. Stretching is a huge thing that people stop doing and it effect flexabiltiy so much as we age. Just stretching everyday will improve her overall well being and flexability. The ball is easy and accessable. I sit on it watching TV or while I’m on the computer. Hope this helps and hope you friend is doing better very soon.
She should see her doctor and get a referral to a physical therapist. They can show her the most effective exercises to increase her muscle strength and flexibility without exacerbating her other problems. The sooner the better! Once she improves, she may want to consider taking up yoga. It is an excellent way to stay in shape, without high impact.
I have weak knees, herniated disc in my lower back. She needs to start walking. I am serious, start with a city block and work your way up to 2 miles a day. If she is over weight the walking will help of course. If she can get to a physical therapist for excerises that would help. She really needs to understand that this will get worse if she doesn’t do something about it soon. I walk 2 miles everyday, if I don’t I feel it in my legs. I just started with a physical therapist because I have a torn miniscus in my left leg and burisit and tendonitis in my right. I just started having problems with the right leg. To get to a physical therapist she needs to see an orthopedic doctor and maybe he could give her a leg brace. I use mine when I work out. Good luck to your friend.
