Advice on a substitution for lunges?

[Kia6]

Hi again,

I was wondering if doing step ups on both workout days A & B would be a good substitution for lunges. I hurt my knee a couple of weeks ago and when I did lunges yesterday I felt a burning behind my patella. Are there any other good substitute moves that won't involve deep bending like lunges?

Thanks!

[RedWifey]

If your step is high enough, there should be some serious bending going on in the front leg of the step up motion.

I have had knee pain in the recent past and ALWAYS the answer to my problem is lazy glute muscles. My glutes weren't firing, all the teeny-tiny supporting muscles around my knees were doing the work.

You'll have to tell more about your knee injury a couple of weeks ago to really get an accurate assement, but my initial response would be to figure out why there was pain (that's not normal) and try to fix it rather than ignore it and maybe further perpetuate a problem.

[Kia6]

Thanks for replying Red.
I've had problems with my knee since 8th grade (I'm 27). I tore my patella tendon 10 yrs ago and have had chronic tendonitis since. My most recent injury was while playing basketball a couple of weeks ago. I did a hard jump stop and felt a burning sensation under my kneecap, directly from the center of my patella to the most northern part (12 o'clock). I took some motrin and iced up. I only play once a week but have been taken motrin right before I play to stop the pain before it starts (bad, I know).

Two days after I did this I brought my step-up level down to about 12 inches and haven't felt too much pain doing this. I do really try to isolate my glutes while doing them, which is probably what I didn't do while lunging.

[missjane]

You will isolate your glutes more with a higher step and get a bigger ROM than with the low step.

[Lisa~]

Originally Posted by RedWifey

figure out why there was pain (that's not normal) and try to fix it rather than ignore it and maybe further perpetuate a problem.

Great advice from RedWifey. If you're willing to spend money, I'd suggest you buy Bulletproof Knees and begin to address your knee issue directly.

[Kia6]

Thanks for your help. If it's worth the money, I'll get it.