There's a chance, I suppose, though running often isn't thought to be one of the better exercises for those with osteoarthritis in the knees because of the impact on the joints.

You're certainly correct that strengthening the muscles around the joint and doing some aerobic exercise to improve suppleness ought to help the condition, but lower impact activities (swimming/cycling) along with some resistance work tend to be recommended for most people in your position.

That said, much depends on the individual and how severely the condition affects them personally. I think it's always important when exercising to do something you enjoy, as there's a much greater chance of adherence than by doing something you actively dislike. I would advise you to speak to your GP and see whether he/she thinks going back to running is a good idea for you. I would advise extreme caution when running outside though - if your knees are weak, the slightest unevenness in the running surface can jar the joint and set you back. If you get the nod from the doctor, I'd try using a good quality, well sprung treadmill, at least to start with.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you this (I'm going to anyway), but whatever you do end up doing, it's vital that you start slowly and build up gradually. Another thing you might like to try is doing different types of exercise over a couple of weeks, and keeping a diary of how your joints feel one, two, twelve and twenty-four hours after exercise. This should help you to ascertain which exercises are likely to cause you the least problems as you progress.

There are exercise referral schemes in place in some areas, and your GP may be able to refer you to a PT with specific training in dealing with your condition.

Hope that's of some use, let me know if there's anything else.

You’ve asked for it now…

I’m in my 40s, my BMI is at the very top of normal and I’m carrying a bit of flab around the waist I’d like rid of. I’d also like to build up a bit in strength all over particularly in the core and upper body. I play tag rugby twice a week in the summer (Mon & Wed) and swim on the Tues to get rid of the stiffness. What can I do to get the flab off and build strength? I’m trying to cut the booze out during the week but end up eating heaps since I run out of energy very quick even on days I’m doing nowt. I’d also like to be able to do a 10k at a decent time but live in an area covered in massive steep hills so running is hard work.

As someone mentioned earlier, losing fat is largely down to diet (though exercise is obviously of benefit as well). Calculating your energy expenditure and then applying a modest calorie deficit is the simplest way to go about losing fat.

To calculate BMR (basal metabolic rate - the amount of energy you would use in a day at rest):

For men: BMR = 66 + ( 13.7 x weight in kilos ) + ( 5 x height in cm ) - ( 6.8 x age in years )

To work out how many calories you require for your activity level, apply the Harris Benedict Formula:

Sedentary (little or no exercise) : BMR x 1.2
Lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : BMR x 1.375
Moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : BMR x 1.55
Very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : BMR x 1.725
Extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : BMR x 1.9

So if, for example, your BMR was 1750 and you did little to no exercise, you'd need 2100 calories per day to maintain your current weight. To lose weight safely and sustainably, you'd need to apply a calorie deficit of no more than 500 calories per day between diet and exercise combined. So if you start expending 500 calories more a day by exercising, you should keep your calories at 2100 (for the example above). If you're using 250 calories more a day in exercise, drop the calories you eat by 250. Applying too great a calorie deficit will result in losing fat free mass as well as fat, which is obviously undesirable.

It goes without saying that these figures are only a guide, and actual calories required may vary from individual to individual. Monitoring your weight and percentage body fat on a regular basis will help you to make sure you're not losing too much weight too quickly and that you're not losing muscle instead of fat. Incidentally, don't worry too much about losing weight. If your BMI is normal and you put on a bit of muscle whilst losing a bit of fat, your weight might not change very much. Rely more on bodyfat %, as it's a far more useful indicator for someone with your fitness goals.

It's important to realise that the quality of the food you eat is important, as well. For carbs use mainly low GI, unrefined sources (eg. wholegrain rice, pasta, bread as opposed to white equivalents and/or sugary snacks). Protein should be from good quality, lean sources (eg. skinless chicken breast, tuna, whey, rather than sausages, burgers and the like). Do not neglect to eat fats, just ensure that they're the right sort of fats (not trans or hydrogenated) and that you don't overdo them. As a rough guide, you should aim for 40% of your [ucalories[/u protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats (or 40-40-20, if you prefer). I underlined calories because protein and carbs have fewer calories per gram (4) than fats (9). Get plenty of vegetables in there and follow the above guidelines for number of calories, and you won't go far wrong. Eating a greater number of smaller meals can also be of benefit, rather than sticking to the 'three square meals a day' mantra.

To build strength, as I said in my original post, compound (using more than one joint) free weight exercises are best. Examples of compound exercises are squats, dead lifts, bench presses, chin ups and shoulder presses. Whilst free weight exercises are the most effective, they are also the most difficult to master. Technique is everything - particularly when it comes to adding a bit of weight onto the bar. Take the time to get some proper instruction from a qualified individual (not Big Dave down at the gym), and build up slowly. I have lost count of the number of people I have seen over the years using poor form and more weight than they can safely handle. Not only are these people getting a less effective workout, they're risking serious injury. To begin with, use lower weights and perform 12-15 slow, controlled reps per set. As you become more adept and your nervous system starts to adapt, you can begin to drop the reps and add weight. If you can afford it, even a few sessions with a personal trainer is a worthwhile investment. A good one should be able to teach you safe techniques for a range of suitable exercises, and give you some advice on cycling (changing your workout to ensure continued progress).



Cutting out booze is one of the single biggest favours you can do yourself. Alcohol contains 11 calories per gram, and is of no nutritional value whatsoever. That's not to say you shouldn't have a drink if you enjoy one, but just be mindful of how much you're having, and of the effect it is likely to have on your training goals.



Eating lower GI carbs might help with this, as they tend to release energy slower than high GI sources. Also eating more meals (of fewer calories) can help, as it's never a long time between meals.



Sadly, I'm unable to affect the Earth's geological processes, so there's not a lot I can say here, other than drive somewhere flat(ish) to run, or use a treadmill.




I hope that's what you were looking for. Apologies if it's a little long-winded.

At 32 years old, I can't touch my toes (without bending my knees

) - what are the best exercises to do to aid flexibility? Or is it down to stretching pre/post workout?

I may not be the best person to advise you on this, as I'm hopelessly inflexible myself. Stretching properly after a workout (which hardly anyone does, myself included) will obviously make some difference, but if you're wanting to improve your flexibility significantly, you need to stretch more frequently and hold the stretches for longer than you generally would in your post-workout routine.

Try stretching all the major muscle groups every day, performing three repetitions of each stretch and holding for around 30 seconds. If you can fit this in twice a day, even better. You should notice some difference in a couple of weeks.

Well I went to the gym this morning for the first time in donkey's years. Started with 10 minutes on the exercise bike, then 10 minutes on the rower, followed up by 30 minutes on various machines and doing abs and finished with 10 minutes on the treadmill to warm down. Apart from feeling a little light-headed at times, I've so far suffered no adverse reactions, aches, pains or any other problems.

The great thing about the local sports centre is they have a fantastic fitness suite that was completely refurbed 6 months ago with true state of the art equipment (I was cycling through Tuscany this morning). They open at 7.00am until 10.00pm and early mornings are usually empty, so it suits me fine. Once I get into the the swing of things I'll extend the time spent there to around 90 minutes, finishing off with 10 minutes doing lengths in the pool to warm down, even though I find simply swimming lengths to be the most boring exercise ever invented.

Can anyone recommend either an Android app for keeping track of exercises completed and progress made and/or a heart & BP monitor (either free-standing or linked to my phone)?

Gymrat is a decent app for recording exercises. They have a few workout templates on there, and the option to input your own. I tried recording workouts on several different apps, before settling on a notebook and pen. If you're going to use one though, Gymrat is as good as any.

I fooking despise swimming. If that was the only exercise available to me, I think I might have to give up.

Thats tomorrow.

Be careful is all I'll say, I was about the same age as you are now when I damaged muscles and squashed a disc in my back by trying to do that very exercise, left me on the floor with painkillers and muscle relaxants for two weeks.- just don't force anything !

I don't often frequent SinBin but I'm very impressed with the advice on here (I work the health/rehab/S&C field). Better that the majority of dedicated fitness forums.

Just thought I'd share this decent infographic I direct many of my patients to if they are looking to invest in their fitness[urlhttp://simplesciencefitness.com/[/url

Hope it's useful for start.

Touching your toes is overrated anyway.

Always wondered if yoga/pilates would help with something like that??

It's the right time of year for Pilates

If there is a pun in there then I'm too slow to catch it however it most certainly is the right time of year for those (me) who suffer the long term consequences of a back injury (not the initial one that I referred to before), this cold damp weather plays havoc with my lower back although pulling a tree out of the garden last month didn't help much either - I can go a few days and think its all sorted and then just have to step down a step a little too hard and it sets off spasms again - can't wait for some warm weather.

So yes, look after your back and especially look after your intervertebral fibrocartilage, to squish one even if it "heals" is to have a weak spot for the rest of your life.

You weren't wrong with that prediction. Knees have held up fine but I have an awful ache on my right femur, about three inches below the hip joint that has eased quite a bit throughout the day. I'll have another go tomorrow morning and see what I end up with then

Easter?

Pilate?

Blimey, this is why I never do cryptic crosswords.

Not read the whole thread, but I fully recommend the 5-2 diet, my dad's lost just over 4 stone in a year with regular swimming in there too.

Also anyone with back pain/tightness look up 'limber 11' on youtube, as chances are you have tight hips/legs contributing a lot more than you'd think, the video explains it all a lot better.

also not read the whole thread, the paleo diet is good & herbal life is great but youve got to exercise on them. but you will turn fat into muscle. google them? paleo is back to caveman days.

No, you won't. Fat cannot be turned into muscle any more than liver can be turned into brain.

Herbalife is incredibly dangerous for you. People really should read into things before suggesting them to others.

Herbalife is incredibly dangerous for you. People really should read into things before suggesting them to others.