1. | Jun 26, 2014

Cara, it is great that you and your husband have coeittmmd to doing a daily routine together. Accountability is one of the most important aspects in achieving success with any fitness program. Is the pain you feel in the front knee, back knee or both?Knee pain in lunges can often be alleviated with improved form and/or smaller range of motion. Make sure your front knee stays over your front ankle, NOT in front of it and that your hips and shoulders are square rather than internally or externally rotated.If making these adjustments doesn't eliminate the pain, you could try stretching your quads and hip flexors first to help re-balance the muscle length relationships.You can certainly do squats instead as they work some of the same muscle groups, but I would encourage you to work yourself up to lunges as they work some additional muscle groups and balance as well.Be sure to let me know how these modifications work.

2. | Dec 2, 2013

The most common weksneas that my clients have is at the thoracic lumbar junction. To get them to work on it, I give them an assignment that makes it feel stronger, that supports correct movement, so that it gets stronger.I have them place a 25 cm ball or foam roller against the wall just below the area of weksneas and put their back against it. By bending the knees they role the ball into it which holds the proper alignment while the squat ans straiten. When asked how it feels the most common response is it feels good and stronger. The next weksneas is lateral control. A PT asked one of my clients to make a snake like motion with his body while standing. Because of spinal weksneas at the thoracic lumbar junction he was in immediate pain.Others are not so severe and think they can do strengthening exercise but then are in pain the next day or two and do not associate it. For the one that knew his weksneas I had him just lay on his back wit a ball under the knees and rock it back and forth. But for the ones that want to think that they are stronger than they are I make it a challenge of control. I have them put the heels on the ball and make the ball go in a figure 8 then reverse the figure 8. Try it if you have not practiced it is a challenge. By the time they have mastered it they have also strengthened their lateral control weksneas and can work out more safely.