Also it’s hard to really fuck up your knees irrecoverably. They can bounce back from a lot.
There is an upper limit to the kind of weight they can sustain but (theoretically and with enough training to work up to it) that limit is pretty high.
Even knees that have been abused long-term can often recover. I hope more people learn this and reclaim the mobility they’ve lost.
ETA: TLDR
Squats should strengthen your knees. Proper form will prevent excessive sheering force and risk of injury should be low with gradual weight increase.
A common injury (usually just a discomfort, rarely injury) new lifters sometimes experience is patellar instability. It happens when there’s an imbalance in the strength of the muscles holding the patella in position — the patella is the bone covering the front of the joint. Usually the instability resolves within a few sessions as the muscles strengthen, but to prevent discomfort or injury you can wear a knee strap or brace. (The strap is just a velcro band with a plastic/rubber tube on the front. The brace is a full-coverage support that isolates the movement.)
Absent severe injuries or joint-related diseases, a “bad knee” is only ever a temporary condition. There’s a common myth that knees can be used up, which is the opposite of how the knees (and most of your joints) work.
Continuous use actually makes knees stronger, better lubricated, more resistant to injury, etc. It even speeds up recovery from injuries and prevents formation of scar tissue. This is why physical therapists use the active recovery techniques that patients love so much ;)
ETA: TLDR
The knees are remarkably hard-wearing joints, capable of a lifetime of sustained use. It’s a common myth that they have some finite mileage that can be used up.
Most “bad knees” just need some TLC. Overtraining can put them out of order temporarily, and yes some severe injuries can prevent full recovery, but knees can bounce back from almost anything with rest and continued use, even in old age.
You’re right that knee problems are common today, moreso than ever before. But the increased prevalence tracks closely with the rise of sedentary lifestyles (i.e., infrequent use) and excess weight (i.e., transient overload).
The good news is that knees can recover from this too! The tried and true strategy is just regular use that starts small and gradually increases over time.
For example, regular low-intensity walking and cycling (especially alternating both) has been shown to quickly increase knee strength and reduce knee pain significantly.
As to how quickly you can progress, your knees will tell you. Discomfort is usually OK, but pain means you’re pushing too hard. Sharp pain means stop immediately, rest, and take it easier next time.
Most people notice immediate improvement. I hope you can enjoy more backpacking, skiing, and horseback riding in the future :)
Hmu if you want a training buddy. ETA: TLDR
Perhaps, but all that’s mentioned is age.
I’ve heard knees-crap-out-after-30-amirite jokes since my early 20s. It’s a form of denial coalition-building favored by folks obviously avoiding important lifestyle changes, and it’s rarely harmless to affirm that kind of denial.
In addition, unexplained joint pain is a symptom of a number of chronic illnesses that have better outcomes with early diagnosis and treatment, such as rheumatoid arthritis. If someone thinks it’s normal, they might not even ask about it until the pain and damage is life-altering.
That’s why I say it shouldn’t be treated as normal.
OK I chuckled but real talk: knee trouble in your 30s isn’t normal and shouldn’t be treated as normal
Missing the “resident” ass tattoo, but take my upvote
Absolutely! And I kid you not, it’s one of my favorite experiences, for a few reasons.
First, there’s an instant feeling of relief. I immediately have the power to conclude the argument (debate, discussion, whatever) with a productive result. There’s no burden of truth or anything that remains. I was just wrong! The only possible thing left to discuss might be why, like if there was a miscommunication or something, but otherwise, poof! Done and dusted.
Second, a bit more selfishly, it’s a chance to demonstrate how OK with being wrong I truly am, which most people simply find it hard to believe until they’ve seen it for themselves. So I’ve learned to jump on these opportunities aggressively, in case I miss the window due an additional thread of conversation I can’t agree with or because for some reason they acknowledge a misunderstanding first, after which my change of mind loses some luster (again, selfish, but I’m being honest here).
Third, sometimes the other person flips to take my original stance, like “not so fast!” and that just makes the original debate more fun, because then we’ve both acknowledged that being right isn’t really that important. They result is a more demonstrably pure discussion with seeking truth as the goal, rather than a zero-sum match of wits with a “winner” and a “loser.”
There are additional reasons and scenarios, depending on the context, but the ones I mention above are pretty consistent. The point is that being wrong is a trophy to add to your collection of all the times you learned something and, by that token, became slightly less wrong than you were before.
Edit: flesh out #2 a bit more, especially with respect to why immediacy might matter to me personally.
The relationship advice special is “leave him.” Without additional information I don’t think it’s responsible for anyone here to say that, but what you’ve described is clearly an untenable situation and relationship dynamic.
I think you owe it to yourself and your partner to sit them down, describe this situation as you see it, and how their behavior makes you feel, perhaps the way you have here. Their response to your feelings should, I think, tell you the next steps.
Whether that response is workable should, I think, be determined by its impact on trust in the relationship, because trust is ultimately the only fungible currency that differentiates a good relationship from a bad one.
Concretely:
In either case, what happens next is not something anyone here is equipped to prescribe, but I do hope you’re able to find a better relationship, with or without your current partner.
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Get your partner involved. Fucking in forts is one of life’s simple pleasures.
Floor tiles misaligned too
I like the old rainbow hands supporting the new colors.
Life pro tip: If you ever find state university gear, particularly from OSU, it unlocks many opportunities to publicly not participate in the little friendly team spirit rituals like the various sound-offs (“O-H” followed by awkward silence is one of my favorites, especially on public transit) which if you’re an asshole or having a really bad day is uniquely soothing.
Huh, an applicable use of clip out in the wild, whataya know
I usually flip it to justify excessive organization: “if you can’t find it when you need it, you don’t actually own it.”
Oh damn you’re right! I assumed it was a SUNY school
I have a very particular set of skills…
Ah, yes that makes sense. Thank you!
My favorite trend is where youtubers record a screenshare of a word document they have open on their computer that they proceed to read to me, slowly.
I’m especially delighted when the youtuber selects the text as they read it, as if to make sure I don’t get lost.
ETA: I’m just saying it’s a good thing we streamlined video platform monetization, so 1.6 million other viewers and I can not read that document together. I’m not sure what generation was responsible but, good for them.