Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA
Dear Fun and Fit: Greetings! I have patella femoral syndrome in my right knee. I am 3 mos. pregnant now, and therefore cannot do core strengthening exercises to help my knee out. What are some safe forms of exercise that I can do to alleviate the pain in my knee? Thanks, Sarah, Brooklyn, New York
A: You have PFS? I have SFS – Sistella Femala Syndrome. That’s when you have a female twin who can’t (or won’t) help a sister out! I have found nothing, but nothing, to alleviate that particular pain. As to your knee…you could do these knee exercises while balancing against a wall (and holding a delicious pregnant-lady snack), yet we suggest avoiding #s 3 & 8 and maybe 4. We love the advice on familydoctor.com, but we also suggest you talk to Real Life Doctor dot Brooklyn Ob-Gyn. Of course, we could suggest you take a break, but you are a pregnant lady, which means you feel impelled to do stuff. But really, your knees would feel fine if you sat down and let the bad boy who got you pregnant do all the work!
K: I think you are secretly asking two questions: “what exercises can I still do to stay fit while pregnant?” AND “what exercises can I do to help with knee pain?” Well, we are offering a two-for-one coupon special (kind of like you and your baby-to-be). Alexandra already addressed the knee situation. Gotta ask — any chance you could and would get into a pool and swim or do aqua classes? You can keep up the workouts with minimal knee loading. Just no peeing in the pool, pregnant personage! For overall activity check out the ACOG Guidelines for exercising during pregnancy. Keep in mind that the guidelines are for the “average” pregnant person, which means averagally inactive and kinda sedentaryish, which you are not. So you and your doctor may free you to do more (we are just in a link crazy kind of mood here).
Once you have your baby, you can enroll in the exclusive fitness training program for parents: lift your baby over your head 10 times per day…..until he or she is 18. After that, employ your baby to do all housework and anything else that might hurt your knee. That should free you to get back to those core strengtheners.
A: We hope these exercises help you get to the end of your pregnancy in more comfort. And peace. And joy.
K: (And that’s just what the baby’s dad will experience once you are out of pain).
Dear Mom Readers: When you were pregnant, what pained you the most? The least? What did you do about it besides taking it out on the partner?
Photo credits: Creative Commons (Editor B)
When I was pregnant with my first one, I had something called placenta previa: a total bummerstein that put me on bed rest for a good portion of my 2nd & 3rd trimesters. I’ve always been very active, so this made me very cranky, to say the least. I found a book called “Expecting Fitness” by Birgitta Gallo that has excellent advice for exercising while pregnant, and it has a whole section with bed-rest exercises (literally, you can do them in your bed) that kept me sane and as active as possible.
Thanks, Tammy. This advice might be very helpful for Sarah, especially the book recommendation. I blame my crankiness on my kids, although they actually were pushed out over 13 years ago! I’m working the angles!
Thanks so much ladies! This really helped me out!! I am definitely inspired to ease my knee pain by swimming. I will also hold a pregnant lady snack and exercise against a wall! LOL!
Thank you for this subject. There can never be enough information on this.
This is totally good information to any mother.Keep on your good work,it’ll help others lot.
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