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I'm overweight, have been the majority of my life, over the years my weight has changed, I was a chair snapping 21stone when I was 20 down to 13 stone after a bout of dengue fever.
Currently I am around 17.5 (112kg) stones, with weight appearing to increase since starting the Basic Power training at the gym.
I'm probably the fittest I have been for many years, with weight training a couple of times a week, and generally out on my bike twice a week, and walking around 8km a day at work, even with it being office based.
I notice now at around 4am or so I often wake up with aching sore knees, especially if I lie on one side.
I assume the years of heaviness pounding on them has taken its tole.
Is losing weight the only answer to saving my knees any further grief or is it too late? Have other larger bodied people had similar issues?
Losing weight is only going to do you good in the long term - how tall are you ?
As for your knees, again if you took a few stone of weight of them everytime you walked up a step I am sure it will go good*
(* I am not a certified medical practitioner so what I say could well be total bollocks !)
193cm(6'4")
I see quite a few large members on here posting, so I presume it isn't an uncommon concern.
I believe the Americans call us Clydesdales 😀
I'm 6'7" and have been around your current weight for most of my adult life. Yes, your knees take a hammering but I'd be looking more at what you're doing to them now rather than looking for something you can't do anything about.
What are you doing weights-wise? I'd guess there are some leg exercises in there and that is helping batter your knees. Mix that in with a fairly active life and your knees aren't getting much rest. I'd possibly back off and do lighter weights on your legs and ensure they get enough rest over the course of the week and see how that goes. Also look at bike setup and ensure knees are covered when it's below 10c.
Could well be that your tendons and ligaments haven't caught up with the increased workload yet. I weigh substantially less than you, and I've found when I do new stuff, whether it's gym based, or picking up a new sport, my muscles react quite quickly to the change, but if I push the pace too hard the connecting tissues get quite grumpy.
Stretching/yoga-y stuff can be quite good, plus antagonistic (I think they're called) excercises if the work you're doing only works one side of a movement range - my example here would be rock climbing - grip strength obviously increases, but if I practise the "unclenching" movement with an elastic band wrapped round my fingertips, I get less forearm issues due to both sets of muscles (clench & unclench) being in better balance.
But yes, being lighter will be easier 🙂
Could well be that your tendons and ligaments haven't caught up with the increased workload yet
Potentially this. Are you doing plenty of stretching after exercise? Are you actually having enough rest?
If your have concerns, go see a physio. If it starts hurting all the time go and see a doc.
Edit: I also find that if Im out in below 5 degs ish my knees need to be covered up
The biomechanics of the knee is interesting..
Roughly 2-4 times your body weight pounds through your knee on each step (more if going up hill) so every kg you lose/gain is the equivalent of up to 4kg less/more going through the joint.
It all adds up..
DrP
Edit: I also find that if I'm out in below 5 degs ish my knees need to be covered up
Make that more like 15°C!! Very, very rare these days I go out with bare knees - heatwaves only!
Losing weight will not necessarily improve your knees.
The process of losing weight, especially if you loading up with weights, and doing things like squats, could aggravate them.