My brother bought an elliptical maybe 2 years ago. I started walking on it not long after I moved in with him. The only problem is that when I walk on it for a long time, my knees feel really sore. I really don't know what causes it. I was thinking it might be my weight or it might be because I'm not used to it yet. I've asked other people in my family, and they think it's because I'm going too fast. I just want to know what everyone's opinion is, because it's preventing me from walking on it, and when I walk on a treadmill or I go out for a walk, my knees don't hurt. So, please, give me your opinion.

I don't know - I'm not a big fan of ellipticals, and don't like to use them. They don't have a real-world application. But that is just my personal bias.

As to your knees - well, how much do you weigh? Do you have any medical conditions, and previous knee injuries? What is your current level of fitness?

I think you need to look at those questions first.

Oh, and how fast are you going on the thing? I don't think speed alone would make your knees hurt, but maybe you are overdoing it.

ok, here's some info on me:
I'm 26 years old, I guess I'm about 5'9", and the last time I was on a scale I think I was 320 or 325 lbs. Somewhere around there. No, I don't have any medical conditions, but diabetis runs in the family. There's nothing wrong with my knees that I know of, but I went to catholic school and we had to kneel all the time at mass, and I used to fall on my knees a lot as a kid (I guess I was kinda clumsy). My current level of fitness is I'm not fit at all. I got a big fat gut. I'd really like to lose at least 50 lbs by March 2010.

So you think I'm overdoing it? When I was using the elliptical, I'd be on for 30 min. Sometimes I'd do it more than once a day. What's a good amount of time to start at? Like 10 min?

I'd say, do what your body can handle. If your knees are hurting, cut it back a bit.

Do you know how fast you are going, and on what resistance level?

Ellipticals aren't inherently pain-inducing - there are people on this forum who are bigger than you and use them regularly. Start slow and work your way up.

Well ... a few thoughts.

One is that you *might* be overdoing it. I know that when I first started out on the elliptical, I couldn't manage 30 mins at a time. I could barely manage 10 mins. Your body does need time to become accustomed to strenuous exercises.

Another is that there are all different kinds of elliptical machines and they all have different stride lengths. Some of them have adjustable strides and some of them don't - but it's why you're always advised to try a particular brand out before you buy it. You don't say how tall your brother is or how long his legs are in comparison to yours, but it's possible that this particular elliptical machine is good for him but not for you. I know there are 3 different brands of elliptical at my gym and 2 of them work really well for me, but one of them causes my toes to become numb and my legs to hurt within 10 minutes of being on it. I've come to the conclusion that it's just the *wrong* machine for me to be using. (I am 5'4" and have pretty short legs, so I'm not surprised by this.)

Aside from that, my final thought is that even though you don't have a history of knee or joint problems, you are significantly overweight and starting a new form of exercise, so it's entirely possible that the pain you feel is damage to your knees from beginning this form of exercise.

I think the best advice I ever got from anyone about exercise is that discomfort is ok, soreness is ok, but if you start to feel pain ... stop doing what you're doing.

Maybe you should wait on using the elliptical - or at least THIS elliptical - until you're a little more used to exercise or have lost a little bit of weight through other means.

My brother is like 6'2" or 6'3". He rarely ever uses the thing, anyway. At least not when I'm home, lol, and I'm home most of the time. I thought about not using it until I lost a little more weight, but the thing is, I don't know any other ways to excercise, besides going out for a walk. I've been out of work for almost 2 years, so I can't afford to go to the gym. I told my mom I wanted to, and she can't even give me the money. I really don't know what else to do. I have a hard time finding a job because I stutter when I talk. People want me to get all these jobs that I won't be happy doing. They want me to get stock jobs, like stocking shelves at stores, or jobs in parking lots getting shopping carts, which I already did and I hated it. I really don't know what to do.

You don't need a gym to work out - it makes some things easier, but it's not necessary.

Walking is good and can build up to a combination of walking/running.

Body weight work is always good ... you might want to go easy on things like squats at first, but lunges, pushups (even against a wall or a bench or from your knees) are a good start.

What about getting some workout DVDs - if you can afford to buy them, check some out from the library, or even check Hulu or if you have a Netflix membership, there are a lot of instant viewing workout videos on there.

If you have cable at your house, the FitTV channel has a lot of great workouts you can do - or if you have In Demand, there are free workouts on there as well.

Are there stairs at your house or apartment? A few trips up and down the stairs is an excellent workout. Heck, even housework can be a good workout if you do it with some energy!

Anything that gets you up and moving and gets your heart rate up is good.

I can walk for hours on end with no problems, but on the eliptical my knees start hurting after a very short time. Talked to my doc while she was trying to get the fluid out of my knees, and she said that elipticals are very rough on your knees, even if you aren't overweight, because they force your joints into a movement that is not natural.

If you ride a bike for example, you make a similar movement, but with significantly less weight resting on your knees. If you walk up the stairs, it's a completely different movement. On the eliptical, you do something that you would never do otherwise. According to my doc, that is why a lot of people have these problems.

Not sure if she's right or wrong, but I have since gotten a treadmill, and my knees are rather happy right now.

I have heard the same thing as San...an elliptical does not mimic any NATURAL movement of the body, so they tend to cause some people pain and/or discomfort. I have tried a couple...did not really like them...maybe cause I am so short...only 5"2"!

I love my treadmill, and I also walk/jog outdoors weather permitting...which costs nothing!

Good luck!

My personal experience with ellipticals is a good one. However, as Kara first pointed out, all ellipticals are not created equal. I find that ones that have a smooth, round stride with a level standing position are the best - for me. Ones that tilt forward, don't feel comfortable to me - nor do ones that have more of a sliding type rotation instead of a round stride. I've always found that they were much lower impact than running and have not hurt my knees, but sometimes the bottoms of my feet get tired if I spend more than 30 minutes at a time on it. Before I bought mine, I must have tried out 20 or so. You might not be compatible with that particular elliptical or it may not be your thing at all.

I'm gonna try the elliptical again tomorrow and see how it goes.