Exercises strengthening the knee?

[Automatix]

Hey mates!
I thought I had everything worked out.
Found a racquet that ticks a lot of boxes for me, so got 3 to have back ups (thanks @flyhome) and some spare grommets. Tennis racquet - check.
Have a very wide foot so I've searched for shoes and settled on Fitville Amadeus (thanks @galain), not the best quality but there's nothing as wide on the European market, at least nothing I had the opportunity to try. Tennis shoes - check.
Started walking more (10 km every day, that's circa 6.2 miles) and doing light exercises to lose the 'ol insulation waist band. Fitness - check.
And finally started to play more... Actually playing tennis - check.

Yeah... that turned out great.

So, long story short my absolute limit is playing tennis 2 times a week with at least 2 days rest in between. And even that second outing if both are intensive leaves my left knee aching...
1 day playing tennis is optimal for me, little to no knee problems. I do play on hard surfaces due to their availability here. 1 day a week isn't that bad since in the last couple of weeks most of my hitting partners crumbled out, most permanently it seems (moved, injured, simply quit etc.).

I did have knee problems in the past and was recommended a medical procedure involving removal (?) of some parts of the meniscus (?) - I'm a scaredy cat and didn't go through with it and it was a couple years ago so I may not remember the exact details.
I am overweight but can still see my toes without having to suck in my belly. I'm healthy overall, just overweight and not fit enough in the areas/aspects tennis related.

Anyways I'd like to ask if there are any tennis specific exercises which would help strengthening the knee?
Wrist strengthening exercises would also be welcome.

 

[socallefty]

Try different shoes as sometimes some shoe designs in terms of heel drop don’t agree with every player’s anatomy. Also if your shoes are a bit old, try a new pair. Sometimes old shoes cause more pains and aches. For me heavy duty tennis shoes last only about 50-70 hours on hard courts till the aches start and lightweight ones last half as much.

 

[Automatix]

Try different shoes as sometimes some shoe designs in terms of heel drop don’t agree with every player’s anatomy. Also if your shoes are a bit old, try a new pair. Sometimes old shoes cause more pains and aches. For me heavy duty tennis shoes last only about 50-70 hours on hard courts till the aches start and lightweight ones last half as much.

Thanks. Problem is my feet are so wide that I'm not able to squeeze them in 99% of the offerings. Fitville Amadeus is the only shoe available in Europe which actually fits.

 

[socallefty]

Thanks. Problem is my feet are so wide that I'm not able to squeeze them in 99% of the offerings. Fitville Amadeus is the only shoe available in Europe which actually fits.

Sometimes you can buy a bigger pair of different shoes and then wear thick socks like Thorlos to ensure a good fit. If the current model you are wearing is not working.

 

[Move]

Hey mates!
I thought I had everything worked out.
Found a racquet that ticks a lot of boxes for me, so got 3 to have back ups (thanks @flyhome) and some spare grommets. Tennis racquet - check.
Have a very wide foot so I've searched for shoes and settled on Fitville Amadeus (thanks @galain), not the best quality but there's nothing as wide on the European market, at least nothing I had the opportunity to try. Tennis shoes - check.
Started walking more (10 km every day, that's circa 6.2 miles) and doing light exercises to lose the 'ol insulation waist band. Fitness - check.
And finally started to play more... Actually playing tennis - check.

Yeah... that turned out great.

So, long story short my absolute limit is playing tennis 2 times a week with at least 2 days rest in between. And even that second outing if both are intensive leaves my left knee aching...
1 day playing tennis is optimal for me, little to no knee problems. I do play on hard surfaces due to their availability here. 1 day a week isn't that bad since in the last couple of weeks most of my hitting partners crumbled out, most permanently it seems (moved, injured, simply quit etc.).

I did have knee problems in the past and was recommended a medical procedure involving removal (?) of some parts of the meniscus (?) - I'm a scaredy cat and didn't go through with it and it was a couple years ago so I may not remember the exact details.
I am overweight but can still see my toes without having to suck in my belly. I'm healthy overall, just overweight and not fit enough in the areas/aspects tennis related.

Anyways I'd like to ask if there are any tennis specific exercises which would help strengthening the knee?
Wrist strengthening exercises would also be welcome.

The good news is that you are moving, the bad news is that for playing tennis > 3 or 4 times a week (singles), you need to strengthen your whole body. Arms, shoulders, core, hips, legs, calves, archilles and feet. Thrower, Core, Leg excersices, rope jumping, calf stretching and yoga to stay elastic. Will take you a few years probably but is very beneficial for your body and mind. Enjoy the process and the journey!

 

[Automatix]

Sometimes you can buy a bigger pair of different shoes and then wear thick socks like Thorlos to ensure a good fit. If the current model you are wearing is not working.

Tried. Toe slamming was too much.

 

[Move]

Buying shoes a little bigger and playing with 2 pair of socks for extra cushioning is a good habit. The Great RF always did that.

 

[weelie]

Does hard surface mean concrete or some softer hard court?
Do you use personalised insoles in your shoes?

Some links for inspiration:

The Best Exercises For Knee Pain In Tennis Players - Mend Colorado

Patellar tendinopathy also known as “jumper’s knee” is one of the most common chronic knee injuries found in tennis and racquet sport athletes. Similar to

www.mendcolorado.com

Best Strength Training Exercises for Tennis Players | ASICS

Do you do tennis exercises? We’ve selected 7 exercises for tennis players that can improve your strength, endurance and performance

www.asics.com

The Elite Approach to Tennis Strength Training - Sport Fitness Advisor

A well-designed tennis strength training program can work wonders for your game...

www.sport-fitness-advisor.com

Plyometric Training For Tennis: A Starter Guide

I’ve been asked countless times - from tennis coaches to players and even parents - 'how can I get more leg drive on my forehand?' 'Or more jump from the legs on my serve?' 'Or more explosiveness when moving laterally?' There’s no simple answer. It truly depends on a number of factors, including you

www.mattspoint.com

 

[Injured Again]

@Automatix I think the best favor you can do is to lose some weight before competing hard on court.

I just had a total knee replacement at the end of last year, and suffered for almost two years before that with a meniscus tear. So I unfortunately know a lot about knee issues.

The meniscus operation you referred to sounds like a cleanup of the edges of your meniscus. It’s an operation where they trim 20-30% off the edge of the meniscus. This can help to relieve clicking when you move your knee, and can help you move more dynamically without your knee complaining like by swelling up. That this was recommended to you is good - it typically means that you have sufficient meniscus remaining to do this procedure, and also usually means that your cartilage is intact and not worn away.

Most or all older athletes have meniscus fraying around the edges. The bad is that you have these to an extent that an ortho recommends fixing them. What might happen (and what happened to me) is that if you have tears or fraying to that extent, that one bad move can cause a flap of the meniscus to get entrapped as you move, tearing your meniscus all the way through and potentially loosening it from its attachment. At that point, you are looking at either surgery or a long recovery without guarantee of a full return to function.

Added weight compresses the joint space more as you move, and increases the chances you can entrap a flap of meniscus and do major damage. Probably your best step is to consult again with your ortho to find out the extent of your meniscus issues and to see what they recommend as far as an exercise or physical therapy solution for your particular case.

Good luck!

 

[Automatix]

Does hard surface mean concrete or some softer hard court?

Rubbery conglomerate

Do you use personalised insoles in your shoes?

No.

 

[Stujames]

Do you ice your knee after tennis? I've got meniscus issues, frozen bag of peas on the knees does wonders.

 

[bigR]

Simple answer is lose more weight. If your knee can stand it lifting weights to strengthen the muscles around your knee will help. I wouldn’t say fitness ✅ just yet.

I like lunges in multiple directions. Deadlift. Since you are asking for wrist strengthening I imagine you get discomfort there. That is more likely a core and rotational weakness. Wood chops with bands and unit turn exercises with bands will probably help more than isolation wrist strengthening. You are probably overcompensating in the wrist joint to develop whip from a lack of speed in the core.

On the other hand letting that ball go because you aren’t going to destroy your knees with a sprint every time is also a viable option. You can incorporate strategy so you aren’t punished or simply say “good shot.” Tennis is rough on the body. Good luck

 

[ByeByePoly]

Hey mates!
I thought I had everything worked out.
Found a racquet that ticks a lot of boxes for me, so got 3 to have back ups (thanks @flyhome) and some spare grommets. Tennis racquet - check.
Have a very wide foot so I've searched for shoes and settled on Fitville Amadeus (thanks @galain), not the best quality but there's nothing as wide on the European market, at least nothing I had the opportunity to try. Tennis shoes - check.
Started walking more (10 km every day, that's circa 6.2 miles) and doing light exercises to lose the 'ol insulation waist band. Fitness - check.
And finally started to play more... Actually playing tennis - check.

Yeah... that turned out great.

So, long story short my absolute limit is playing tennis 2 times a week with at least 2 days rest in between. And even that second outing if both are intensive leaves my left knee aching...
1 day playing tennis is optimal for me, little to no knee problems. I do play on hard surfaces due to their availability here. 1 day a week isn't that bad since in the last couple of weeks most of my hitting partners crumbled out, most permanently it seems (moved, injured, simply quit etc.).

I did have knee problems in the past and was recommended a medical procedure involving removal (?) of some parts of the meniscus (?) - I'm a scaredy cat and didn't go through with it and it was a couple years ago so I may not remember the exact details.
I am overweight but can still see my toes without having to suck in my belly. I'm healthy overall, just overweight and not fit enough in the areas/aspects tennis related.

Anyways I'd like to ask if there are any tennis specific exercises which would help strengthening the knee?
Wrist strengthening exercises would also be welcome.

I switched to Fitville Amadeus about 2 years ago, and I love them. First shoe in decades I didn’t have to replace stock insole. New Balance 4E tennis shoes quit being 4E a long time ago. That said, all of our feet are different, and insole trial and error (much less shoes) is a frustrating search. But the Fitville should be fine, maybe have to try different insoles. Also, what are the choices … settling for cross trainer because only thing wide enough isn’t better … been there tried that. Some insoles like the Sof Sole Airr Orthodic (I wore for years) are very cushioned, but add weight to shoe. I can’t speak to Fitville wear on tennis court, moved from tennis to pickleball, but holding up well with pickleball 3 times a week. Also … I’m not hard on tennis shoes. I noticed 3 other pickleball friends that were wearing Fitville, all found them on their own, all love them. Our feet are good a telling us what they don’t like, surprisingly seems even more on a pickleball court (game is a biaaaaatch on calves, and everything below it). I now know what 2nd toe Capsulitis is … never needed to know that in this lifetime. I also know where to place a metatarsal pad and how to use KT tape on the foot. Again … would have been just fine not knowing. That said, that little pad was like a magic trick … not often one can say that about foot issues.

Good luck … listen to @Injured Again for knee advice, but not for advice on patience.