“When I ran, for example, in the New York City Marathon, I had knee pain when I was doing my warm ups for that race,” Parker recalled.  


“But by then, I was so accustomed to running through the pain, you know?” 


“Had I taken the time then to fix the issue, then probably we wouldn't be having this discussion. But it is what it is.”



Parker (not his real name) and I had already been working together for several weeks.  


And both his right and left knees had started improving.  



But he was doubtful.  


“I've seen testimonials, and I know that this works, but I just feel like maybe I'm the exception.” 


“I don't know, because people are different, right?”


“And some people might just be lucky enough that their injuries weren't as bad.”

Parker’s Doubt & Disbelief

“I really don't like the feeling of having weak knees and not being able to hike downhill,” Parker continued.  


“In each of the marathons that I did, when I was in my 40s, I saw men that looked like they probably were close to 70 or more. I mean, they ran and they completed the 26 mile distance.”


“And I know I'm getting older, and I'm not suggesting that I can do like I did in my 20s, right?”  



Parker had already tried a number of things: 


  • strengthening his glutes (hip muscles);
  • stretching areas of his body that were tight;
  • avoiding hikes and running; &
  • sitting on the sidelines instead of playing tennis with his son.  



He also tried E3 Rehab and Hinge Health.  


And while both online programs were economical – one was even covered by his health insurance – neither improved his knee function.  


Instead, his knees became more painful.   



All this led Parker to question whether it was possible for his knees to get better.  


And he began to consider whether his life might always be this limited.

How Parker Changed His Mind

If you’ve been on a long road trip – as a child or an adult – you’ve likely asked the question, “Are we there yet?!” 


It’s human nature to need a sense that you’re making progress towards your intended destination.


If you’re not getting closer to your desired destination, why continue driving? Or why continue doing ineffective exercises? 



Measurements are essential to eliminate doubt.   


If you’re on a road trip, this means you know how many miles you’ve covered, and how many miles you have remaining.  


If you’re improving your knees, you need to have a sense that your knees are better than when you started and how much additional improvement must occur before you’ll reach your intended destination. 



Before we began working together, Parker told me he wanted to be able to return to hiking, running, and tennis.  


Given my experience working with hundreds of others who achieved similar results, I knew that he would be able to return to hiking before running and tennis.  


And that hiking trails without knee pain would require a Squat Load Tolerance (a specific knee function measurement) of roughly 70% of his body weight.

Measuring Your Knees

Most trainers and physical therapists measure how much your knees bend and straighten.  


And they measure your muscle strength.   



But they don’t typically measure the force or load that your knees can tolerate without pain. 


(If pain occurs during or after a measurement, that measurement is invalid.)  



Your knees have a load tolerance for positions like sitting or standing. 


And your knees have a load tolerance for activities – movements that involve bending and straightening your knees.  



Squat Load Tolerance is the force that someone can squat using one leg, 5 times in a row, with good alignment, and without any pain.  


One way to measure Squat Load Tolerance involves standing in front of a standard chair.  



If you can squat down onto a chair with both legs and stand back up (without using your hands): 

        + 5 times in a row,

        + with good alignment, 

        + and without knee pain, 

your Squat Load Tolerance for each knee is at least 50% of your body weight.  



If, on the other hand, when you sit down and stand back up from a standard chair – 5 times in a row – you:

         + are unable to do so symmetrically and with good alignment, 

         + feel any discomfort or pain, or

         + need to use one or both hands, 

your Squat Load Tolerance is less than 50% of your body weight (for one or both knees).

How I measured Parker’s Knees

Parker acquired a piece of equipment that is roughly 16 inches wide and 3 ½ feet tall, and when he’s lying on it (when it’s unfolded for use) it’s about eight feet long.    


I call this equipment a Variable Incline Plane (VIP). 



A VIP isn’t necessary to improve your knees, but you’ll understand in a moment why it has been helpful for Parker.  



When Parker and I began working together (via online video), I asked him to set the level of his VIP at a very low angle.  


As he was lying on the VIP, I walked him through a process of bending and straightening each knee using a very small percentage of his bodyweight. 



And I was able to determine that he could use as much as 22% of his body weight with his left knee and 34% for his right knee.  


Since Parker weighs 157 pounds, his initial Squat Load Tolerance measurements were 35 pounds for his left knee and 53 pounds for his right knee.  



Hiking typically requires a Squat Load Tolerance of 70% body weight for each leg (110 pounds of force for Parker).  


Therefore, it was clear that hiking was well beyond what Parker’s knees would currently tolerate – that hiking would, at that time, cause knee pain.  



If Parker didn’t have a VIP, I would have used a standard chair to determine that his Squat Load Tolerance was less than 50% of his body weight – less than what’s required for pain-free hiking.

Parker’s Ongoing Achievements

Parker overcame uncertainty and doubt by relying on measurements to confirm that his knees were improving. 


Rather than relying on only how his knees felt, he knew when his knees began to incrementally improve because of the objective measurement of his Load Tolerance. 



During our online coaching session last week, his left knee had improved to a Squat Load Tolerance of 59% body weight (up from his initial measurement of 22%).


And the Squat Load Tolerance for his right knee had improved from 34% to 64%.  



And this is what he told me: 


“I can see the improvement, and I can actually feel a bit of improvement now because there are certain pressures, like a slight bend in the knee with a little weight on it, that don’t hurt.”  


“I can tell that I've moved up the scale a little bit, but I'm still protective of my knees.”


“I mean, I can climb some stairs. I can do all that, but I'm not trying to go crazy, right?”  



Parker is now able to fitness walk at a 15 minute per mile pace. 


And soon he’ll be hiking.




This type of improvement is evidence that overcoming doubt is possible.  


Moreover, it reinforces commitment to do what it takes to achieve additional goals; for Parker, this includes returning to running and tennis.

Key Takeaways

  • Seeing real, measurable improvements — like increased Squat Load Tolerance — will help you regain confidence in your knees.
  • And when you know improvement is possible, you’ll be more likely to commit to what it takes to achieve your goals.

Here's a guide to get started:

You can access it here. 

For personalized guidance to build Better Knees:

Schedule a free 20-minute Strategy Session.  (Find your best time here.)


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Disclaimer: The information in this blog post is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose, treat, or prevent any health issue or disease without consulting with a qualified healthcare professional. The author of this blog and the website do not bear any responsibility for any actions taken based on the information provided in this blog.