Q: I have a damaged cartilage in the inner side of my right leg. As per my doctors advise I have been careful and not doing any heavy exercises. Recently, I have put on weight. I am 165 cms tall and weigh 70 kg. Is it ok if I do skipping at home? I am not too comfortable with brisk walks or swimming. What other forms of exercise can I adopt?

A:I presume that your description of damage to the cartilage refers to the damage to the meniscal cartilage. If it is a torn cartilage and you have taken help from an orthopaedic surgeon and have been doing exercises regularly, this kind of persistent pain is not good. You will need surgery for removal of the torn cartilage. If you have difficulty in walking and swimming, then skipping will also be difficult. I would not recommend it. You could do simple walking (not even brisk walking). To control weight, I think you need to control your diet more than anything else. Swimming is an exercise that is normally excellent and I feel it should be better than skipping or brisk walking. If despite exercises your pain persists do consult an orthopaedic surgeon.