Leg Exercises when you can't strain the knees?

[blabla]

I know everyone thinks squats are the exercise of the gods, but for me, they are impractical. My knees start feeling wierd and sometimes they might get painful if I put them in any sort of decent strain (like any sort of squatting position). Problem is that I dont know how to exercise my upper legs at all with w/o some sort of squat/knee exercise and I just don't want to neglect the area. So does anyone have any suggestions for squat subsitutes?

(BTW, I went to the doctor and they said it was prepateller/olecramon (sp?) bursitis and that basically I have to wait it out. It doesn't effect my day to day life at all, just whenever I want to do a squat position with weights or hold a squat position without weights.)

 

[blinkwatt]

Perhaps you should try spreading you legs a little more when you squat,same stuff happened to me.

I know it's not the same as squats but there is this leg press machine that lets you sit horizontally. It's a BLAST! I normally not about lifting on machines but damn do I feel it the next day and my knees don't feel a thing when I'm on it so you might want to try it.

Like this but with weights adjustable to 500lbs;

http://www.shapesforwomen.com/images_equip/legpress/person_05.jpg

 

[blabla]

I'll try those out. I also figured out at the gym today that heavy stairmaster use can do the same effect. Your still bending your knees, but its a shallow bend vs. the deep bend from squats and such. I felt a good amount of strain in my quads after. It died down quickly although.