Deadlifts and bruises

tracieangeletti

Just started doing deadlifts and I now have a bruise in the same place on the top of both my kneecaps. They don't hurt and aren't very large. Is this a normal occurrence or is it because of bad form? Anyone have issues with this too?

darrensurrey

Could try rising more slowly? I have grazes on my shins. :bigsmile:

Sycoholic

I've personally never had this problem so I looked it up. This forum post seems to have some good suggestions for ya http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=138602503&page=1

bumblebums

I can't see how this could happen, but anything is possible. Have you videotaped yourself from the side? There is a form critique thread in this group, where people will give you good advice on form.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/911984-form-critique-thread-post-your-videos-here

There are also similar threads on other forums that are more specifically geared towards lifting.

HMVOL7409

I do not know about knees but I scrap my shins frequently. Tall socks, after you cut your shin open enough you learn. I rise slowly, do everything your told but sometimes I hit those exact spots from time to time and they'd open back up.

krhn

Well if its bruising because you hit your kneecaps whilst lifting up then that's just a lesson to be learnt - aim to not hit it!

But if its just random bruising eg. You didn't externally scrape it, That needs to get looked at by the GP ASAP

bumblebums

Oh, another thought: when I was younger and stupider, I went vegetarian and did not pay enough attention to my iron intake. It got so bad I would get awful black bruises from very superficial scrapes.

So, check your iron intake--you could be anemic.

P.S. And vitamin C.

BeachIron

I get torn up and bloody shins. I suppose you could bruise above the knees even if your form is right as you're dragging the bar up your legs. Wear them with pride.

CrankMeUp

it happens

Sarauk2sf

Very common on shins - not usual on kneecaps. Are you hitting them on the way down?

SuperSexyDork

Very common on shins - not usual on kneecaps. Are you hitting them on the way down?

I frequently graze the top of my knees on the way down. I've got some ugly bruises there right now because I'll wear shorts with knee socks to avoid getting them on my shins but there is nothing to cover the tops of my knees.

Oh and my form is pretty spot on. I've had a couple of trainers watch me to double check.

Sarauk2sf

Very common on shins - not usual on kneecaps. Are you hitting them on the way down?

I frequently graze the top of my knees on the way down. I've got some ugly bruises there right now because I'll wear shorts with knee socks to avoid getting them on my shins but there is nothing to cover the tops of my knees.

Oh and my form is pretty spot on. I've had a couple of trainers watch me to double check.

Did you specifically ask them to look at your descent?

tracieangeletti

Well after reading these replies I'm feeling much better about it now! I'm very new to deadlifts but I've really tried to be careful about form. I will spend this week watching more videos and see when in the lift I could be banging the bar against my knees. Maybe lifting my torso faster than I'm straightening my hips and legs. Thanks so much for the replies!! Now I know I'm not alone!

SuperSexyDork

Very common on shins - not usual on kneecaps. Are you hitting them on the way down?

I frequently graze the top of my knees on the way down. I've got some ugly bruises there right now because I'll wear shorts with knee socks to avoid getting them on my shins but there is nothing to cover the tops of my knees.

Oh and my form is pretty spot on. I've had a couple of trainers watch me to double check.

Did you specifically ask them to look at your descent?

Yeah. It's because of the shortness of my arms. I have a disproportionately long torso and short arms so I have to bend my knees slightly prematurely. It's just enough to cause me to graze the tops of my knees sometimes.

ETA: I also bruise/scar very easily. (yes, my iron levels are fine)

bumblebums

Well after reading these replies I'm feeling much better about it now! I'm very new to deadlifts but I've really tried to be careful about form. I will spend this week watching more videos and see when in the lift I could be banging the bar against my knees. Maybe lifting my torso faster than I'm straightening my hips and legs. Thanks so much for the replies!! Now I know I'm not alone!

As Sara suggested above, this is probably happening on the way down, not up. So check your descent.

viveksurf

You shouldn't be hitting your knees on the bar. That seems to point to bad form.

The bar should be lightly touching your legs throughout the movement. And if you do that, you'll see that there is no space for it to travel and bang your knees.

Have your form checked out by a coach.

You will get scrapes while doing a deadlift from the knurling on the bar, especially newly bought barbells. To get around that you can either tape your legs with one strip running from top to bottom or wear sweat pants or knee high socks. I personally like the scrapes on my legs ... ...

352Chiseled

That's one reason I have my clients perform trap bar deadlifts. Or dumbbell and kettlebell deadlifts. Back in the bad bleeding legs after deadlifts use to be a bandage of honor. Now we are a lot smarter lol. Give trap bar deadlifts a try

tomcornhole

That's one reason I have my clients perform trap bar deadlifts. Or dumbbell and kettlebell deadlifts. Back in the bad bleeding legs after deadlifts use to be a bandage of honor. Now we are a lot smarter lol. Give trap bar deadlifts a try

Can trap bar DL's replace regular DL's or should you do both?

froeschli

i've got one bruised knee - and i knew it as soon as i hit it with the barbell...
note to self - don't let yourself be distracted...

DopeItUp

I commonly hit the top of my knee on the way down, and the bottom of my knee on the way up. I try to sit back a little more so my lower legs are more perpendicular to the ground and that seems to help. Invariably get a bruise or two every time though. Your heart rate and blood pressure are so high when DL'ing that any little hit becomes a big bruise.

Edit: this seems to be a bigger problem for taller people I tend to notice (I am tall, myself). Especially long torso (which is definitely me), I'm 6'3" with a 32" inseam. Tall from the hips up.

jlapey

So if I'm NOT banging up my shins and/or knees, am I doing it wrong???

bumblebums

So if I'm NOT banging up my shins and/or knees, am I doing it wrong???

It also depends on what your bar looks like. Newer bars have these cheese grater knurls that scrape everything. If you have a smoother bar, you won't get scrapes from it. If you lift in sweatpants, they will protect your shins. And at lighter weights, there is less scraping. Then again, it could be your form... does the bar touch your shins when you deadlift? It should.

jzammetti

I've never noticed bruising on my shins or knees...but I did catch the bar with my thighs once when my grip in one hand released by accident and had terrible bruises where the bar landed.

jlapey

So if I'm NOT banging up my shins and/or knees, am I doing it wrong???

It also depends on what your bar looks like. Newer bars have these cheese grater knurls that scrape everything. If you have a smoother bar, you won't get scrapes from it. If you lift in sweatpants, they will protect your shins. And at lighter weights, there is less scraping. Then again, it could be your form... does the bar touch your shins when you deadlift? It should.

Well, it's damned close but it doesn't actually touch me. I guess I should work on that.

GetSoda

push hips back on the way down.

DopeItUp

So if I'm NOT banging up my shins and/or knees, am I doing it wrong???

Don't worry, you'll get there eventually

352Chiseled

yes you can do both. For me it depends on my client their fitness level and goals. Regualr STR8 bar DL`s if not done right forces people in to flexion which causes them to DL with a round back. If youre doing regualr Dl`s make sure you apply extension to the mid/upper back getting your chest to stick out . With the trap bar you have to worry less about being forced into flexion. As long as the person can properly hip hinge they should be good to go with the Trap Bar

352Chiseled

That's one reason I have my clients perform trap bar deadlifts. Or dumbbell and kettlebell deadlifts. Back in the bad bleeding legs after deadlifts use to be a bandage of honor. Now we are a lot smarter lol. Give trap bar deadlifts a try

Can trap bar DL's replace regular DL's or should you do both?

yes you can do both. For me it depends on my client their fitness level and goals. Regualr STR8 bar DL`s if not done right forces people in to flexion which causes them to DL with a round back. If youre doing regualr Dl`s make sure you apply extension to the mid/upper back getting your chest to stick out . With the trap bar you have to worry less about being forced into flexion. As long as the person can properly hip hinge they should be good to go with the Trap Bar

holothuroidea

It does happen, usually because the bar loses contact with your thighs on the descent and you bring your knees forward too early.

Take your time and make sure you don't rush the descent. Don't bring your knees forward until the bar is past them.

jonnythan

I think it depends a lot on individual geometry. I occasionally brush the kneecap on the way down.

Thankfully my bar is not knurled on the portions that touch my legs, so I don't get scraped shins.

davideickelmann

Long socks will protect your shins to a degree, but my kneecaps (and right above them) still get torn up by barbells doing deadlifts, and to a lesser degree from cleans/snatches. Picking up a heavy bar with knurling on it with force is going to occasionally result in torn skin/bruises. You could drop the bar after each rep, but that's lame.