Knee Pain - Squats?

kr1stadee

I've always had a bad knee (left, if it matters) from years of playing volleyball and throwing myself to the floor. Sometimes it hurts from jogging/walking, sometimes it's cool.

I did Workout B on Monday (I did A the week before, then I went away), and tonight I did workout A. I added 2.5lbs to my squats, but since Monday, my knee has been hurting (but it's not constant).

Is there anything I can do to improve the function of my knee, so I don't have to modify my workout? I go to parallel/just below parallel, again, if it matters.

Thanks! - sorry, it's getting late and I'm tired, so I 'm kind of rambling!!

viajera99

Without seeing you squat, it's hard to say, but watch Rippetoe's vids on squat form, and make sure your knees are tracking straight out over your toes, not rotating (most likely) inward.

girlie100

^^agreed

If you can post a video of your squat then we can help with any form corrections

Barbell_Jules

I have bad knees too. When I first started SL I had major problems with my knees hurting after squatting. I wasn't doing them properly... I wasn't getting to parallel, I wasn't pushing them out, but rather they were rolling inwards. As someone above stated, watch Rippetoe's squat videos, they help. To be honest, before I worked with a trainer, I would watch the videos before I left for each workout so form was fresh in my head.


I would remove all the weight from the bar and just do squats with the bar to focus on form. The weight on the bar is just going to hurt your if your form isn't correct.

bumblebums

I agree with everyone else. Do not increase the weight on the bar until you get this sorted out, and deloading while working on form also sounds like a good idea. Most likely, you increased the weight too fast, before you were ready.

Rippetoe says the cure for knee problems is more often than not to "shove the knees out." That's the cue. Try pointing your toes out 30 degrees, and play with the amount of sitback (how far your butt goes back relative to where your shins are).

I have an old meniscus tear that has been limiting my ability to increase my squat weight. That's just life, especially for athletic women. Women are anatomically prone to knee injuries--because of muscle imbalances between the front and the back of the thigh, and because of hip width. The progression recommended in Stronglifts is designed for men, so we have to modify.

Oh, one more thing--after you lift, foam roll and stretch your quads and IT bands. Otherwise they can yank your knee caps out of alignment.

BikerGirlElaine

Best would be if you can make a video and get some form advice. But I thought i would share my experience.

I have a very boogered left knee and a sort of boogered right knee. For years I was told not to go deep in my squats. That really didn't help.

When I started doing SL I worked on getting my form right according to the instructions in Starting Strength (Rippetoe). I was doing what he said, but having my feet/toes/knees that far out was very painful. I found that when I squatted with my toes facing forward, I could do it and progress. So I started. With me toes forward and with my knees over my toes, i.e. out but not much.

Soon my knees got better! So I started gradually turning my toes out more and more, and taking a wider stance as well. Sometimes I pushed it too hard and my knees told me about it but I kept getting better and better and getting stance and turnout more towards what is suggested.

Today it's about 5 months. My knees are soooo much better now. The left one is still permanently swollen but it just twinges now and then, it doesn't actually *hurt* any more. I'm taking a nice wide stance with my knees and toes out, my weights are progressing.

So to me the moral of the story is, if you've checked your form and taken some time at light weight and still aren't getting anywhere you might need to modify squats a little bit. Hopefully you will have success like I've had. :flowerforyou:

kr1stadee

Thanks everyone!!
This group is great.

I will be doing some searching to correct my form. I'd imagine that's a big chunk of my issue

Great advice about not progressing my weight until I get my form figured!
Thanks again!