Knee pain...please advise

AABru

I'm back to lifting after a long hiatus. I completed a half marathon last year and did Insanity to help prepare, but haven't touched a barbell in over a year. I also am in the middle of a 30 day squat and 30 day ab challenge (from the 30 challenge web site). So my knees are getting more work than usual. After about 2 weeks of lifting and 20 days of the squat challenge, I am having pain in my left knee when I walk up OR down stairs. It is worse going down than up, but last week Friday it hurt pretty damn bad both ways. I do have arthritis ( which is seriously better after dropping 60 pounds) and my knees crunch.

So my usual solution is ice and naproxen...my dr tried to put me on prescription strength naproxen a couple years back and I opted to drop weight instead--was worried about my kidneys. Any other suggestions other than back off the lifting (my *kitten* is pretty high these days not sure I'm willing to give up yet).

mustapekka

I have a similar problem with my knees. After I started doing weight lifting it started getting really bad. A lot of people (including a doctor friend) have suggested fish liver oil. I just started taking it so I can't testify to the results but it's worth a shot. Also I stopped doing the exercises that I linked with the pain and replaced them with others. It's really helping.
Listen to the pain, and best of luck to you!

lwoodroff

Not an expert but I take fish oil and glucosamine. Also check your knees aren't coming too far forward in the squat.. hope you feel better soon!

bumblebums

A low bar squat done at a below parallel depth is a neutral exercise. People who are missing ACLs can do it, and people who have missing menisci can do it. But you have to be extremely careful about form. Read the squat chapter of Starting Strength, several times.

AABru

Glucosamine has made me sick to my stomach in the past even when taken with a meal. Fish oil is an option...Perhaps I will drop my weight on squats again and double check form.

sarahz5

Sounds like "runner's knee" - Patellofemoral pain syndrome. I used to get it from squats before I fixed my form (which I thought was perfect, of course :laugh: ). I would also get it if I tried to carry both my kids up the stairs, and if I had aggravated my knees from that kind of movement, it carried over into my running big time. I am naturally a little knock kneed, and I wasn't being careful enough to push my knees out over my toes. There's a couple reasons it could be happening. An excellent discussion of the problem and various fixes:

http://bretcontreras.com/knee-valgus-valgus-collapse-glute-medius-strengthening-band-hip-abduction-exercises-and-ankle-dorsiflexion-drills/

AABru

This is definitely NOT knee valgus collapse. I am tracking over my knee, but this was a great article as I do have some issues with ankle dorsiflexion.

Does anyone know if lack of ankle flexibility could cause knee pain? I am squatting horizontally, but not beneath the fold of my hip as my ankles don't allow me to squat that deep without my knees going over my toes.

bumblebums

This is definitely NOT knee valgus collapse. I am tracking over my knee, but this was a great article as I do have some issues with ankle dorsiflexion.

Does anyone know if lack of ankle flexibility could cause knee pain? I am squatting horizontally, but not beneath the fold of my hip as my ankles don't allow me to squat that deep without my knees going over my toes.

It would be helpful to see this--can you make a video and post it in the form check thread?

What kind of shoes are you wearing when you squat? Someone with inflexible ankles might benefit from a real lifting shoe with a higher heel.

Leadfoot_Lewis

Does anyone know if lack of ankle flexibility could cause knee pain? I am squatting horizontally, but not beneath the fold of my hip as my ankles don't allow me to squat that deep without my knees going over my toes.

Absolutely. Ankle dorsiflexion issues are one of the leading causes of knee pain, hip pain, and even lower back pain. All of the ligaments and tendons that run down your leg are connected, so if there is a movement impairment say in the way you run, you may not feel it right away but it will eventually catch up with you. BTW-Not saying your running gait is bad, but just an example of how an incorrect movement pattern done repetitively can case issues in other activities/other areas of your body.

Personally, I'd lay off the running a little, lower the weight on your squats, and foam roll and stretch your calves daily. Work on correcting your movement - both in running and in squatting. Take videos from all angles and see what's going on. It's amazing how your squat form or any lift may "feel right" then you take a video and find out otherwise (happens to me all the time). Also have someone check out your running form to make sure your not over pronating or supinating your foot when you're running.

pintobean

Here's some mobility videos on ankle flexibility. It might help...in any case, it won't hurt

http://www.strengthcoach.com/public/1298.cfm

Also, did you take plain glucosamine? (that caused nausea) I used to take glucosamine chronditin mix pill and it helped a lot. It had to build in my system too.

AABru

Wow...you guys rock! I generally lift on my own, and don't have anyone to take video (I teach and lift on my planning time), but maybe I can scare up a student to take video for me. I can see right away on other people what the problem is, but there is no mirror in the gym.
Meanwhile I'm going to check out this video on ankle dorsiflexion...used to do yoga twice a week and after pregnancy lost the ability to make those classes (and pay for them...)
As far as the chondroitin goes, it was a glucosamine mix. I'm willing to try new things, but take a couple supplements already so I would have to add slowly.

This week when I squatted, I kept my weight at 115 and attempted a lower squat and pushed my knees out even further. They didn't hurt as much the next day, so maybe my form does suck. :grumble: I'm not ready to give up yet!

sarahz5

Don't :grumble: ... having form issues is probably the best explanation, because you can fix it! :drinker: