Stop doing SQUATS!

cicisiam

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__Karl__

For what its worth...I experienced pain in my right knee a few years ago this resulted in having the meniscus in my right knee removed. Prior to the surgery I was walking SIDEWAYS (please excuse the caps) down the stairs to our ground floor at home, and limping around the office at work. I thought it would go away, and it sure didn't. Post-surgery I wear a knee-brace when training. And during the period leading up to the injury I was performing squats, and let my ego get the best of me. See your orthopaedist/orthopedist.

pocketmole

Are you stretching sufficiently after your workouts? I used to get really bad constant knee pain - and not just when actually doing the squats but in day-to-day life. It got so bad at one point that just walking from point A to point B was agony.

I found that the pain wasn't related to my form at all but because my IT bands were tight and were pulling on the knee cap which was causing the pain. I am a slack at stretching and even now will notice my knee 'pulling' and know that I need to get some stretches in.

I have found the best way to relieve tight IT bands is with a foam roller or if you don't have one of these, a tennis ball does it. Here is a link for how to stretch with a foam roller - you can of course substitute a tennis ball if you don't have a roller.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/iliotibial-tract-smr

Hope this helps.

This was the case with me. Since my IT bands loosened up a bit I don't have the knee pain from doing squats anymore.

belizsera

Instead of doing squats try isometrics until you have built up strength in your quads and hamstrings. I didn't pay attention to my doctor when he told me to take it easy and developed patella femoral syndrome in both knees and two torn meniscus. Now I have chronic knee problems and have had surgery on one knee so far and might need it on the other.

Don't push it because you could do more harm than good and end up not being able walk up stairs, a curb or squat. Pain is a sign something is WRONG.

belizsera

Interesting your doctor would say to stop strength training until you lose weight... IMO, this is where the rule of "not all doctors are created equal" would come into play.

If you have insurance or the ability to do so, maybe see an orthopedist. I have IT band syndrome (a very hurting left knee) and cannot run, and I am strength training with a ton of heavy squats to build those muscles so I will not have this injury in the future.

GOOD LUCK!

Lol exactly! I was wondering "how am I supposed to build strength if I can't doing strength exercises?"

You can build strength in your legs without squats. Any physical therapist can give you exercises to help strengthen the quads and hamstrings so you CAN do a squat effectively. I don't know how you feel about Pilates, but it's great for building up strength and easing pain in the joints.

meshashesha2012

as an FYI msm and glucosamine are absorbed better by the body when they are accompanied with vitamin c.

i like taking the emergenc with joint health exactly for this reason

ddeleonm09

If squats are giving you knee pain, stop doing squats.

Haha it's that simple huh? Thanks!

ddeleonm09

looked on the whole thread, but didn't see anyone suggest that you warm up properly. i don't know if you do or not, but warming up properly helps move blood to your extremities and promotes your joints to lubricate properly.

jump rope, walk, dynamic stretching, some squats, and lunges are all great ways to warm up.

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/01/09/warm-up/

Excellent point--warm-ups are good for preventing DOMS, too.

But if the OP is in actual pain right now, warm-ups aren't going to help. Only rest will.

Now that I think about it, I was never warming up before squats. I always noticed that I did feel very tight. That probably did it! Dumb me, oh well that's how we learn right? I'm just glad I didn't mess up my knees the whole way and I stopped in time.

Thank you everyone for the excellent suggestions and your input! For now I'm going to rest and then get back into it. Of course with proper stretching lol.

StaticEntropy

Nope, I don't have any video. So I just spoke the the chiropractor (I work at a doctor's office lol) and he said my form is good, but it looks like there might be something wrong with my tendons. So I guess I'm taking a break. Oh well. Thanks you everyone for your input!! I'm so glad you took the time to reply. Thanks for the great advice! I'm definitely going to start with those fish oils.

I had a similar problem when I started doing squats. Kept doubting my form and must have asked at least five different trainers for corrective advice. In the end, I found that the pain was being caused by weak knee tendons and ligaments. The pain went away once I started performing the exercise in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPyJlF_MAww

I did this exercise on every non-squat day and within a week or two I noticed reduction and eventual elimination of pain.

Loftearmen

Nope, my form is fine and I don't use weights. I used to have a trainer that would force squats on me and believe me he always made sure I did them right lol.

No one's form on squats is fine unless they're moving something really impressive. I guarantee you if you post up a video there are MULTIPLE things that you need to improve on. No one's squat form is perfect, not even elite powerlifters' form is perfect.

ArroganceInStep

Hopefully I got your attention lol. I need some input. So a few weeks after I started exercising I started to notice some knee pain...mostly in my left knee. It wasn't too bad so I just ignored it. I started doing a March Squat challenge and have since noticed that the pain has tremendously increased and now in both knees. I have double-checked on my form and it's fine. My weight is all in the back of my heels and knees are NEVER past my toes. I started taking glucosamine and a multivitamin, but still didn't feel any relief. I asked the doctor today and he said I should stop doing too many squats for now and do more lower impact exercises such as walking and swimming. He said losing weight is best and then start doing strength exercises. I really, really, really don't want to stop doing squats and much less stop doing P90x (which is an awesome workout by the way). Is there anything else I can do? Maybe a supplement?

How wide is your stance? Playing with stance width can have a large impact on things like that.

Also generally speaking, the fact that you think your form is fine is an indicator to me that it might not be. There's always room for improvement with that sort of thing. Even world record holders go back to the drawing board from time to time to make sure they're using the best possible stance for their bodytype.

My0WNinspiration

I had the same problem. I corrected my form and added some cod liver oils and now I have no problem with squats.

SeahorseDolphin

I used to have awful pain in my knees when I would certain exercises like squats and lunges. Over time my knee pain has completely gone. Used to just take it easy and modify exercises. I guess maybe the muscles around them got stronger? I would take it easy, heal, but hopefully your healthy lifestyle will catch up like mine did and you'll be able to squat it up

Raynne413

Perhaps P90X could be the problem?

Ely82010

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bluebuggy1970

Stop your squats until you heal. When you start up, watch your form and do go as deep into the squat. The lady I work with did too much too soon (squats and lunges) and had to stop until her knees recovered. Now she does them but when she starts to feel pressure, she doesn't push it any farther. When you vitamins and supplements kick in, maybe you will be able to do more. Good luck.

Danny_Boy13

Interesting your doctor would say to stop strength training until you lose weight... IMO, this is where the rule of "not all doctors are created equal" would come into play.

If you have insurance or the ability to do so, maybe see an orthopedist. I have IT band syndrome (a very hurting left knee) and cannot run, and I am strength training with a ton of heavy squats to build those muscles so I will not have this injury in the future.

GOOD LUCK!

^ This.

I say get a second opinion but from a sports doctor of sorts. Family doctors and the such favor heavily on very little activity if any with injuries. A sports doctor will focus on doing some kind of rehab to strengthen the area that is injured. Prime example I dislocated my clavicle. Family doctor sent me to ortho and he recommended surgery right off the bat. Got a second opinion from a highly regarded ortho that specialized in athletes.... He advised against the surgery. Went to get some PT and here I am fully recovered w/out being cut open.

nsemrau

If you haven't read Starting Strength yet, I highly recommend it. I'm actually surprised that I'm the first one in this thread to mention it...

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-ebook/dp/B006XJR5ZA/ref=tmm_kin_title_0

JoanB5

Keep doing the un-squatty parts of P90X. And maybe after a few days or a week, or however long you feel you need, perhaps try starting squats again but not going as deep. It's possible that your legs/butt aren't quite strong enough to support the movement so more pressure is going into the knees. Maybe build it back up slowly?

"...Stop your squats until you heal. When you start up, watch your form and do go as deep into the squat. The lady I work with did too much too soon (squats and lunges) and had to stop until her knees recovered. Now she does them but when she starts to feel pressure, she doesn't push it any farther. When you vitamins and supplements kick in, maybe you will be able to do more. Good luck."

I don't know how to quote multiple people, but these are great answers to re-read. I worked up slowly running and has the same problem. Read tons about it last week to try to recover: adding Triflex Sport (glucosomine etc.), switched exercise strategies for a week. Slowed down. No running until no pain.

As hard as it was, some of the other DVDs I did are making sure my gluts, quads, and calf are equally strengtened and limbered up so that there is not strain on the knee to try to rebalance them. I think it's just part of it all synergizing.

I have had this happened every time I've gotten to the point of running about three 5Ks in a week. So, I need to back off, rest, and ease back in.

FYI: Alleve, (generic is Naproxen Sodium) is better than just Ibuprofen because it lasts 12 hours, whereas Ibuprofen is every 4-6. These have a huge benefit of reducing swelling around the joints, getting the fluid down so that there is less inflammation, therefore less pain. I took 2 morning and night for three days and pain is gone! You need to take it several days, if not a full week beyond when you are pain free to keep the swelling down as you build back up, just don't be tempted to over-exercise on top of it. Be sure to have food on your stomach when taking any anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or Alleve or Naproxen Sodium.

Lastly, our Rite Aid sells a velcro on gel "knee wrap" you can freeze. I slept with them on my knees for two nights and if I had pain even after Alleve. HUGE HELP. Getting the swelling down is key.

Cross train, avoid things that hurt, modify exercises, get the swelling down with ice and meds, work other body parts, and slowly ease back in. Your knees probably won't let you do much else anyway! Best of luck!

cedder1

You can accomplish the same "toning" by sitting in a chair and lifting your foot off of the floor and extending your foot straight out in front of you. Use a stability ball for more of a core workout but same movement. Also lay flat on your back bring one knee to your chest with the other leg extended. Lift and lower the extended leg and also simulating a "bicycle" pedaling movement will work your quads as well...and no added pressure like in a squat. If you want a little more resistence, add an ankle weight.