StrongLifts 5x5

Join

Knee problems and SL 5X5 Squats

Options
Huskychemist
Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
in Social Groups
So I'm about to complete my fourth workout and I'm having knee pain today. Background...I've got osteoarthritis in my left knee and it can get quite swollen if I aggravate it.

I did Workout A on Tuesday and the knee felt fine. But something I did on Wednesday aggravated it, as it got sore and swollen. I'm not sure I can do squats today...not so much because of pain but because of a lack of flexibility in my left knee. It's hard to bend it far enough to go to parallel due to the swelling.

I was very hopeful that SL 5X5 would help my knees, as I definitely feel that increased strength will be beneficial. But...not sure I can squat all the way today. Mehdi preaches no excuses...but I'm not sure how to get around this.

Any thoughts? Do any of you have arthritis and/or other knee problems that you deal with?

And yes, I'm asking for your opinions. I want input if you have something to share...however, please don't tell me to see a doctor. I currently live in a city with very poor medical care and I do not trust the doctors here. I've already been misdiagnosed once before and will not go through that again. The soonest I can see a doctor (barring an emergency where I'll travel somewhere else) is in the summer when I travel back to the U.S.

Thank you in advance for any input.

Lowell

Replies

  • Dpleblanc
    Dpleblanc Posts: 5
    Options
    Hi Husky,
    I can't comment professionally, but I can give you my (and my wife's) experience. We both have one knee that "talks to us" during squats. We've been doing SL for about 4 weeks now and I've felt a little pain around the top of my kneecap that gets more sore after my SL workout. My wife has what we think is a little meniscus damage (she had surgery on the other one several years ago and this feels similar). She feels some twinges doing squats too. Neither of us have swelling, and that would concern me a little. You might try just sittiing in the bottom squat position and stretching your knees and hips without weight a few times a day (see a discussion of this in Starting Strength if you have it). You might also ice your knees after lifting...I've done that a few times and it seemed beneficial. Good luck and I hope you can stick with the program, it seems to be everything Mehdi claims it to be, but we aren't all twenty five years old!
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the reply. I appreciate your thoughts.

    I did my workout yesterday (I'm at 27.5 kg for the squat) and the knee seemed to do OK. Contrary to Mehdi's suggestion, I do a short - but very low intensity - bike ride just to get the blood moving. My knee felt a bit weird on the bike, but after walking to the weight room it started to loosen up a bit and didn't feel too bad. So I did a few squats without weight and it felt OK. So I did just the bar and it felt OK. So I did the full weight each time and it felt alright.

    This morning after resting last night it still feels OK.

    I'll take a look at Starting Strength to see about the stretching recommendation. Probably a good idea for me, as I haven't done squats in so long.

    I'm going to keep going and see what happens.

    Thanks again.
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Hi Husky,
    ....
    You might try just sittiing in the bottom squat position and stretching your knees and hips without weight a few times a day (see a discussion of this in Starting Strength if you have it).
    ......


    I've got Starting Strength, but I"m having trouble finding this section. I read the squat section a few weeks ago. Do you happen to know the page number (or Kindle location)?

    Thanks.
    Lowell
  • Slamdunkpro
    Slamdunkpro Posts: 88 Member
    Options
    With osteoarthritis warm up & blood flow is the key. Try a couple of minutes of stationary cycling or elliptical followed by one or two no load (no bar) squat sets prior to your workout.
  • Spokez70
    Spokez70 Posts: 548 Member
    Options
    I was going to ask about the warmup also. I jump rope for a bit to get the blood pumping then do several sets with just the bar gradually working up to a full squat. It takes a few sets to get my legs limbered up the first go around with the first bar set I only go about half way down.
  • Huskychemist
    Huskychemist Posts: 75 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the tip about warming up. Mehdi says don't do a cardio warmup, but I actually have been doing 6 minutes - very easy - on the stationary bike to get the blood going, then I'll do one set with the bar before going to my weight (I'm still only a few cycles in, so the weights aren't heavy enough for more steps). I think I'll try two sets with the bar to extend the warmup a bit. Good idea.

    Then as the weights get heavier, I'll make sure to stop up to the working weight.

    My knee is sore right now from hitting the ice last weekend and it's still really swollen and bruised, so I've skipped squats for a few workouts. But once I get back (hopefully next week) I'll see how things go.

    Thanks again.

Categories