Help! Hurt my knee with squats, just one knee.

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I've been doing goblet squats with a 35lb dumbbell. Just my right knee. It hurts mostly after sitting and feels like it's in a vise, super stiff behind the knee cap. Thought I would ask before going to an expensive Dr. appointment. Anyone else experience this? Should I continue trying to squat?

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  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Does it hurt after squatting or after sitting? It could be how you're sitting or your chair. It could be a million things. I would try some different things to get a clearer picture of the problem before going to a doctor because my knee hurt. The more specific info you can give doc and PT, the better they can help you.

    How long have you been squatting with this weight? Consider lightening the weight or starting with bodyweight squats and work up from there.

    But the basic rule of exercise is that if something causes abnormal pain, don't do it.
  • CLessMe
    CLessMe Posts: 21 Member
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    Thanks, you're probably right about not doing it. I've been squatting for about 2 months. It hurts after sitting but gets better as I walk around. I just hope it's not permanent damage. And just when I was beginning to see progress! I'm just annoyed.
  • hannapinapple
    hannapinapple Posts: 2 Member
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    You need to stretch out your quads- a good stretch: bend your knee and grab your foot behind :smile:
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    Rest, ice, and some NSAIDs until it feels normal - this is not a push through the pain sort of situation. If not back to normal in a week (or it keeps getting worse after the first couple of days), think about seeing a doc. After recovery, work on form with bodyweight squats before going back to weighted.
  • R0xannMarr0quin
    R0xannMarr0quin Posts: 12 Member
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    Im having the same issue with my right knee. It hurts like hell when i start walking after sitting for like 5+ minutes. It gets better after walking for a bit. Its almost as if i had plantar fasciitis in my knee. Im taking this week off from excercising and resting my knee, ice, and nsaids. Please pray that it gets better after this week. I really want to get back to excercising and dont wanna see a doc.
  • CLessMe
    CLessMe Posts: 21 Member
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    Thanks for the advice, I was concerned that I really hurt something. RoxannMarro describes it perfectly, eventually it gets better with walking. Tylenol 500mg is a wonderful thing!
  • motrilla
    motrilla Posts: 13 Member
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    Go easy and listen to your body
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 8,990 Member
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    Another vote for "take it easy". But sometimes the issue is more involved than such a simple answer; it was for me. My left knee would freeze up during prolonged sitting, hurt like blazes when first stretched out again and then be fine after a few minutes. Went to a doc who took x-rays of my cartilage and everything.

    Turns out in my case my kneecap was actually offset to one side slightly due to imbalance in strength of the muscles to either side. He prescribed meds to take the edge off initially, but also a regimen of stretching along with exercises to balance out the muscular pull on my kneecap. Within a few months the pain had greatly diminished. (It'll never go away completely in my case due to arthritis, but it's certainly manageable now. I haven't had to take pain meds for my knees in years.)