Have I ruined my knees forever?
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sofrances
Posts: 156 Member
I recently lost around 5 stone, and am closing in on a weight I want to maintain. This has involved a lot of exercise, mostly walking, Joe Wicks HIIT and Yoga. Between 1 and 2 hours most days.
Recently, my knees started hurting during squats. I have had what I think is runners knee in the past (pain going up stairs) in the past, but not recently. I decided to switch to "easy on the knees" HIIT workouts without squats or lunges for a while. I'm still doing those after 3 or 4 weeks.
However, I have noticed that one of my knees sort of creaks or rustles when I sit down, and the other kind of pops or crunches. There isn't any pain exactly, but sometimes a slight feeling of irritation or heightened awareness. It seems over time to be getting louder.
I'm seriously worried I could have damaged my knees forever by being obese for 10+ years. I'm in my early 30s, way younger than I ever expected to have knee issues. I feel that exercise is very important to my continued recovery - especially in maintenance, which I consider to be more of a challenge than weight loss.
Also, one of my hopes for weight loss was that I could start running again, a hope that now seems entirely out of reach.
I'm speaking to my doctor this week, so hopefully they will provide some advice.
Has anyone else had similar experiences? Does it get better?
Recently, my knees started hurting during squats. I have had what I think is runners knee in the past (pain going up stairs) in the past, but not recently. I decided to switch to "easy on the knees" HIIT workouts without squats or lunges for a while. I'm still doing those after 3 or 4 weeks.
However, I have noticed that one of my knees sort of creaks or rustles when I sit down, and the other kind of pops or crunches. There isn't any pain exactly, but sometimes a slight feeling of irritation or heightened awareness. It seems over time to be getting louder.
I'm seriously worried I could have damaged my knees forever by being obese for 10+ years. I'm in my early 30s, way younger than I ever expected to have knee issues. I feel that exercise is very important to my continued recovery - especially in maintenance, which I consider to be more of a challenge than weight loss.
Also, one of my hopes for weight loss was that I could start running again, a hope that now seems entirely out of reach.
I'm speaking to my doctor this week, so hopefully they will provide some advice.
Has anyone else had similar experiences? Does it get better?
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Replies
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Big congratulations on your weight loss. As someone with arthritis and using some dietary supplements which really work for me, its highly unlikely you have done yourself "lasting" damage. I would think its the massive changes you have put your body through which is causing your issues as your body gets used to how it is "now". Shall we call it "recent over use" the term "runners knee" suggests similar over use and the need for more gentle movement rather than straining every sinew again and again. Your 1-2 hours exercise a day could be very active. I wonder what you did in the way of movement on the days when you did not "work out". Rest days are essential to give you, your body and muscles the opportunity to rest and recuperate, not to mention remember movements.
A consequence of your period of being overweight could be your feet have become "flat" your arches dropped which will effect the way your ankle, knee and hip, even back works. Even were your feet only slightly flat the way the bones/cartilage/tendons interact changes, the pressure zones change and naturally this will put pressure on your muscles and tendons. There are exercises and arch supports which can all help but you would be well served to ask your doctor for a referral to a person who specialises in feet functions to get it right rather than let it all continue.
All the very best, well done on the weight loss, go steady into maintenance, it pays dividends.2 -
You will not get any meaningful answer if you do not visit a dr. And you never ever push through joint pain.3
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There are bunch of different kinds of things that cause similar knee pain symptoms. Until you get diagnosed, there's no knowing. Could be minor - we'll hope so.
Pretty much no matter what it is, I'd suggest you ask your doctor for a referral to physical therapy. Those folks are really good at looking at your movement patterns, assessing any dysfunctions that are causing unnecessary stress on the joints, and helping you correct the problems.
I have a knee problem that isn't going to get any better without surgery (but isn't so impairing that I want to have surgery yet). PT didn't "fix" it, but did help me walk and (especially) climb stairs in ways that didn't put as much stress on my knees, so pain was reduced and additional damage reduced. It was a combination of teaching explicit technique to use (movement patterns), and diagnosing and providing exercises for areas that were tighter or weaker than optimal to let me move in the most pain-free ways. Very helpful.2 -
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Big congratulations on your weight loss.
Thanks. Although as I always say: congratulate me in 5 years when I have maintained it.I wonder what you did in the way of movement on the days when you did not "work out". Rest days are essential to give you, your body and muscles the opportunity to rest and recuperate, not to mention remember movements.
Basically a rest day, for me, is a day when I don't do HIIT. I still do the same walking and yoga. Rest days are every third day.All the very best, well done on the weight loss, go steady into maintenance, it pays dividends.
Thanks!
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Then until you can see a doctor or the pain goes away, rest. I mean completely rest, nothing putting any stress on your knees, like not even bodyweight squats or lunges, not even bodyweight bridges. If you must exercise to maintain your sanity, focus on core and upper body, from a seated position. Either you will see improvement after a week or two , or you will have to find a way to see a doctor in person.2 -
Then until you can see a doctor or the pain goes away, rest. I mean completely rest, nothing putting any stress on your knees, like not even bodyweight squats or lunges, not even bodyweight bridges. If you must exercise to maintain your sanity, focus on core and upper body, from a seated position. Either you will see improvement after a week or two , or you will have to find a way to see a doctor in person.
Do you include not walking? (I mean walking for exercise, obviously I will be walking around the house)
If so, does anyone have any advice for backing off from exercise? My calorie level has been determined experimentally, so I have no idea of how much I can sustain when resting. The only thing I can think to do is cut by e.g. 500 and then if I'm losing a lot, bump it up experimentally again. I don't really trust the app calorie estimates.0 -
You said it doesn't hurt. But it's either popping or clicking. To me, it sounds like a very, very minor meniscus tear -- what they refer to as a hangnail tear. If it doesn't hurt and only if it's not painful, I'd still do light working out until you can see a doc. If it's sharp pain (and nothing in your posts has indicated it's sharp pain or even pain at all), then don't workout at all.
My knee pops loudly all the time but I know it's shot, LOL. I was told to get a knee replacement 13 years ago but I was too young at the time. I'd say it's just you're aging but the popping, clicking sounds more like a meniscus. But if it is a meniscus tear, it doesn't sound serious at all. That's a very easy fix with a doc -- they go in and trim it like a hangnail. I wouldn't do lateral movements -- stick to straight ahead movement and if you do squats, don't go too low or use any weight.1 -
All my pals have already chimed in, and I will just add my message of hope: As I've taken up running, my knees have been through many phases of pain and recovery. I have been lucky enough for improvement over time by using rollers, stretching, and adding cycling (indoor and outdoor). When I get pain, I use ice.0
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Then until you can see a doctor or the pain goes away, rest. I mean completely rest, nothing putting any stress on your knees, like not even bodyweight squats or lunges, not even bodyweight bridges. If you must exercise to maintain your sanity, focus on core and upper body, from a seated position. Either you will see improvement after a week or two , or you will have to find a way to see a doctor in person.
Do you include not walking? (I mean walking for exercise, obviously I will be walking around the house)
If so, does anyone have any advice for backing off from exercise? My calorie level has been determined experimentally, so I have no idea of how much I can sustain when resting. The only thing I can think to do is cut by e.g. 500 and then if I'm losing a lot, bump it up experimentally again. I don't really trust the app calorie estimates.
In the end, it is up to how you feel about your knees. Some people like me are proactive and do not push through pain (as I have learned the hard way to be honest). Others like someone after think "my knee is shot, no big deal, will get a replacement eventually". So, it is up to you what risks you take. If it were me, I would rest, avoiding anything that causes discomfort, someone also would laugh about it, so, you know how you feel. If you are worried, eat less, and rest for a week or two, it cannot possibly affect weight loss that much. If you think you are just paranoid, push through.0 -
All my joints pop and creak, my knee has started giving out on me during certain exercises.
My physio guy told me often the pops are tendons and ligaments moving into realignment slipping over the bone. I have loose joints so things move around a lot on my body.
If you can get an appointment with a physiotherapist I would go that route. No need to complete rest unless it's causing you pain.
I'd also suggest working on building up the muscles around your knee. This can help any issues.....helped my shoulder when it was torn and hanging on by a thread1 -
I damaged my knees when I was a long distance backpacker. My pack was heavy and I did a lot of miles on steep trails. It got so they hurt any time I was walking steeply downhill. When I stopped doing as much backpacking, the pain eased, though there was still pain on steep trails. I did several long distance hikes (AT, PCT, CDT, GDT) and generally only had trouble on the steepest trails.
Fast forward many years. I became a runner when my husband could no longer backpack and our hikes became shorter. I worked my way from C25k to marathons. Generally I have no knee pain when running. The only time they hurt is when my shoes need to be replaced. They do still snap crackle and pop occasionally when I go up the stairs. I don't do a lot of squats and lunges because I have learned that if I am not careful my knees hurt afterwards. The pain rarely lasts more than a day or so.1 -
I still congratulate you on your present weight loss. I would love for us both to be about (on MFP) in five years to be able to say, good for you again.1
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Saw Dr after all. Says its rough cartilage on back of knee. I googled that, and that looks like Chondromalacia Patellae, or "runners knee" again, although its fine on stairs.
Not arthritis or anything else.
The Dr doesn't seem to think I should change my activity. Just told me to take ibuprofen.3 -
When’s the last time you replaced your shoes? It sounds like you’ve put them to good use exercising for a while. Your knee noise may be your shoes screaming ‘replace us!’1
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Saw Dr after all. Says its rough cartilage on back of knee. I googled that, and that looks like Chondromalacia Patellae, or "runners knee" again, although its fine on stairs.
Not arthritis or anything else.
The Dr doesn't seem to think I should change my activity. Just told me to take ibuprofen.
Good news! (Yeah, it woulda been better if there were a magical quick cure, but "nothing major" is pretty good, on the scale of possibilities.)
Thanks for letting us know. I always wonder how these little life stories come out, when the OP leaves it hanging.
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This is anecdotal. I attribute my light knee pain through several adult decades to junior American football when I was a teen. The time came in my 50's when one day I realized that my knee had quit hurting. My condition was not severe and I never consulted a doctor for it. It was just light pain, bearable, and it never stopped me doing anything I wanted to do.0
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