Fix My Lower Body

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

I already posted this in another forum, but it has only had 20 views, so I figure I’d post it here…

There are several problems with me, that I’d like to fix, but I’ve been having no luck.

These are:

1.) Over pronation/flexible flat foot in my left foot
2.) Snapping knees
3.) Snapping hip syndrome

1.) I’ve been having this problem for about a year, but that is just a guess. I don’t get any pain. When I’m relaxed my ankle folds inwards, but I’m able to keep it all in the proper position when I focus on it. It’s kind of hard to explain, but I have a ROM that allows me to hold everything where I want it to be, unless I relax. I don’t have any of this ROM in my other foot (which has no problems).

I don’t really know what first caused this problem. It could possibly have been caused by rapid weight gain when I first started lifting weights (20-25 lbs in a couple of months), followed by the impact of sprinting in my sport. It may have also been caused by improper footwear. I threw out an old pair of my shoes when I realized the slanted inwards. I also notice after skating my foot seems extremely flat for a few hours after taking off my skates.

Since this is the only one of my problems that happens on a specific side, I’ll point out some of my imbalances.

My left hamstring is stronger than my right
My right quad + glute are stronger than my left
When I lie down on my back, my left leg externally rotates more than my right (approx. 50deg in my left and 20deg in my right)

2.) I first started getting this problem about a month after I started working out (squating, deadlifts, etc.). That was about 1.5 years ago. The problem got worse for the first couple of months, but has stayed constant since then. There is no pain involved. Sometimes my knees are fine, but then all of a sudden they’ll start clicking everytime I extend my leg at the knee. It will stay like this until: a) a loud pop occurs and it goes back to normal, or b) I warm up and it loosens up.

Yesterday, when the problem was going on in both of my knees, I decided to do a few tests to figure out what the root of the problem was:

Glute Medius rolling + IT Band static stretching … no success
Quad Rolling + static stretching … no success
Hip flexor static stretching … no success
Glute activation … no success
Dynamic calf stretching … improved a little, but I believe due to warming up
Hamstring static stretching + rolling … became worse

I then tryed 20 reps of the following movements: leg curling (problem increased), leg extensions (problem increased), Hip flexion (no impact).

Some of these tests might seem ridiculous, but I was making it up as I went. My guess is I have some sort of tracking issue. I hear about this problem all the time, but I’ve never read of any solutions to fixing it.

3.) This one is pretty simple. I figure this might be caused by the same thing as my knee problem. I get the snapping whenever I raise my leg to a certain height. It mostly occurs with left to right movements (ex. side leg swings), but occasionally front to back.

If you have any questions, please ask, I’m sure I’m leaving some stuff out. As for supplements, I’m taking fish oils, and I’ve been on and off with glucosamine + chondroitine for a while. I went to my doctor about my knee problem about a year ago, and he said not to worry about it until there is pain, but I don’t want to wait that long, and this definitely isn’t normal. I also went to him for my foot problem, and without even taking a look at it, he just prescribed orthotics which I’d rather avoid if possible.

Any help would be appreciated.

2

Go see an MAT practitioner. Muscle Activation Technique.

3

As far as the orthodics go, I see a lot of writers on this site saying they only work for a small percent of people and cause more problems than anything. At the physical therapy place I went to a lot of people had success with orthodics and I still wear mine every day because they help so much.

They are definitely worth a shot. My dad got orthodics when he was 50 when he had plantar fasciitis. He wore them for about 6 months and after this he could go back to his regular shoe and run (he runs 7-8 miles 5-6 days a week).

I saw you stretched your IT band, but it is a lot easier to get in there with the foam roller. I imagine you have probably already tried this though.

Your hip problem is probably related to your knee problem. Once you fix the hip problem your knee problem could go away.

It sounds like you have a lot going on.
If I were you I would see an orthopedic surgeon who deals with sports injuries a lot. They will know a lot more than your typical doctor when it comes to these things. That’s what I did for a knee problem I had as well as a foot problem.

Sorry I’m not much help if any at all. Good luck, I know how frustrating it can be trying to fix stuff and not know exactly what to do. I’m in the same boat right now.

4

I have snapping hip syndrome also. I feel the snapping in my groin area. I’ve done some reading on it, and have figured out that it’s caused by tight hip flexors. While it has never gone away (I’ve had it for probably 6 months now), it does seem to happen less often when stretch my hip flexors a lot (at least once a day). I also try to use a foam roller on the front of my hip and groin area.

Hope this helps.

5

Why are you looking for someone to “fix” you over the Internet? This is beyond stupid.

I’ve seen from your other threads that you spend a fair amount of money on supplements and other stuff. Take your money and go see someone who does ART. It really is that simple.

I really don’t get how you guys will worry about acquiring the most exotic supplements while getting all cheap with your health.

6

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
Why are you looking for someone to “fix” you over the Internet? This is beyond stupid.

I’ve seen from your other threads that you spend a fair amount of money on supplements and other stuff. Take your money and go see someone who does ART. It really is that simple.

I really don’t get how you guys will worry about acquiring the most exotic supplements while getting all cheap with your health.[/quote]

I’ve noticed you’ve been following me alot. I don’t know where you got the idea that I take alot of supplements. This is all I have ever taken:

-protein powder
-fishoil pills
-glucosamine + chondroitine

Plus I don’t even take that much of them. Maybe 2 fish pills, 1 G+C pill, and 1 scoop of protein powder.

7

[quote]vision1 wrote:
I’ve noticed you’ve been following me alot. I don’t know where you got the idea that I take alot of supplements. This is all I have ever taken:

-protein powder
-fishoil pills
-glucosamine + chondroitine

Plus I don’t even take that much of them. Maybe 2 fish pills, 1 G+C pill, and 1 scoop of protein powder.[/quote]

You post a lot. It’s hard to miss your inanane posts asking about knee raps, basic quesions about squats, etc.

Bottom line: Seek professional help. Asking for someone to “fix” you over the Internet is beyond foolish.

8

[quote]CaliforniaLaw wrote:
You post a lot. It’s hard to miss your inanane posts asking about knee raps, basic quesions about squats, etc.

Bottom line: Seek professional help. Asking for someone to “fix” you over the Internet is beyond foolish.[/quote]

So first you mistake me for someone else. Then when I call you on it, you DO THE EXACT SAME THING AGAIN!

1.) inanane?
2.) what is wrong with my knee wraps thread? I was looking for a Canadian dealer…I’m sorry.
3.) basic questions about squats? I don’t recal, please quote me.

I understand seeing a professional is wise, and I will do so, but getting extra opinions is not foolish.

Do me a favor, and stop following me.

9

I had some problems with snapping hip syndrome on my right side. I knew a physical therapist and he checked a few things and noticed my abductors were weak. I added hip abduction work (with a cable) for a few weeks and it went away.

I still do hip abduction once a week or so at home with a band. I worked both sides even though I only snapped on one side.

I didn’t have any knee problems though, so your mileage my vary. If it doesn’t help the problem in 2-3 weeks just go get it checked by someone.

10

[quote]vision1 wrote:
CaliforniaLaw wrote:
You post a lot. It’s hard to miss your inanane posts asking about knee raps, basic quesions about squats, etc.

Bottom line: Seek professional help. Asking for someone to “fix” you over the Internet is beyond foolish.

So first you mistake me for someone else. Then when I call you on it, you DO THE EXACT SAME THING AGAIN!

1.) inanane?
2.) what is wrong with my knee wraps thread? I was looking for a Canadian dealer…I’m sorry.
3.) basic questions about squats? I don’t recal, please quote me.

I understand seeing a professional is wise, and I will do so, but getting extra opinions is not foolish.

Do me a favor, and stop following me.[/quote]

don’t worry about california law, sometimes he gets on his period…

Anyway the knee might have something to do with your meniscus. It probably has to do with the leg ext’s and leg curls you do(judging by your post i don’t know whether you do these or not) Sorry that thats all the insight i have on this.

11

[quote]That One Guy wrote:
don’t worry about california law, sometimes he gets on his period…

Anyway the knee might have something to do with your meniscus. It probably has to do with the leg ext’s and leg curls you do(judging by your post i don’t know whether you do these or not) Sorry that thats all the insight i have on this.[/quote]

I never do any leg curls or extensions (other than 1-legged curls on a swiss ball). In my first post, all I was doing was sitting on my bed and going through the motion.

Thanks everyone who’s posted so far. Alot of helpful info.

Yarbo, do you remember what your physical therapist did to determine weak abductors? That sounds like a possibilty, but I would have thought the years of hockey would have strengthened them.

12

Incase anyone else is having similar problems to me, any info I find, I’ll post here.

EDIT:

13

Any ideas on how I can activate my left glute? When I do bridges or bird-dogs, it feels right in my right leg, but in my left I feel it all in my hamstring.

14

[quote]vision1 wrote:
Yarbo, do you remember what your physical therapist did to determine weak abductors? That sounds like a possibilty, but I would have thought the years of hockey would have strengthened them.[/quote]

The PT had me walk around and he walked next to me to feel the clicking. The clicking happened along the greater trochanter of my right femur. He had me lay on my side and had me try to keep my leg abducted while he pushed down on it with his body weight. He said it was weak and told me to strenghten it. He didn’t do any more tests after he determined it was weak.

He said when exercising it to make sure I stand up straight. I naturally want to lean away while I do the abductions. I don’t have absolute or relative numbers to give you, but after 2 or 3 weeks it went away. I had the problem for years but didn’t care because I wasn’t lifting then. I do some abductions with some cheap bands I got at home. I use a medium ‘Pilates’ band. I got a set of bands for less than $10 USD at K-Mart.

15

[quote]yarbo wrote:
The PT had me walk around and he walked next to me to feel the clicking. The clicking happened along the greater trochanter of my right femur. He had me lay on my side and had me try to keep my leg abducted while he pushed down on it with his body weight. He said it was weak and told me to strenghten it. He didn’t do any more tests after he determined it was weak.
[/quote]

I get clicking in the exact same spot. Thanks, I’ll try this out for the next couple of weeks.

How often did you work your abductors? Daily or with the rest of your routine?

EDIT: also, were your abductors weak in relation to your adductors, or just in general (…should I be working my adductors as well?)

16

[quote]vision1 wrote:
I get clicking in the exact same spot. Thanks, I’ll try this out for the next couple of weeks.

How often did you work your abductors? Daily or with the rest of your routine?

EDIT: also, were your abductors weak in relation to your adductors, or just in general (…should I be working my adductors as well?)
[/quote]

I worked my abductors on my lower body days, but it was just an arbitrary choice. The PT just told me how to work it and left it all up to me. I looked through my logs and found I was doing them with a cable machine at first with 40-50 pounds. I don’t know if I was using good form then or not. I don’t do any direct adductor work. I’ve never tested my adductor strength.

Now that my problem is mostly gone I just do it with bands once a week or so.

Just keep in mind that I was looked at by someone with a degree in person and my problems might be different from yours.

17

What type of professional should I be seeing for my problems?

I’m assuming physio therapist, but I really have no idea.

18

I guess you could talk to your general doctor and ask for a referral. I just happened to know a PT and I ran into him anyway and asked him.