I used to be excessively overweight (322 pounds), during this time I had all sorts of knee issues as you might expect.
After a major overhaul I cut to 196 pounds, and voila, knee pain went away.
Ive been doing starting strength 5x5 for 8 weeks now.
Due to knee issues in the past i decided to start nice and low on the squat (88 pounds), and have worked my way up gradually to 220 pounds.
However my right knee (left is fine) is now starting to feel cramped, strained, twingy, stiff (it cycles).
2 weeks ago i watched a video of myself squating and I saw I wasnt going as deep as i envisioned, so I started busting my ass going lower, whilst still upping the weight every session.
I think sudden form check has left my body shocked and this may have caused my right knee issues.
Im heading to the doctors this afternoon and get his opinion, but tbh Im not sure how far I want to trust someone who doesnt squat! (assuming the doc will just tell me to stop weight training for a month - not what i want)
Instead Id like someone to point me to an article or give me some advice on what to do.
What I am currently thinking about:
ive hit bodyweight with my squats so ill stop progressing to give my knee a break.
perhaps I should start doing overhead squats or front squats with a much lower weight to improve mobility in my hips and ankles.
I have started foam rolling before my workouts.
the knee pain seems at it worst when I am going down stairs.
It’s impossible to tell what’s wrong without seeing a video, but I’d wager that [a] you aren’t getting low enough, [b] you’re not keeping all your weight on your heels, or [c] you’re relaxing your hamstrings to try to get deep, and your knees are sliding forward at the bottom of your squat. I have a bad knee, and if my form gets bad on squats, I feel it.
Foam rolling is great. You should be doing it after you squat, though. Also, make sure you’re stretching your hamstrings, glutes, and hip flexors regularly.
Is there any way that you can get to an orthopedist who works with athletes? I have no idea how health care works in Scotland, but maybe you could find out who the team doctors are for the local rugby and football clubs and try to get an appointment with one of them.
Until you get your knee issues resolved it might be a good idea to refocus your lower body lifting around a deadlift variation. If you have been focusing on the squat for a while, then switching your focus to the deadlift might be a good idea even if you did not have any knee problems.
rmexico…could my lack of proper depth in my earlier squatting and subsequent change to a deeper squat at a much heavier weight have caused the knee pain?
When is the best time to foam roll?
sawadee…I read that you should avoid wraps and braces at all costs, as this can unnaturally limit the movement of the joint and will create a ‘crutch’ effect.
Can anyone develop that argument either way?
When Im doing the squats Im not in a whole lot of pain…im just very aware of the stiffness on the right side.
Is it a general consensus that I should continue to train the leg?
dcb…I like the deadlift idea…so far my deads have caused no reaction or even hint of pain from the knee.
When one joint hurts, look to the one above and below it.
Check your ankles, it could be an ankle mobility issue, maybe tight gastronemeous. If the ankle doesn’t bend properly it will transfer force upwards towards the knee. The check fo rthe ankle is this, flex your toes towards your body, if you feel a tight stretch in your calves, then you could have a flexibility issue, if you feel a locking sensations where you can’t get your ankle to move anymore you probably have a mobility issue.
Look to your hips, you could have a whole host of issues like anterior pelvic tilt where your hip flexors are locked down, or weak/innefficient glutes, etc. If there is an issue or imbalance in the hips it can very easily shift force downwards towards the knee. Maybe try reading the fixing your force couples article on T-Nation, or the bulletproof knees article is great also.
Foam rolling is great, make sure to get your entire posterior chain.