Does anyone else experience this? My schedule is kind of delayed this week so I have to go 10 days between squatting sessions, anytime this happens my knees start aching. I used to think it was my imagination or coincidence, but over the last few years, anytime I go more than 8 or so days between squatting sessions my knees hurt DEEP inside.
Yes! I’ve never heard someone else with this problem so I’m looking forward to responses. For me it only happens in my left knee, which I’ve always had problems with.
My theory is I’ve stretched some ligaments because the longer I go between leg workouts the “looser” my knee feels. So I wonder if the swell of a workout essentially holds my knee in place better.
Do you also have snapping joints? My left knee sounds like a gun and can be snapped consistently every few minutes whenever I get a certain feeling I can only cure by snapping… for a little while.
[quote]MementoMori wrote:
Yes! I’ve never heard someone else with this problem so I’m looking forward to responses. For me it only happens in my left knee, which I’ve always had problems with.
My theory is I’ve stretched some ligaments because the longer I go between leg workouts the “looser” my knee feels. So I wonder if the swell of a workout essentially holds my knee in place better.
Do you also have snapping joints? My left knee sounds like a gun and can be snapped consistently every few minutes whenever I get a certain feeling I can only cure by snapping… for a little while.[/quote]
Wow. That sounds a LOT like me, except it’s mostly in my right knee. It definitely feels different when I haven’t squatted in a while, I’m not sure if looser is the word I’d use in this case, less stable almost. And yeah it can make that snapping sound, not as often as you though. If I’m correct that’s actually air bubbles or something, although I could be wrong on that one.
Yea looser was the first word that came to mind but less stable is also a good one. It used to be worse there were times when I’d consciously have to think about not hyper extending it.
As for the snapping sound I’ve been told it may be caused by a tight IT band snapping across the bone. Was told its called Snapping Syndrome and does not indicate anything wrong persay… On days when the irritation is high I disagree.
Maybe we have the same thing. I also have a high arch and wear insoles… have not noticed a huge difference from them however.
I’ve taken to using the foam roller. Hurts worse than the rest of my workout but it seems to be helping mobility and even 1 RM’s. (though havent done it enough to notice less discomfort when I havent squatted recently)
Have you given it a try?
I thought I was the only one. When I was younger the pain would be bad enough sometimes that I couldn’t bend my knees past about 15 degrees. I saw every specialist under the sun and they found nothing wrong.
But yeah, squatting consistently (or most any leg work for that matter) keeps them feeling pretty good. If they start to hurt I can usually make it stop by stretching my quads and doing some bodyweight squats.
Mine snap too btw.
Yeah, me too. If I delay a leg day, my knee gets uncomfortable a few days in (not so much pain).
[quote]MementoMori wrote:
Yea looser was the first word that came to mind but less stable is also a good one. It used to be worse there were times when I’d consciously have to think about not hyper extending it.
As for the snapping sound I’ve been told it may be caused by a tight IT band snapping across the bone. Was told its called Snapping Syndrome and does not indicate anything wrong persay… On days when the irritation is high I disagree.
Maybe we have the same thing. I also have a high arch and wear insoles… have not noticed a huge difference from them however.
I’ve taken to using the foam roller. Hurts worse than the rest of my workout but it seems to be helping mobility and even 1 RM’s. (though havent done it enough to notice less discomfort when I havent squatted recently)
Have you given it a try?[/quote]
I have a high arch too. Most of my life I had to wear insoles in my shoes. I’m not exactly sure HOW to foam roll, I don’t know what it is exactly.
The thing that helps for me is pacing. I have two jobs that require me to stand for hours on end and thats the worst for aggrevating it.
I also am leery about seeing a specialist about it because you know the first piece of advice will be, rest, dont squat. And then I either feel bad about not listening or descend into hell.
Foam rolling is murder.
[quote]NickRageSkursky wrote:
I thought I was the only one. When I was younger the pain would be bad enough sometimes that I couldn’t bend my knees past about 15 degrees. I saw every specialist under the sun and they found nothing wrong.
But yeah, squatting consistently (or most any leg work for that matter) keeps them feeling pretty good. If they start to hurt I can usually make it stop by stretching my quads and doing some bodyweight squats.
Mine snap too btw.[/quote]
I’ve noticed the same thing; if I do a few sets of 20 or so bodyweight squats the pain is relieved.
How’s your squatting problems coming along…i have a lot my self
Yeah mine crack heaps and stiffen when I stop squatting.
It is something to do with synovial fluid. Increased synovial fluid whilst exercising is used as ‘padding’. It reduces after a while and thus creates gaps in the joints, “the joint capsule increases in volume but the synovial fluid in the capsule no longer fills it all. Gases dissolved in the fluid quickly fill the empty space causing a sharp cracking sound. The general term for this is cavitation.”
Sounds fun! Really I don’t think there would be any permanent damage from this.
But if you are a heavy squatter, and stop in your older age, you could have predominantly ‘loose’ joints, because of the gaseous gaps? Unless your joint cavities reduce with age, which I doubt would happen, you will be stuck with joint cavities that may, a bit like an ankle with bad ‘rolling in or out’, act as an imbalance because it does not ‘lock’ properly.
Personally, I don’t care. If I am too old to go to the gym, I will be too old to walk: and so I will either buy cybernetic prosthetic replacements, or get one of those electric wheelie chairs to run over those damn youngsters!
[quote]GrindOverMatter wrote:
How’s your squatting problems coming along…i have a lot my self[/quote]
It’s…coming along. Varies week to week really.
I had never heard of synovial fluid Nade. Interesting. I’m sure I’ll be a bitter old bastard anyway when I’m older with arthritis in every joint and saggy old tattoos struggling to keep lifting. Will all just be a memento when I was young and healthy. Price you pay. Worry about it then.
Accipiter, I put a ton on my 1RM by taking a couple months off heavy lifting and focusing on GVT and single leg lift variations, along with the foam roller. Might help you with any problems too.
I actually have this too in my left knee! I figured it was just because I’ve been wearing shoes with too much ankle support and my knee was taking over the mobility of the ankle so I have taken to wearing running shoes and vibram five fingers and it definitely helps when I’m wearing the five fingers.
I also hypothesized that it could be the result of a developing imbalance between my quads and my hamstrings because my quads get a much harder workout than my hammies and have just in the last week or two added good mornings and a couple RDL’s into my routine. It hasn’t been long enough to find out if this actually helps though. Please let me know what you guys think and if you find any answers.
I’ve got the same thing. Both knees pop all the time and there seems to be looseness of a rotational torsion type variety. Sometimes my ankles pop too.
Now, I’ve got a missing PCL in my right knee, so that excerbates the problem. Feels like my tibia is sloshing around. Fortunately I can still squat, so far at least. I’m only a year into lifting so its still light. Haven’t broken 200 lb yet. It definitely helps with joint pain. If I go for more than a week without squatting, I get painful knees, especially when I’m standing for long periods of time. Squats seem to fix that right up.
Any of the coaches/experts have thoughts on the issue?
I’d be very interested in what your squat setup and form looks like.
(that goes for all in this thread…)
Friday is squat day, but since Thursday is my last final, I might be doing them tomorrow instead… I’ll see if I can’t get a video or maybe even two tomorrow morning at some point.
[quote]MementoMori wrote:
I had never heard of synovial fluid Nade. Interesting. I’m sure I’ll be a bitter old bastard anyway when I’m older with arthritis in every joint and saggy old tattoos struggling to keep lifting. Will all just be a memento when I was young and healthy. Price you pay. Worry about it then.
Accipiter, I put a ton on my 1RM by taking a couple months off heavy lifting and focusing on GVT and single leg lift variations, along with the foam roller. Might help you with any problems too. [/quote]
quick question: what’s GVT?
[quote]GVkid wrote:
I actually have this too in my left knee! I figured it was just because I’ve been wearing shoes with too much ankle support and my knee was taking over the mobility of the ankle so I have taken to wearing running shoes and vibram five fingers and it definitely helps when I’m wearing the five fingers.
I also hypothesized that it could be the result of a developing imbalance between my quads and my hamstrings because my quads get a much harder workout than my hammies and have just in the last week or two added good mornings and a couple RDL’s into my routine. It hasn’t been long enough to find out if this actually helps though. Please let me know what you guys think and if you find any answers.[/quote]
I wondered the same thing, I wear high top converses with reinforced ankles on them since I have a tendency to roll my ankles when participating in athletic activities.