I am experiencing pain in my left knee when squatting if I get any lower than 2 to 3 inches above parallel. I can still do Half squats without pain however. Should I just rest up the knee and continue to use half squats or just rest for real and stay away from squatting until it’s better? Oh, also I can still deadlift without any knee pain - incase you were going to ask
Hey. I as well have been having left knee pain when squatting. . . so here’s my 2cents. I ended up going to see a physical therapist since depending on where the pain is and how extreme it is, it can be quite serious or not serious at all. PT didn’t help me so I got an MRI and am currently awaiting an appt with a sports med doc to see what they found out. In my case, looks like a possible medial meniscus (sp?) tear. You will probably get more responses to your question if you can be more specific about the location of the pain as well as how you hurt it, how long ago etc. All said and done, get it checked out anyway. Good luck. Eric
Thanks good point with being more specific…The pain is in the middle - outer left ofthe knee and typically I will get a sharp pain when I ause with the wait and beginning ascent…does that help?
You have whats called Patella Femoral Syndrome. I know because i just got it. I went to Disney world, stayed with a relative and came back and cant squat. Do you also have pain when sitting for too long? Is you knee fine until you either go down stairs or in a deep, weighted squat? Thats me.
Do this test. Do Uni lateral leg extension with you good leg and then you bad leg. See if the bad one is way weaker. I can easily do 50 pounds with the good one and 15 pounds breaks me down with the bad.
A symptom of PFS is your Vastus medalius shuts off. It helps stabilize and track you knee. Its also becomes involved more at the bottom of squat. Thats why deep squats build up your tear drop. So you have to get that bad boy strong.
Whats going on with your knee is an internal rotation. YOu knee is tracking toward the middle of your body. And the weak muslces arent doing their job. Also its being pulled wrong because of the tight muscles. You should work on the muscles that lateral rotate you leg. Gluteus Medius is one.
I also find that massaging with a sports cream works. Rub you Vastus medialus and your Satorius. I find a pain/cramp spot right on the inside of my tear drop. Its whats pulling my knee wrong.
What really happens is an uneven wear on the knee cap. kinda like a uneven tire wear when your car is out of alignment.
I did some research on the internet and found this stuff.
MUSCLES TO BE STRETCHED:
Illiopsoas (hip flexor)
Rectus femoris
TFL (Tensor fascia latae)
Adductors
Erector spinae
ITB (Iliotibial band) (foam roller)
Hamstrings (lat/med)
Gastrocnemius/soleus/peroneals
MUSCLES TO BE STRENGTHENED:
Glute Max/Med
Hamstring (lat/med)
Ant/post tibialis
VMO
Hey, I don’t think it’s PFS.
It may be a tight IT Band. The fact that the pain is on the ascent and from below parallel only.
I would recommend using the foam roller and stretching your hip flexor and quad together. This stretch combined with the foam roller will probably ease the pain. However, you will cringe will doing both the stretch and foam roller.
Here is the stretch. (attachment hope it works)
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Start from all fours. place shin flat against wall (knee on floor and close to the wall) (put a mat under your knee)
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from position 1., try to plant other foot on the floor (I say try for you may not be able b/c of thightness.
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If you get in position 2, then try to straighten your torso. you’ll definitely fell the stretch then. Hold for 20-30 sec. repeat on other legs.
FYI, I’m pretty confident that your left leg will be tighter than the Right.
Stretch it first and more frequently.
Also, get a foam roller. here’s a site or you can get somewhere else. Use it prior to your stretching.
http://www.fitter1.com/frol6h.html
Good luck
Moerte
It is absolutely amazing that such a huge problem can be diagnosed over the internet!
DUDE! Go freakin see a Sports Med Doc! Go see an ART therapist who can diagnose and probably treat you. DO NOT ask for medical advice over the net! Unless you want your knees to stay fucked up.
JMO,
Scott
I aanted to get an idea of what it could be so I can properly describe what is that I am experiencing…chill home boy.
Dude, if you want to get a better idea GET A FREAKIN DIAGNOSIS by a professional. Don’t waste your time on the net. Whatever man, it’s your knee… Later ‘homeboy’…
I mentioned the IT band and the foam roller in my post. In fact thats what i have been doing every day and it seems to be working. I also stretch my hip flexors but i want to try yours out. The hip flexor stretch i do is slightly diffrent.
It’s like the regular standing grab your foot and pull it back to your butt leg stretch. But thats only quads and doesnt get the deep hip flexors. When most people do that they let their pelvis tilt to the front, anterior pelvic tilt. (your belt buckle points down)
The one i learned you start the same way with the heel to the butt, but you tilt your pelvis the other way. Posterior pelvic tilt. (belt buckle pointing up). that puts a great stretch on hip flexors.
I will use both.
thanks for the advice.
P.S. When you buy a foam roller get the round ones not the flat sided ones. YOu need to roll on it.
there is a new article on here about training your Ass. You’ll notice that was on my list of weak muscle groups and there is alot of stuff in it about hip training.
Knees are a slave joint. (sounds racist) That means when they have a problem its probably because of something above it or below it. Some times its problems in the hips or core. some times the ankle. But the article just posted is a good read for us knee problem people.
I have to do a search to see if i can find anything else in the archives.