Patellar pain

[growin']

I hate my knees! I got a twinge in my left knee last week doing DE box squats...didn't respect the weight...I didn't stay tight enough, and was sort of throwing the weight around. Yesterday was ME day on Low box squats. I put some Nicoflex on my knees to keep them warm and loose. There's that fucking strain again! My left leg feels tight all the way through the glute, hip, and knee. I have been doing alot of hip/glute/hammy stretches, but I still seem to strain the knees. All I can come up with is that I'm not sitting back far enough on the box. What do you guys think?

Deadlifts are soooo much more fun, and way less of a hassle.

Thanks fellas

 

[Arioch]

Knee problems are VERY hard to assess, even when someone is there in person.

Go to a doctor. Knee problems, like any other joint injury, will continue to worsen if not taken care of, assuming you have some sort of injury.

But yes, sitting back further on the box increases hip flexion, which increases activation of the hamstring, which protects the patella during quadriceps flexion through co-contraction. Also, it decreases the rotation around the knee joint, which is always a Very Good Thing.

 

[growin']

What sort of doc should I see? My normal doc is kind of a dildo. I assume he would have to refer me to a sports physician, is that correct? I'll have to check with my pathetic insurance company to see if they cover that.

 

[Arioch]

Most doctors are kind of ---------. Even so-called sports medicine doctors. My advice would be to find a doctor who actually works with local athletes, either at the professional or university level. This can be a pain, but it is worth it. An ortho will want to cut, a kinesiologist will beat the hell out of you, etc. It varies. Whatever, avoid the knife at all cost. If the first thing the doc talks about is surgery, go get a second opinion.

And yes, insurance companies suck. The trick is to get it covered under preventative medicine. If you do anything work related that could bother your knees, this may make it easier.

 

[growin']

Have you, or any of your athletes tried Active Release? I know Poliquin always touted it as near-magic. I am a computer programmer, so basically I sit in a chair all day. I guess I could say it tightens up, which is not totally untrue.

 

[bigokie]

Is your knee itself tight? If it is that's not good news. It usually means that your patella tendon is starting to rip off. My mom just had this. She got it scoped. It only took two weeks to get back to full work. No rehab.

So first off, go to see an orthopedic doctor. They are the only ones that can work on this. Try to find a decent one in your area. If it's bad enough they will want to scope it. Don't worry this will only set you back a little. Nicoflex is a good idea, but it might just cover up the pain and allow you to injure it worse. Then you might have to have open surgery in which case you'll be out of it for a long while. Get it checked. If it's just a minor tear, it will just take a little work to get it back in shape. You might want to get the video the Reactive Method by Louie Simmons, it has a bunch of rehab training for all parts of the body that can be injured by lifting. It's taught on the tape by a guy that teaches it to rehab doctors and physical therapists.

Good luck and hope it isn't bad

 

[growin']

Thanks for the help fellas. I think I'll pick up that video. Here's my plan, I want to see if I truly have a physical problem, or just shitty form:

This week I am going to do alot of stretching and icing. No squats.

Next week, I'll skip the max and try a few light box squats sitting WAY back. If that still causes problems, I am going to hit up my regular doc ASAP so he can refer me to a specialist. Unfortunately at this juncture in time, I can't afford to go see any doc I want, I have to stick to my health plan or I pay up the ass. The wife and I are on a really tight budget trying to buy our first house. If worse comes to worst, I guess I'll have to hold off on squats for a while, and become.....THE STRONGEST DEADLIFTING PROGRAMMER IN THE WORLD!!!!!

Thanks again

 

[Arioch]

I have had several athletes use it with great success. I would be able to point you to the a great website if I was using my computer. Since I am not bright enough to remember, a google search should turn it up.

My injuries are not the sort that respond to ART, unfortunately.