Right knee pain - Ausbb

Ben · 20-02-2010, 10:30 PM

When I was cycling a lot I developed a grinding and cracking noise from my right knee when I knelt down/squatted.

It would give me a dull ache on occasion. I stopped cycling, the pain went away but the noises are still there.

Today after squats I noticed I have some pain again, wondering if fish oil tabs or glucosmine/chondroitin would help?

Who would be the specialist to see, and would would the charge be approx?

Kyle Aaron · 21-02-2010, 09:34 AM

It sounds like what I had, which was the patella not tracking properly. When you flex your knee the kneecap (patella) goes up and down, there's a little groove it's supposed to slide up and down in.

Your quadriceps are four muscles which join in a tendon that goes around your kneecap. If one side is stronger than the other, it pulls the kneecap to one side, and so it doesn't go down the groove, but grinds against other structures. This makes it crack, and causes pain and inflammation.

It's a relatively common condition. In ordinary sedentary people it's not a problem - they move a little bit, do a little bit of damage, it heals up, they damage it a little bit, it heals up, and so on. In active people, they do a lot of damage, it heals a little bit, a lot of damage, and so on. So eventually they get pain. Thus it's an overuse injury.

Or it could be something entirely different. In any case fish oil/glucosamine won't do any harm, but it won't cure the condition. These things act as lubricants for your joints, lubricant doesn't help if the joint is damaged or misaligned.

The person to see is someone advertising themselves as a "sports physiotherapist." The cost of these varies a lot, mine is $50-$60 a session. They're usually not much below that in cost but can definitely go higher. Shop around, but do see someone, that money spent can avoid months off training, thus protecting your investment of money and time in exercise so far.

Ben · 24-02-2010, 10:15 PM

Thanks Kyle.

What did they prescribe to you for the condition?

Kyle Aaron · 25-02-2010, 06:19 AM

Tape knee from outside to inside to displace patella medially.

Exercises to awaken and strengthen the vastus medialis, the inner of the three quads on the surface, compared to the overly-strong vastus lateralis. Exercises begin with heel of foot against instep of symptomatic leg, press them together... trying to contract the vastus medialis while leaving the vastus lateralis relaxed. Can be achieved by sort of half-contracting muscles rather than full-on squeeze.

Moves on from there, being able to activate vastus medialis while knee is rotated out - application to squats obvious, I think.

Ben · 25-02-2010, 10:34 AM

How did they work out what the problem was? Did you need to do scans or could they tell just by prodding you?

Kyle Aaron · 25-02-2010, 03:24 PM

They can see when the kneecap isn't tracking properly, they get you to stand and squat and so on, and by prodding with your feedback - "ow" - can see where the inflammation is.

My particular problem is a common one, so the diagnosis is quick.

Sticky · 25-02-2010, 07:29 PM

I have the same issue. Sore knee's and a fair amount of clicking.
I also saw somebody about this, and what kyle has said, is basiclly word for word what i was told.
I was told to ice everynight, and do excercises to help strengthen the inside of my thigh to help the knee cap track properly.
The excercise i was given is as follows:

*Sit on floor, with legs straight out in front.

*place a rolled up towel under your knee, so the underside of your thigh is about 100mm off the ground.

*Pull the knee cap up, then raise the heel off the floor so your leg is straight.

* lower heel to floor, relese knee cap

She told me to do 5x10 on each leg and ice after.

It doesnt feel like it does much, but my clicking has imporved. Strap a bag of rice or similar after a few weeks.
I also found that getting the knots/tightness brutally massaged out of the outside quad help ALOT also.

She told me not to squat anywhere near 1RM, and told me to 1/4 squat.

So i worked on my 20RM which went from 80kg, now to 102.5kg @ 80kg

Hope this helps, sorry for the uber post!

P.s I take 15 fish oil tabs a day, do they help, maybe. Wouldnt really like to find out.

Sticky · 25-02-2010, 07:35 PM

I must add, I had no pain in my knees, just hardcore clicking/popping/grinding im my right knee. Now, I have some pain (enough to cause me not to squat) when i touch the bottom of my left knee cap. Result of the 20reppers 2 or 3 times a week?

Ben · 25-02-2010, 08:42 PM

Thanks for the reply Sticky.

Update:

http://ausbb.com/member-training-dia...html#post90809

Sticky · 25-02-2010, 09:12 PM

No worries mate.

Wow, 15mm. I just measured mine, and it seems that my left leg (floor to bottom of knee cap) is 5mm longer then my right

, ha, weird

20-02-2010, 10:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
Ben Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Gender: Posts: 1,981	Right knee pain When I was cycling a lot I developed a grinding and cracking noise from my right knee when I knelt down/squatted. It would give me a dull ache on occasion. I stopped cycling, the pain went away but the noises are still there. Today after squats I noticed I have some pain again, wondering if fish oil tabs or glucosmine/chondroitin would help? Who would be the specialist to see, and would would the charge be approx? __________________ 137.5/97.5/150 @ 71

21-02-2010, 09:34 AM	#2 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	It sounds like what I had, which was the patella not tracking properly. When you flex your knee the kneecap (patella) goes up and down, there's a little groove it's supposed to slide up and down in. Your quadriceps are four muscles which join in a tendon that goes around your kneecap. If one side is stronger than the other, it pulls the kneecap to one side, and so it doesn't go down the groove, but grinds against other structures. This makes it crack, and causes pain and inflammation. It's a relatively common condition. In ordinary sedentary people it's not a problem - they move a little bit, do a little bit of damage, it heals up, they damage it a little bit, it heals up, and so on. In active people, they do a lot of damage, it heals a little bit, a lot of damage, and so on. So eventually they get pain. Thus it's an overuse injury. Or it could be something entirely different. In any case fish oil/glucosamine won't do any harm, but it won't cure the condition. These things act as lubricants for your joints, lubricant doesn't help if the joint is damaged or misaligned. The person to see is someone advertising themselves as a "sports physiotherapist." The cost of these varies a lot, mine is $50-$60 a session. They're usually not much below that in cost but can definitely go higher. Shop around, but do see someone, that money spent can avoid months off training, thus protecting your investment of money and time in exercise so far. __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

24-02-2010, 10:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ben Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Gender: Posts: 1,981	Thanks Kyle. What did they prescribe to you for the condition? __________________ 137.5/97.5/150 @ 71

25-02-2010, 06:19 AM	#4 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	Tape knee from outside to inside to displace patella medially. Exercises to awaken and strengthen the vastus medialis, the inner of the three quads on the surface, compared to the overly-strong vastus lateralis. Exercises begin with heel of foot against instep of symptomatic leg, press them together... trying to contract the vastus medialis while leaving the vastus lateralis relaxed. Can be achieved by sort of half-contracting muscles rather than full-on squeeze. Moves on from there, being able to activate vastus medialis while knee is rotated out - application to squats obvious, I think. __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

25-02-2010, 10:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ben Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Gender: Posts: 1,981	How did they work out what the problem was? Did you need to do scans or could they tell just by prodding you? __________________ 137.5/97.5/150 @ 71

25-02-2010, 03:24 PM	#6 (permalink)
Kyle Aaron Active Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Melbourne Gender: Posts: 3,682	They can see when the kneecap isn't tracking properly, they get you to stand and squat and so on, and by prodding with your feedback - "ow" - can see where the inflammation is. My particular problem is a common one, so the diagnosis is quick. __________________ Recent clients' best results: BW +10kg/-27kg ... BF-11% ... ♀/♂1RM/kg SQ65/145 OHP30/65 DL75/170 "fitness and lifting is just an interest I have. Plain and simple. Some people like music, others like shopping, I like deadlifts." - a client[/SIZE]

25-02-2010, 07:29 PM	#7 (permalink)
Sticky Active Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Brissie Gender: Posts: 3,364	I have the same issue. Sore knee's and a fair amount of clicking. I also saw somebody about this, and what kyle has said, is basiclly word for word what i was told. I was told to ice everynight, and do excercises to help strengthen the inside of my thigh to help the knee cap track properly. The excercise i was given is as follows: Sit on floor, with legs straight out in front. place a rolled up towel under your knee, so the underside of your thigh is about 100mm off the ground. Pull the knee cap up, then raise the heel off the floor so your leg is straight. lower heel to floor, relese knee cap She told me to do 5x10 on each leg and ice after. It doesnt feel like it does much, but my clicking has imporved. Strap a bag of rice or similar after a few weeks. I also found that getting the knots/tightness brutally massaged out of the outside quad help ALOT also. She told me not to squat anywhere near 1RM, and told me to 1/4 squat. So i worked on my 20RM which went from 80kg, now to 102.5kg @ 80kg Hope this helps, sorry for the uber post! P.s I take 15 fish oil tabs a day, do they help, maybe. Wouldnt really like to find out.

25-02-2010, 07:35 PM	#8 (permalink)
Sticky Active Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Brissie Gender: Posts: 3,364	I must add, I had no pain in my knees, just hardcore clicking/popping/grinding im my right knee. Now, I have some pain (enough to cause me not to squat) when i touch the bottom of my left knee cap. Result of the 20reppers 2 or 3 times a week?

25-02-2010, 08:42 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ben Active Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Gender: Posts: 1,981	Thanks for the reply Sticky. Update: http://ausbb.com/member-training-dia...html#post90809 __________________ 137.5/97.5/150 @ 71

25-02-2010, 09:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
Sticky Active Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Brissie Gender: Posts: 3,364	No worries mate. Wow, 15mm. I just measured mine, and it seems that my left leg (floor to bottom of knee cap) is 5mm longer then my right , ha, weird