Squat related injury question

digink · 02-11-2006, 04:39 PM

My knees have been acting up on squats lately and even the 1st set of leg extensions, I get like a sharp pain on the lower portion of the knee, last time I did heavy legs I had to end up leaving the gym because of the pain.

After that I went to the store and bought a knee brace for my knee which helps take the pressure off the knee a lot, my question was. Would if hurt me to stay away from squats for a while and just do things like leg press to let the knees heal up? Then come back to squats after my knee is stronger.

Also would it be a good idea to keep the knee brace on when I am at the gym, its is very flexible and keeps a lot of stress off of my knee.

Diesel · 02-11-2006, 04:54 PM

go to the doctor first of all. Whenever I get any type of injury I always go to the doctor. I have Patella Tendonitis right now, so for 2 weeks I am doing nothing but leg presses. When you say its below your knee...do you mean its on your shin? or below your knee cap?

digink · 02-11-2006, 05:12 PM

below my knee cap, im broke as fuck I dont think I can go to the doctor unfortunately.

digink · 02-11-2006, 05:13 PM

also it seems like the affected knee looks a little different then the other and when I squat all the way down I feel a little pressure on the knee

Nothin' but a peanut!! · 02-11-2006, 10:15 PM

but you can afford a knee brace scrap the brace for the moment scrap training legs go and see the doctor a physio or massage therapist and get a referral from them to see whoever you may need to
get a PCL ACL test (lachmans drawer test) first to test those
maybe ou have some tendonitis with ur quad tendon
???

digink · 02-11-2006, 10:20 PM

ill try to, the knee brace was $5 bro it is the stretchy ones that don't cost anything. I'll make an appt at a doctor though you guys are right, I dont think its something big but its better to know for sure.

rugger85 · 02-11-2006, 10:28 PM

Definately go to the doctor first thing! But if they say you just have petalla tendonitis try smith machine squats. You don't have to stabalize with them and you can keep you knees from jutting out in front of your shins (which will hurt your knees worse). My knee surgeon and physical therapist both said NOT to stay away from squats, just to use the smith machine.

digink · 02-11-2006, 11:33 PM

Thanks for the advice jugger I was def thinking of trying smith for a while to keep a little pressure off the knee after I rest up for 3 days. I will make an appointment to see a doctor hopefully no bad news!

Diesel · 02-12-2006, 12:55 AM

How deep do you go in your squats? Im just curious b/c my tendonitis developed b/c I went too deep (about 3 inches past parallel)

digink · 02-12-2006, 01:22 AM

I go about 1-2inches below parallel, especially on front squats. Maybe my knee is just going thru some growing pains or something, because I know other people go deep and it doesn't jurt their knees. My workout partner is 6'4 and he goes as deep as me and has 0 knee problems, well he said he had minor pains when he 1st started squatting heavy but they soon went away.