What to do about inside knee pain?

[Azz]

Hi all,

I have an issue with my right knee that is really holding up my squat progression; hoping someone will be able to point me in the right direction.

A few years ago a large dog ran into the side of knee at speed, and needless to say it left me with a limp and knee pain for several weeks, mostly on the outside of my knee. Since healing it's always been a bit kind of unstable and prone to the odd twinge. I am not a runner or squatter or anything; in fact, my legs are pathetic compared to the much greater strength my upper body has, but I want to change this, and so thought that Coach Sommer is probably correct when he says one should master bodyweight squat work before moving on to weights. Thus, I am doing Foundation 1.

A few months ago I hurt the same knee when on the 2nd week of the cross-legged squats in foundation one, it was the exact pain I had after the dog crash--on the outside of the knee. I always felt a pressure on the outside of the knee when performing these cross-legged squats, which should have told me that there was something that needed addressing first! I let the knee settle down and then decided that I probably needed to sort out my stiffness and imbalances which brought me to master the squat series. However, in doing some of the exercises, especially the Cossack squat (I'm careful not to let my arch collapse etc...), I find that I'm getting a niggle on the *inside* of my knee, which I can only attribute to something I'm doing in the master the squat series. I also noticed that staying in a cross-legged position on the floor for some time will inevitably make the inside knee sore, like a tugging twinge or sometimes just achey. I discovered today that even sitting on a chair cross-legged for 10 minutes or so caused the knee to start hurting. I don't know what to focus on to fix this as I thought I was doing the right thing by doing these exercises. I am eager to sort this as I really want to build some strength in my legs! Any ideas?

All the best,

Aaron

[Kit_L]

Azz, if this were my knee's symptoms and history, I would be having a real expert look at it. Have them test for stability/length of all knee ligaments (ACL, PCL, LCL, MCL), or there may be some meniscus damage. The initial injury should have healed by now, but may not have—and the cross-legged squats may have revealed this incomplete healing. Have someone test your knee and please report back.

[Azz]

Thank you, Kit, I will do.

[Azz]

Hi Kit,

I have been assessed by a physio and here are his thoughts: he could not find any instability (said that it seems solid as a rock!) or damage of any kind. He did, however, have a few observations which he think is the likely source of my pain. Firstly, i have tight abductors; this probably explains why in holding a straddle dish on the floor, i sometimes get sharp pain deep in my groin which often overshadows the abdominal discomfort! Secondly, i have tight hip flexors. And lastly, i have next to no glute activation which he thinks may be over-stressing the hamstrings causing extra tightness. I have been given a regime which includes a hip flexor stretch and some glute activating/strengthening exercises (hip thrusts, step-ups, and split squats), as well as abductor massages to soften them.

What do you think? I'm happy he thinks i have no knee damage!

All the best,

Azz

[Azz]

Hi again!

 

I have been following the leg regime described above, but i don't think it's changing much; i still often have a nagging pain in my (right) knee. It doesn't hurt when exercising, but it will occasionally twinge when just walking around or "ache" when just sitting down in work. I have noticed a few things though that may give some clues: the sumo squat seems to be associated with increased knee issues, not sure if this is possibly down to the slight twisting motion; during isometric exercises in which my legs are kept straight and just off the floor (dish holds for ab conditioning, for example), i find that pain in my (right) groin is what prevents me from holding it longer not ab endurance, and so maybe i have tightness/weakness there; and i have observed that my arch is more collapsed on my (right) foot--they are both rather flat though!--i am doing the calf raises to remedy this but i can't attain the cramp that Kit refers to!

 

Does any of this point to anything in particular? Due to the groin pain, I am very eager to open my hips and so am hoping someone will advise me of knee-friendly mobility. I am also eager to reclaim my arches! Not sure if this is of a major concern with respect to my knee, but it is something i should endeavour to remedy.

 

Thank you!

Azz