FIXED how come squats hurt my knees?

berryblondboys · 03-09-11, 09:28 PM

I don't think i have knee problems as they don't hurt when I walk, go up or down stairs, but with even a single lunge, they hurt and they always have. Or at least they did the last time I started exercising about a decade ago and they never seem to get better. I have proper form, I've checked that my knees don't g past my feet.

Is this unusual? Is it my weight? (I weigh 235 and did way back then too or a bit more). And what can I do to modify or to make my knees stronger? Any ideas?

EDITED: it's not lunges that hurt my knees, but squats. Though a lunge can hurt my knee a little bit, but not as much.

KarenP · 03-09-11, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berryblondboys

I don't think i have knee problems as they don't hurt when I walk, go up or down stairs, but with even a single lunge, they hurt and they always have. Or at least they did the last time I started exercising about a decade ago and they never seem to get better. I have proper form, I've checked that my knees don't g past my feet.

Is this unusual? Is it my weight? (I weigh 235 and did way back then too or a bit more). And what can I do to modify or to make my knees stronger? Any ideas?

Some ideas:

• Your form still may not be right. There's more to lunging than the knee over the toes. Your knee should also track in the direction of your toe. If it caves in or splays out, that can be trouble for you knee.

• Are you keeping the weight in the heel of your front foot rather than the ball of your foot? If not, this could also cause problems.

• It's possible that you're not strong enough yet to do this exercise. The heavier you are the more work you'll be doing.

Whatever the case, if this move hurts, I don't think you should do it. Stick to squats and other squat variations that don't hurt your joints.

Judith L · 03-09-11, 09:52 PM

Do your knees hurt also with backward lunges? Static lunges? Is your body upright or leaning forward? What if you descend only halfway?

Perhaps you're having difficulty finding your balance and your knees aren't tracking correctly -- try holding on to something for support. You could hold onto a chair, or use a pole, or a band or tubing. Try a static lunge using a band or tubing to help balance you. -- Step on the band with your front foot as you get into a static lunge and then holding/pulling the ends of the band/tubing, lower down only half way and then come up.

If none of this helps then I'd forget lunges.

Can you do a door-knob squat? Stand facing the edge of a door, holding the door knobs in each hand. Lean back (almost pulling away from the door) and squat down keeping your lower legs perpendicular to the floor. Go down only half way. Do you feel pain doing that?

tigerbaby · 03-09-11, 09:53 PM

Karen gave some good pointers already so the only thing I have to add is that sometimes when we do a particular move and feel discomfort or pain, it becomes hard to improve and work through the move if we feel stress or hesitation due to the expectation of the pain. This expectation can really compromise technique by causing one to tense the body or overcompensate in a way to avoid the discomfort, causing one to lose form and thereby setting one up for possible injury. And again, this goes for any type of move that causes pain.

I have really bad knees and typically avoid lunges, but whenever I did do them I would build up to them with regard to the depth of my lunge, so I've kept my lunges very shallow, focusing on form, until I built up strength.

berryblondboys · 03-09-11, 10:34 PM

I love this site. you all are awesome!

Ok first, I was putting the weight on the ball of my foot. Second, if I try to put it on my heel, I feel like i'm going to topple over backwards. If I stick my butt out, I can do it with less pain, but some. If I try to keep my torso upright, I can hardly bend as I feel very unbalanced. Could it be my belly and boobs? I have a gut and I've always been well endowed in the chest.

I think my knees are following Ok. I'm not sure what all the lunge names are. the only ones that hurt are the step to side and static lunges.

Hej · 03-10-11, 03:10 AM

I'm not sure how you feel you're going to fall backwards on a lunge... Since with a lunge one leg is in front of you and one leg behind, it's easy to feel you might fall sideways if you lose your balance but I've never heard of anyone feeling they would fall over backwards. With squats, OTOH I have felt in danger of falling backwards with squats. I have a long torso and short legs and can't do a behind to grass squat to save my life unless I have my heels elevated. I wonder if you're doing a squat?

nyskier · 03-10-11, 07:03 AM

I used to have this probleIm, too, but I seem to do better with Chalene's direction in CLX. Now I don't get the pain. Check out this website and see if it helps:
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exer...knee-pain.html

Jeanne Marie · 03-10-11, 07:52 AM

Nevermind!

counterclockwise · 03-10-11, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigerbaby

Karen gave some good pointers already so the only thing I have to add is that sometimes when we do a particular move and feel discomfort or pain, it becomes hard to improve and work through the move if we feel stress or hesitation due to the expectation of the pain. This expectation can really compromise technique by causing one to tense the body or overcompensate in a way to avoid the discomfort, causing one to lose form and thereby setting one up for possible injury. And again, this goes for any type of move that causes pain.

What a great point! I know I have done this before.

berryblondboys · 03-10-11, 08:20 AM

See... I don't even know the lingo properly. It's squat I,m talking about.

Sorry to confuse everyone. I'm ok with lunges, but yes sometimes the front knee gets the same pain, but squats do me in.

Now I feel like a dork asking about the wrong thing. I know they are called squats. Must have had a brain fart!

Support VF
VF Membership Subscription
Shop These Vendors
Activa	Collage Video
Amazon.com	eBay.com
Amazon.ca (Canada)	Half.com
Amazon.co.uk (UK)	Junonia
Amazon.fr (France)	Onehanesplace.com
BN.com	Overstock.com
Buy.com	Road Runner Sports
CenturyFitness.com	Sierra Trading Post

03-09-11, 09:28 PM
berryblondboys Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Columbia, MD	FIXED how come squats hurt my knees? I don't think i have knee problems as they don't hurt when I walk, go up or down stairs, but with even a single lunge, they hurt and they always have. Or at least they did the last time I started exercising about a decade ago and they never seem to get better. I have proper form, I've checked that my knees don't g past my feet. Is this unusual? Is it my weight? (I weigh 235 and did way back then too or a bit more). And what can I do to modify or to make my knees stronger? Any ideas? EDITED: it's not lunges that hurt my knees, but squats. Though a lunge can hurt my knee a little bit, but not as much.

03-09-11, 09:52 PM
Judith L VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: CT	Do your knees hurt also with backward lunges? Static lunges? Is your body upright or leaning forward? What if you descend only halfway? Perhaps you're having difficulty finding your balance and your knees aren't tracking correctly -- try holding on to something for support. You could hold onto a chair, or use a pole, or a band or tubing. Try a static lunge using a band or tubing to help balance you. -- Step on the band with your front foot as you get into a static lunge and then holding/pulling the ends of the band/tubing, lower down only half way and then come up. If none of this helps then I'd forget lunges. Can you do a door-knob squat? Stand facing the edge of a door, holding the door knobs in each hand. Lean back (almost pulling away from the door) and squat down keeping your lower legs perpendicular to the floor. Go down only half way. Do you feel pain doing that? __________________ Judith

03-09-11, 09:53 PM
tigerbaby Join Date: Sep 2007	Karen gave some good pointers already so the only thing I have to add is that sometimes when we do a particular move and feel discomfort or pain, it becomes hard to improve and work through the move if we feel stress or hesitation due to the expectation of the pain. This expectation can really compromise technique by causing one to tense the body or overcompensate in a way to avoid the discomfort, causing one to lose form and thereby setting one up for possible injury. And again, this goes for any type of move that causes pain. I have really bad knees and typically avoid lunges, but whenever I did do them I would build up to them with regard to the depth of my lunge, so I've kept my lunges very shallow, focusing on form, until I built up strength.

03-09-11, 10:34 PM
berryblondboys Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Columbia, MD	I love this site. you all are awesome! Ok first, I was putting the weight on the ball of my foot. Second, if I try to put it on my heel, I feel like i'm going to topple over backwards. If I stick my butt out, I can do it with less pain, but some. If I try to keep my torso upright, I can hardly bend as I feel very unbalanced. Could it be my belly and boobs? I have a gut and I've always been well endowed in the chest. I think my knees are following Ok. I'm not sure what all the lunge names are. the only ones that hurt are the step to side and static lunges.

03-10-11, 03:10 AM
Hej Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Lund, Sweden	I'm not sure how you feel you're going to fall backwards on a lunge... Since with a lunge one leg is in front of you and one leg behind, it's easy to feel you might fall sideways if you lose your balance but I've never heard of anyone feeling they would fall over backwards. With squats, OTOH I have felt in danger of falling backwards with squats. I have a long torso and short legs and can't do a behind to grass squat to save my life unless I have my heels elevated. I wonder if you're doing a squat?

03-10-11, 07:03 AM
nyskier VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL	I used to have this probleIm, too, but I seem to do better with Chalene's direction in CLX. Now I don't get the pain. Check out this website and see if it helps: http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exer...knee-pain.html

03-10-11, 07:52 AM
Jeanne Marie Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Atlanta, Ga.	Nevermind! __________________ *Jeanne*

03-10-11, 08:20 AM
berryblondboys Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Columbia, MD	See... I don't even know the lingo properly. It's squat I,m talking about. Sorry to confuse everyone. I'm ok with lunges, but yes sometimes the front knee gets the same pain, but squats do me in. Now I feel like a dork asking about the wrong thing. I know they are called squats. Must have had a brain fart!