Topic: Knee Pain

[Matt Erdman]

Are there movements that seem to aggravate your knee more, or is it just loading in general.

[Andy Dick]

Recently I noticed it would start to get sore when missing snatches and having to run forward to catch it.  It is hard to tell though because the last couple weeks it has been uncharacteristically bad.  Split jerks started to make it sore slightly sometimes.  At first when squatting it would be just in the descent if at all and usually in fronts squats rarely in back squat.  Last thursday and this past monday it was during both descent and ascent in the squat more in the ascent.  After trying to push through it monday now it is sore all the time descent and ascent even with just body weight.

[Matt Erdman]

Recently I noticed it would start to get sore when missing snatches and having to run forward to catch it.  It is hard to tell though because the last couple weeks it has been uncharacteristically bad.  Split jerks started to make it sore slightly sometimes.  At first when squatting it would be just in the descent if at all and usually in fronts squats rarely in back squat.  Last thursday and this past monday it was during both descent and ascent in the squat more in the ascent.  After trying to push through it monday now it is sore all the time descent and ascent even with just body weight.

If you want, I can work with you to set something up that might allow you to work around it. I've been dealing with the same thing and I feel like I've worked out a very good program. It would be best, of course, to let it heal up as much as it will before you start. Just let me know.

[Andy Dick]

I am open to suggestions.  I have not done any legs since Monday, it is feeling better, not 100%.  My current plan was to see if I could do pulls today (if it did not aggrivate my knee) and then deadlift instead of squat (to see if deadlift did not aggrivate it).  Then I was going to take next week off just to recover I have not taken a week totally off of lifting for over 15 weeks I think.  I was also contemplating decreasing my volume as well to see if that helped at all.  Obviously, attempting to stray away from what may be causing issues.

[Arturo Gómez]

Every times I or my team had problems in the knees (not structural problems as broken ligament or bone) we made the following:
1) rest until recover movement capacity
2) begin a program with only squat, in linear progression from a very low weight, adding 5 kgs. per training
3) in 1 or two months, the knee is perfect and can begin weightlifting without problem.

[Matt Erdman]

I started back with 3 days a week. Just alternate between two workouts.

Workout A
Power snatch
PC&PJ
Pressing

Workout B
Squats
Hamstrings
Whatever else

For hamstrings I do things like kettlebell or t-handle swings, RDL, back extention, GHR, GMs or deadlifts. Just find something that doesn't hurt.

I'm guessing you have done this, but make sure to find the squat stance that is most comfortable regardless of whether you feel weaker. Also I dropped front squats altogether for a while.

[Andy Dick]

Any recommendation on volume or intensity?

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

I'd recommend 4-6 months of very light training all the way around, say nothing over 80% the entire time. Try to relax, have fun, and treat it like exercise rather than sport. Of course, if you have an acute injury rather than just an overuse problem, this advice would be wrong.