Knees health, jogging/sprinting and squats

[jzt]

Hello TB community,

Since I started running, coupled with my squats, I sometimes get pain in my knees, specifically the right one I would say. This is really an on and off phenomenon, because for the past 2 weeks I had cut down my running and felt great.

After the last squat workout (85% RM), my right knee felt great, I went to sit down for an hour and when I got up it felt really unstable, I was nearly limping. It lasted 5 mins then went away. Two days later I did some sprints (300m), felt great. The day after I squatted again (66% RM), everything felt smooth for the first 2 sets, then on the 4th rep of the last set I felt something definitely hurt in my right knee, but my form was a bit off (stance too wide).

I've never really had knee issues in regards to squatting, until I started incorporating running. My running technique is at least decent, I have good shoes, but I run on pavement. I'm also 210-220lbs (13-14% BF), which might be a factor and most of my squat sets are in the 300s. I'm thinking focusing on sprints for my running and using something more joint friendly for E sessions could be an option, but then again that didn't seem to work great in the last few days. Maybe I just need to give time to my body?

Just for clarification, my knees feel fine 99% of the time, but that small ''tweak'' or sharp pain once in a while makes me paranoid that something might snap eventually.

Has anyone with similar stats encountered these issues, if so, is there a way around it? I'm not looking to run marathons at a 210lbs+, but I can't seem to get the same heart work from rowing or biking, my muscles get tired before my heart.

My current split is Black + Op, I squat 2x per week and deadlift 1x, with 3 conditioning sessions total, either 3x HIC or 2xHIC +1xE.

[mikhou]

I don't have the same stats. I'm a smaller guy with lower working weights. But have you noticed that you have more pain with sprinting as opposed to E runs or vice versa or does it matter? I ask because I've dealt with bursitis in my right knee and it flares up when I sprint too much. E runs, however, don't bother it. End of the day, find something that doesn't hurt and do that. Maybe take an entire 3-4 week cycle and stay away from what does hurt (E runs or sprinting) and then slowly incorporate them back in (1 E run/week or 1 sprint/week) to find what works for you. (FYI, I find that a combo of jumping rope and burpees give me a great HIC workout and doesn't cause my knee to bother me. So find what works for you.)

[Likes]

I have a bad (left) knee that sometimes hurts. However it doesn't affect my performance and it doesn't hurt while running/sprinting.

I have had knee pain in the past while running and went to a running store that analyzes your gait to give you the best fitting shoe. Turns out I just needed a running shoe for a 'big' guy. After using the shoe they advised the pain stopped.

[jzt]

I have a bad (left) knee that sometimes hurts. However it doesn't affect my performance and it doesn't hurt while running/sprinting.

I have had knee pain in the past while running and went to a running store that analyzes your gait to give you the best fitting shoe. Turns out I just needed a running shoe for a 'big' guy. After using the shoe they advised the pain stopped.

Interesting! What's your typical week like? Do you give yourself days after after squats before running for example?

[Adski]

If running is something that you haven’t done regularly you may have your answer right there.

This being said, seeing a sports physio therapist that can screen you wouldn’t be a bad idea, as essentially, without seeing you move, or knowing your full history, though advice from here will definitely be useful, it’s still worth getting checked. The resin could be how you move, which will be difficult to identify without a visual.

Knee pain could come up if you are quad dominant and your glutes are not firing as well, which may require direct hip and flute work, band crab walks, single leg hip extensions, balance and stability drills etc.

This all being said, if it’s a case of too much too soon, you could trial an E session once a week for a few weeks and then increasing to 2 for another few weeks then introduce some sprint work once a week for a block as well as one E session (think operator black at this stage)

For the E session, triples may be useful (10 minutes jog, 10 minutes Airbike or spin bike, 10 minutes row for example).

To ease the pain some soft tissue work, (rolling with a baseball, hockey ball etc) could assist recovery to a degree, around the Patella pouch, quad and hip area.

All the best.

[jzt]

If running is something that you haven’t done regularly you may have your answer right there.

This being said, seeing a sports physio therapist that can screen you wouldn’t be a bad idea, as essentially, without seeing you move, or knowing your full history, though advice from here will definitely be useful, it’s still worth getting checked. The resin could be how you move, which will be difficult to identify without a visual.

Knee pain could come up if you are quad dominant and your glutes are not firing as well, which may require direct hip and flute work, band crab walks, single leg hip extensions, balance and stability drills etc.

This all being said, if it’s a case of too much too soon, you could trial an E session once a week for a few weeks and then increasing to 2 for another few weeks then introduce some sprint work once a week for a block as well as one E session (think operator black at this stage)

For the E session, triples may be useful (10 minutes jog, 10 minutes Airbike or spin bike, 10 minutes row for example).

To ease the pain some soft tissue work, (rolling with a baseball, hockey ball etc) could assist recovery to a degree, around the Patella pouch, quad and hip area.

All the best.

Thanks for the good advise. Funny enough, a friend in med school just recommended I see a physio.

I'll try the following and see if it helps:

-Physio
-Fish oil daily (I had stopped out of laziness)
-Foam roll around the knees
-Zero running, all HIC and E work will be either Heavybag, Rowing, Biking, etc.

I'll see how it goes with those changes.

[Likes]

Interesting! What's your typical week like? Do you give yourself days after after squats before running for example?

I run Op+Black pretty much as written. I use running HIC's when I can leave the house, wich is most of the time.

[Adski]

If running is something that you haven’t done regularly you may have your answer right there.

This being said, seeing a sports physio therapist that can screen you wouldn’t be a bad idea, as essentially, without seeing you move, or knowing your full history, though advice from here will definitely be useful, it’s still worth getting checked. The resin could be how you move, which will be difficult to identify without a visual.

Knee pain could come up if you are quad dominant and your glutes are not firing as well, which may require direct hip and flute work, band crab walks, single leg hip extensions, balance and stability drills etc.

This all being said, if it’s a case of too much too soon, you could trial an E session once a week for a few weeks and then increasing to 2 for another few weeks then introduce some sprint work once a week for a block as well as one E session (think operator black at this stage)

For the E session, triples may be useful (10 minutes jog, 10 minutes Airbike or spin bike, 10 minutes row for example).

To ease the pain some soft tissue work, (rolling with a baseball, hockey ball etc) could assist recovery to a degree, around the Patella pouch, quad and hip area.

All the best.

Thanks for the good advise. Funny enough, a friend in med school just recommended I see a physio.

I'll try the following and see if it helps:

-Physio
-Fish oil daily (I had stopped out of laziness)
-Foam roll around the knees
-Zero running, all HIC and E work will be either Heavybag, Rowing, Biking, etc.

I'll see how it goes with those changes.

No problem, all the best with the physio!

[CD51]

I don’t know your height but I’m 6’1 and 220 and probably close in strength. I don’t back squat over 275 for sets of 5, no reason for me to IMO. I’ve also got a history of knee issues.

The post workout pain an hour after sitting sounds like tendinitis. You didn’t describe the pain or it’s location, which would be helpful.

If you’ve started running recently I would think, even if you start off good, your form is getting loose as you fatigue and your knees aren’t tracking straight. See a physio as advised. You can also video yourself running to check your form. Low and from behind, looking to see if your feet are staying in line with your knees on impact. I get lazy at times on long runs and this happens. I pay for the next few days.