Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › Knee › Knee Pain Help

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    • 05/17/2013 at 8:45 pm #70204
      AvatarZoey Dowling
      Participant

      Hey everyone, got a question that maybe I can get some help with. Almost a year ago I broke my knee on the inside (patella fraction I believe it was called). I am generally flat footed which aided to me breaking it because of my knee caving in to the center when doing certain exercises. It is healed up for the most part now but when I attempt to run I get pain on the inside of my knee right where I broke it and my calves get a “pump” to the point that they look like I just did a calf workout and cramp up. Anyone have any advice on any mobility ideas to help correct this issue? Also, a related problem but I am not sure if this contributes to it as well or not, but when I squat, if my knees do not go as far out as I can possibly push them, you can actually see my patella tendon on the outside of my knee shift over the bone ( I believe its referred to as snapping tendon). When this happens as well I actually can feel it and it makes a popping sound as well as a slightly loss of strength when performing the movement. I realized I kind of combined multiple things here, but any help on the topics/problems would greatly be appreciated.

    • 05/22/2013 at 10:26 pm #71998
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      Dylan–
      What are you doing to strengthen your feet or to build an arch?
      Your knee pain could be a running technique issue.
      Have someone video tape you running so you can see exactly what you are doing.
      It sounds like you have an active landing.
      Make sure your heel is kissing the ground. If its not the calf is always active which is causing the problem.
      Cramping is most often a hydration issue.
      Have you had a PT or medical advice about the snapping tendon?
      There may be exercise you can do to prevent this from happening.
      Skill work to really dial in your technique so your knee is out as far as possible on every rep. This needs to be the default positioning.

    • 05/25/2013 at 2:13 pm #72010
      AvatarZoey Dowling
      Participant

      I just recently started doing some of the mobility techniques I saw in some of the videos on here. Primarily the ones from the episodes “Rebuilding the feet”.

      I believe my knee pain is a source of my running technique. It largely developed from my knee break because I use to wear orthotics to correct my arch and my feet land very loudly almost sounding like I am stomping my feet. I have begun doing some of the running drills as a result. I also feel that my hamstrings are shortened some due to lack of stretching and mobility work when my knee was recovering.

      I saw a PT when I had my knee broken and he said it was not a bad issue just to keep an eye on it and the only permanent thing they know of to fix it so it doesn’t happen anymore even with bad form is to have surgery and have the tendon reposition.

       If you have any mobility work you would generally recommend for some of those issues to get me pointed in the right direction that would be great too!

    • 05/25/2013 at 5:15 pm #72011
      AvatarJames Elwin
      Participant

      Dylan, I have some of the same problems due to a femur fracture I sustained back in 2005. Learning to rebuild and correct the faults of my bad leg has made me pretty aware of certain things. The big thing is definitely strengthening your feet and areas upstream and downstream e.g. quadricep(rectus femoris,VMO etc), calf muscles etc. Also, since my foot and ankle and hip areas are still not 100% my calves have to work overtime. When my tibialis posterior becomes tight it is no longer active which leads to overpronation of my foot(collapsed arch)which then leads to my knee bowing in (valgus knee). Also, if you’re missing internal rotation then your running form will suffer because you won’t be creating the right force to press off during your stride. I try to do 5:00 cumulative calf holds every other day to help build up my tibialis posterior (B McKenzie suggests this in a video).
      With regards to running form I try to let my heel kiss the ground as kaitlin suggested. Essentially, the quieter you are when you run the better. You’ll notice people with bad running form or poor mobility will be really loud when they run. Yesterday I was running trails (which requires a more upright torso) and felt like I was stomping the whole time. This in turn also led to greater spinal loading which did not amuse my lower back muscles or my TFL. So I definitely have to mobilize areas daIly that I know are going to be responsible for keeping me efficient and injury free.
      Sorry if I’m being long-winded but hopefully this helps and I try to watch at least one MWOD video per day to assist me in getting back to Supple Leopard status. If you have any questions or need me to suggest any videos for you to delve into let me know! We owe it to ourselves to be the best biomechanical creatures possible.

      Travis

    • 05/29/2013 at 3:40 pm #72046
      AvatarZoey Dowling
      Participant

      I greatly appreciate the help/advice. I have been practicing a lot of the running drills and also working on my mobility because it feels like when I run I have to almost push my foot down like I am trying to stand on my toes,  to land on the balls of my feet. Any info or videos that you can recommend would be great Travis! Thanks!

    • 05/29/2013 at 4:47 pm #72048
      AvatarJames Elwin
      Participant

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/08/episode-07-bro-your-navicular-bone-dropped/

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2010/09/episdoe-23-runners-legs/

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/05/episode-249-improving-hip-extension-and-internal-rotation-for-running/

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/04/episode-220-lower-leg-business/

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2011/01/episode-151-the-runnersplit-jerk-dream-mob/

      http://www.mobilitywod.com/2012/05/torque-and-trunk-stability-part-1-how-to-stand/

      Try these out and keep me posted if you need guidance to other videos.

    • 05/30/2013 at 10:53 pm #72059
      AvatarAnonymous
      Guest

      Dylan–
      If you are landing on your toes you are landing too far forward and this is some of the problem you are experiencing with your calf.
      Here is a link to a video Brian MacKenzie did that addresses running on your toes and fixing it.
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=23l42px5

    • 06/15/2013 at 10:14 am #72197
      AvatarZoey Dowling
      Participant

      Travishibachi– those have really helped, thanks for the video recommendations!

       

      Kaitlin– It’s not that I am landing on my toes, I actually have a severe heel strike. For the people on the floor underneath the cardio room I’m sure it sounds like an earthquake underneath the machine I am on. I suppose I am trying to grasp the concept of landing on the balls of the feet because it feels like I would have to extend at the ankle or so to land correctly. Currently with my heel strike as severe as it is, it causes my calves to be overactive when running and then to cramp up from a pumped up calve muscle. I have realized through doing various mobilizations that I need to increase my internal rotation for my hip, my arch in my feet and strengthening my feet, lots of smashing on all areas of my legs, and maybe lengthening my hamstrings from a long period of time of not stretching. Any advice as far as which to tackle first? I have tried some of the rebuilding the feet episodes and when I try the jumping rope, my feet cave in as well which I am not sure on how to correct.

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