Solved a problem of 20yrs in 2 weeks (knees)

[Phlog]

I've suffered from painful knees since I was 18, it started playing roller hockey, I was getting into it and my knees started clicking, pain under kneecap etc. Physio gave me an exercise to do, standing on one leg and bending it a bit for reps, his theory was that my quad was over developed on the outer side and that this exercise would train my knee correctly. It helped, maybe, but quitting rollerhocky helped more.

After decades of skateboarding, kickboxing I started really lifting heavy and playing American football. Shit got bad after 3 years of that, I was having to really curb what I did, avoiding running, no squats etc. To the point I was medicating and trying all sorts of shit, BPC-157 etc to fix. Saw another physio last year and he had me rest for months, reverse slide lunging with increasing weights.

It helped and cured my patella tendonitis but when I cranked shit up and returned to football and lifting the familiar pain returned, not being able to sit with knees bent for more than 20sec or so. Having to get out of the car to stretch every 10 min etc.


A random youtube clip on the science of hamstrings described the bicep femoris which attaches below the knee, that isn't activated at all by squats, deadlift, stiff legged deads, cable pull throughs etc. It's only really effected by resisted leg curls, an exercise I've never done.

After one session of 3x12 things felt 60% better and it persisted. After two weeks of doing the same I can sit with my leg totally bent for an hour with no pain, something I havn't done for a decade.

I've entirely healed myself, and it's incredible, literally the only thing holding me back athletically has gone, a new lease of life. I've sprinted without knee supports, squatted heavy and no pain whatsoever.

I don't blame anyone for not figuring it out 20yrs ago but man, it seems like such a simple thing to miss.

Balance of joints should be taught in school.

 

[Badger67]

This is why "bro work" shouldnt be neglected.
Single joint exercises are great, but shouldnt the foundation obviously.
Glad you are doing better.

 

[FinalConflict2005]

Awesome post and thank you for sharing. Glad your feeling better!

 

[kahiljabroni]

Very interesting. I’ve had similar symptoms with my right knee for over a decade...it feels best with regular moderate leg work but it’s never great.

Was working out in a hotel gym 2 days ago and they had a leg curl machine. I looked at it and thought hmmm...maybe that would help. I didn’t try it but thanks to this thread I’m going to ASAP. Thanks

 

[Sano]

This is why "bro work" shouldnt be neglected.
Single joint exercises are great, but shouldnt the foundation obviously.
Glad you are doing better.

So true.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

So true.

But bro work needs to come down from the douche-o-sphere in terms of how it is taught and applied. I think I remember Kyle Keough writing about how novice lifters should consider doing BB work first, then work on strength, then peak for meets.

 

[NurseKnuckles]

BUt the key here is that @Phlog feels better!

 

[MatterOverMind]

Now, step up your game and switch to GHRs!

 

[LiverThrow]

Nice.

Would you mind sharing said video?

I know that hamstring curls makes the hamstring "tighten up" in way deadlifts does'nt,
but i have a hard time believing the claim that biceps femoris doesnt get hit on deadlifts/stiffs etc. But I would like to know more about the subject because im building up my ham at the moment after injury and im currently not doing any curls, only deads/stiffs/squats.

 

[LiverThrow]

I delved into the subject. The biceps femoris (just like the biceps brachii) has two "heads," a short head and a long head.
The long head of the biceps femoris gets hit with deads etc. But the short head needs special attention with curls.

Cool, i needed this information. Thx for making the thread!

 

[Phlog]

Nice.

Would you mind sharing said video?

I know that hamstring curls makes the hamstring "tighten up" in way deadlifts does'nt,
but i have a hard time believing the claim that biceps femoris doesnt get hit on deadlifts/stiffs etc. But I would like to know more about the subject because im building up my ham at the moment after injury and im currently not doing any curls, only deads/stiffs/squats.

I'm liking this guy a lot, evidence based approach ftw.

I delved into the subject. The biceps femoris (just like the biceps brachii) has two "heads," a short head and a long head.
The long head of the biceps femoris gets hit with deads etc. But the short head needs special attention with curls.

Cool, i needed this information. Thx for making the thread!

No problem man, it's been a literal life changer for me , everyday I'm amazed how persistent it is.

 

[Thepaintbucket]

Thank you for sharing this. I don't have a problem but it's always great to keep this for future use.

 

[AtlSteel]

Congrats. This cured patella tendonitis for me - Search up Beating Patellar Tendonitis by Koban. I tried to paste an Amazon link and it didn't work.

 

[Chad R. Thundercock]

Now, step up your game and switch to GHRs!

+1 on this. My primary movements for hamstrings are weighted GHR's and deficit stiff-legged/Romanian deadlifts.

 

[Phlog]

I went to sleep lying on my side with my knee bent at 90' last night, pain free for the first time in years. The benefits are persisting!

Played a game of football in over 30'c (90f+) on hard dry ground sunday, played every offensive and a few defensive drives and knees were just a little sore day of and day after. A few weeks ago would have put me out for a week.

I've started doing the limber eleven and it feels real good being freed up, definitely feeling my age a little in how much stretching benefits things. Gonna hit deadlifts and squats today but my focus going forwards is going to be on mobility, balance, power etc rather than just strength, I've just got to find and develop a new program. I've been running the big 4 in juggernaut for a few years so it's a little bit of a brave new world.

Here's hoping others can fix themselves by discovering the right knowledge.

 

[Oblivian]

But bro work needs to come down from the douche-o-sphere in terms of how it is taught and applied. I think I remember Kyle Keough writing about how novice lifters should consider doing BB work first, then work on strength, then peak for meets.

When I first got on this forum and into lifting, the general attitude was compound lifts, pushing limits, and focus on performance over anything else. I think it's interesting how much things have changed. I see most advocating accumulating a lot of volume + hypertrophy.

 

[Sano]

I went to sleep lying on my side with my knee bent at 90' last night, pain free for the first time in years. The benefits are persisting!

Played a game of football in over 30'c (90f+) on hard dry ground sunday, played every offensive and a few defensive drives and knees were just a little sore day of and day after. A few weeks ago would have put me out for a week.

I've started doing the limber eleven and it feels real good being freed up, definitely feeling my age a little in how much stretching benefits things. Gonna hit deadlifts and squats today but my focus going forwards is going to be on mobility, balance, power etc rather than just strength, I've just got to find and develop a new program. I've been running the big 4 in juggernaut for a few years so it's a little bit of a brave new world.

Here's hoping others can fix themselves by discovering the right knowledge.

You're learning, that's good! Congrats on the knee feeling better!

 

[Shogun]

I have patellar tendonitis also in my left knee. It's was excruciating at one point when I was squatting.

Getting knee sleeves has definitely helped but it hasn't actually got rid of the pain - I came across someone else talking about leg curls and to focus on the eccentric portion of it, it pretty much got rid of the pain like nothing else did (it has comeback however). Unfortunately I've got a home gym now with no leg curl machine, so it might have to be my next investment.

 

[Phlog]

Three and a half months later and I can do a session of explosive running/ jogging and be fine the next day. Still get the odd pain but fleeting. Occasionally have to straighten legs after a day of using the knees but it's all decreasing.

I've started to squat with my knees closer together, I'd been using a shoulder width and a half stance before, and as a result squats are no longer hurting the knee the next few days.

Still the main fix is the unilateral leg curls, up to 15kgx12 toes pointed. Three to 5 times a week depending on feel.

I'm now doing eccentric drop squats also and loving them for the patella tendonitis

 

[Eisenhans]

Well, congratulations.

Imo, and I'm gonna get hated for this, modern powerlifting and post-modern "powerbuilding" were the worst things that happened to strength sports. Everyone and their mother seems to get injured because of those, me included.