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Thread: dem crunchy knees (chondromalacia patellae)

  1. #1
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    Default dem crunchy knees (chondromalacia patellae)

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    Ahoy,

    I've seen this covered by Tom and Sully:
    http://startingstrength.com/resource...tml#post648966

    My right knee got it traumatically in high school, and my left knee got it later on (I don't recall a specific event; I just noticed it one day). I don't have any pain, just the rice krispie noise. I take ballet class a couple nights through the week, and those pliés are heavy on the knees. I'm going to start wearing the lighter version of the Rehband sleeves to class.
    Hiking down steep hills with a heavy backpack sucks.

    After reading that post, I've taken to doing a 15 minute warmup (bike or skate) and using knee sleeves (Rehband) before I squat to keep the joint warm. I read on here (I think a Jordan post) that the ligaments take longer to warm up, so knee sleeves are a good idea to lock in the warmth.

    Squatting with proper form has helped, duh, to strengthen my legs and reduce any sort of pain or the occasional seizing that I used to experience. Hooray! They still crunch during the squat, but it's just a noise and sensation, not pain.

    The questions:
    To me, the sleeves make the crunching seem louder. Is that real/expected? Is the compression causing this?

    I'm not planning on adding them to my program anytime soon, but would front squats make the condition better/worse?

    I recently picked up "Skeletal Function and Form: Mechanobiology of Skeletal Development, Aging, and Regeneration," but haven't made much progress in it yet. It was recommended by Rip in a post of the same subject:
    Chronic inflammation and chondromalacia patella
    Has anyone given this a read and have any take-aways from it? I do plan on reading it, just wondering if any of the coaches had thoughts on it before I delve into it.

    I asked Jordan in a separate message about supplements (some were suggested in that last linked thread). I can report back here with what he says with his permission.

    Thank you!
    Chris

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Normally knee sleeves would muffle noises instead of make them louder. However, your knees don't really hurt, right? They are just noisy. If shit does not hurt, there is, for all intents and purposes, not a problem that needs to be solved here. You are welcome to try front squats, but I am skeptical that they will do anything for your knee noises. Let us know if they do. I have not read the book in question. Perhaps others have.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Campitelli View Post
    Normally knee sleeves would muffle noises instead of make them louder. However, your knees don't really hurt, right? They are just noisy. If shit does not hurt, there is, for all intents and purposes, not a problem that needs to be solved here. You are welcome to try front squats, but I am skeptical that they will do anything for your knee noises. Let us know if they do. I have not read the book in question. Perhaps others have.
    I front squat quite a bit . . . and crunchy knee noises persist . . . . no pain tho

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2016
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    Thanks, Tom. Yeah, no pain, more curious than anything. I get pops in my shoulders/elbows warming up for the press too. The cure is probably squats, presses, ear plugs, and loud music.

    This is what Jordan had to say:

    "I actually don't think there's good data supporting any supplements for chondromalacia or joint pain, in general. There's also no data showing chondroitin has side effects. I think strength training is probably the best thing to do, long term.
    I don't think that front squats are necessarily good or bad. On the one hand, there's certainly a more forward knee position in front squats that may irritate the knees or hips in some people. On the other hand, this extra stress may actually encourage some healing- though this has not been my experience in general. Not sure why to be honest."

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