Reply With QuoteDo the deadlifts hurt?
Member
chondromalacia patella
Hi all,
My knees have been bothering me for about 10 years. For long I thought it was tendonitis, but after a consult with a professional the symptoms match chondromalacia patella. No pain is reproduced when palpating the tendons around the kneecap but the Clarke's/patellar grind test was extremely painful along with a horible crunchy feeling. I am 26M, 190 lb, top squat 215 for 5s, 255 for 5 deadlift. I've had a few attempts at the NLP but I quit all due to the increase in symptoms severity as weight on the bar increased. Is this a lifelong sentence? It gets irritated by virtually everything that includes my knees bending. Could anyone please share if they had success or not dealing with such condition.
box squat Shared album - boris karavasilev - Google Photos
deadlift Shared album - boris karavasilev - Google Photos
TMPHBITEU
Do the deadlifts hurt?
Member
Have you tried squats wearing proper footwear (lifting shoes)?
Member
FYI, the Clarke test is notoriously useless and has long been considered as having poor diagnostic value since it has been known to cause pain in healthy knees and unhealthy knees. You should probably get an X-Ray and/or MRI to get a better understanding of what's going on with your knees.
The Diagnostic Value of the Clarke Sign in Assessing Chondromalacia Patella - PMC
Member
Also, Sully has this condition, he has talked about it in his videos including his latest (see below). Maybe he will see this post and add his thoughts on the topic.
Member
They used to but I did them incorrectly. They almost looked like a stiff legged deadlift, now I've improved my pulling mechanics and they no longer bother them as much. What used to kill my quality of life for a week is now only bugging me for a day in terms of movements I do in training. However, this might be an overstatement since I am only lifting such light weights in the beginning of my NLP. Cycling, long walks, jumping, running and any prolonged activity inflames the knees, they get red, swollen stiff. I train the box squat and no power cleans. So far I am a few weeks into my NLP and the training isn't too irritating - it slightly bothers the knees for a day after training. Do I ever go back to regular squats? I am in my 20s, am I bound to extensively moderate my activity like an old man as I am now to keep the inflammation down for life?
The hell is this condition? How did it develop? What to do about it? Is it for life?
Member
If you have chondromalacia patella, it is just a fancy name for patella femoral arthritis, which is the loss of cartilage under your kneecap. As things stand, arthritis is incurable, progressive, and may ultimately require joint replacement if the pain becomes unbearable in the end stages. Sounds scary, I know, but knee arthritis is actually very common (I have it) and unfortunately there isn't really anything you can do about it other than the obvious stuff like get to a healthy weight, don't eat a bunch of inflammatory crap, and still train as you can tolerate it. The goal is to slow down the progression of cartilage loss as much as possible and to support the joint with as much strong, healthy muscle as you can. However, you are pretty young to have such a symptomatic version of it already so there may be something else going on. In your case, you might want to get an MRI and X-Ray. Good luck.Originally Posted by BorisKaravasilev
✓ Member
Over 25 years ago some asshole of an ortho doc predicted with authority I'd have both knees replaced within 10 years, max, due to the state of my knee cartilage on the MRI. I was 22.
I still don't have any replacement parts anywhere.
My knees have never been better than now, after 8 years of squatting correctly. I have no pain and very little trouble in day to day life. Even bad "strength training" before I knew the Starting Strength method helped a lot.
I would advise to squat very correctly, do the NLP, refrain from "Cycling, long walks, jumping, running and any prolonged activity" (especially running and jumping), at least until your legs are strong and your knees a bit recovered.
Member
My diagnosis was given with no medical imaging. The symptoms are swelling, redness, hotness and stiffness of the joint after prolonged physical movement. They are sensitive to impact - jumping, running etc. Up in the thread I was told to squat with proper shoes - I am going to get my self shoes, but I question this as a method of treatment since any kind of movement( swimming as well, so its not dependent on "instability, collapsing of the feet...") irritates them, not only the lifts. Also, I am pointed a study that presents cases where the Clarke's test is giving false readings. I am looking to get an MRI soon.
Member
Boris, when you try to squat (and you will try), be sure to focus on keeping your knees out of the movement as much as possible. You do that by pushing your ass back and bending over more than you think you should. I imagine a chain tied to my ass that pulls my ass back and down. If you start feeling your knee pain, push your ass back more and bend over more until it goes away and then remember how your body is positioned once the pain goes away and recreate it every rep. The idea is shifting the load to your ass keeping it off the knees. It will take some work but over a few workouts you should find the groove that doesn't inflame your knees. Start as light as you need to start and then add weight accordingly. Also, don't be afraid to throw on some knee sleeves or light wraps. Good luck man, tons of people have shitty knees, it's not the end of the world, just something you need to manage and tons of people do it every day.
Posting Permissions