Training With Arthritic Knee

[jasbriz]

Mark, First let me say I have two Bibles. One is the Holy Bible and that is for my spiritual well-being and strengthens my soul. The other bible is Starting Strength and it covers the whole person in that it has helped me strengthen my body, mind and soul. I am 59 years old and have been following the Starting Strength program for 5 years. I have made great gains and being 6'-4" tall and around 250 lbs I feel that I am usually the best I can be for the age that I am.
TO THE POINT: Last June I broke the fifth metatarsal on my left foot and was in a walking boot until late August, into early September. I resumed my full training regimen in early October and was doing well until I developed a knee issue. I contend that it was because I remained very active while in the walking boot and I developed some bio mechanical issues. The knee became filled with fluid and I started to walk with a pronounced limp. Credit your detailed instructions on the lifts for allowing me to squat without pain. I dropped back on my squat weight and tried to stay with the program. This morning I had a pint of fluid drained from my knee and was given a cortisone shot. I have felt immediate relief. My specialist recommended avoiding deep squats. apparently I have quite a bit of arthritis under the knee cap. He knows that I will not quit squatting and I honestly believe your program has allowed me to be the best version of myself even with the extensive downtown between the foot injury and the new knee issue. I know you are not a doctor, but your vast experience with your own body and the training of many our age makes you an authority on training with aches and pains. I want to continue to squat. Should I deload and progress my way up while rehabbing?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Video of your squat? there's a 95% chance that this is a form issue.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

I have an entire coaching practice that is almost exclusively people age 50-80. Obviously arthritis is pretty common around here. We have issues that arise often with shoulders, backs, hips, and sometimes elbows, but almost never knees. Even if everyone had perfect form ALL the time, which they don't, you'd think we'd have occasional flare ups with knees. But we truly do not.

As Rip said, knee pain from squatting almost always results from form issues. My guess is that you are either (1) letting your knees track too far forward and not getting back into your hips enough (2) letting weight get over the front of your foot instead of mid-foot (3) are squatting high with more weight than you should be using. Possibly a combo of all 3.

Usually when clients present with knee pain from squatting I'm able to trace it back to one of these issues.