Originally Posted by
Cheesepuff
TLDR: (too long didn't read version of my post)
The knee sleeves and sweat pants (recommended by Sully at his squat camp) made all my knee pains go away, plus he improved my form. (quite the bargain)
THE LONG VERSION
Similar on some levels.
Age: 62
Weight: 268 (started at 280)
Knee surgery 1974 removed cartilage both sides. completely lost one ligament.
Later tore an ACL. Referred several times for knee replacement.
Over time and re-injury cycle developed a "self feeding inflammation cycle" in right knee.
Tried a huge number of things to "rehab myself".
Also had military disability for back injury.
When I began in April of 2016, I was using two canes and had purchased a walker due to many problems the worst of which was my right knee. I could not "air squat" and probably would have needed 50-70 pounds of "assist" to do a squat. (I was a hot mess)
Wednesday 2/22/2017 I squatted 227.5x5x3. (so we're now in about the same ball park, except I probably weigh more)
ADVICE:
Do as much of this as you can, as close to the program as possible. (I'd stay out of the pain you describe)
Go to a squat camp. I did in the fall and it helped a lot. (I went over 250 miles)
Get neoprene knee sleeves, keep you knees warm (I'd get the thicker one next to the "Copper fit")
Wear sweat pants when you work out. (same reason as knee sleeves)
Get a SS coach if possible. Well worth it if one is in your area.
Consider backing down some on the squat, and micro-loading up.
(I got a pair of 1.25 plates which work but now wish I would have gotten the 4 sets of .5 plates)
Video your squat (use your phone and a reading stand), and look at your form versus the videos / book.
OPINION:
There is no great tragedy in doing what you can, even stalling below your pain threshold for a while. Do what you can, and you will most likely increase what you can do. I had a hell of a time getting to full depth on the squat at any weight. But I did what I had to do, it took longer than most people, but at the end of the day "who cares?".
Consider your own tolerance for this movement. This is important as we age. So what if you are stuck at say 220 for a while. Squatting 220x5x3 is far better than anything else you could do with that time. Your body will adapt to it. Maybe you can't add weight for a while. I've found that persistence, if implemented with some wisdom, is unstoppable. In other words, do what you can without pain, and you will grow your capacity in time.
If you need a break from squats to heal up. Focus on the dead lift instead for a couple weeks.