A question, Por favor

[lewabbit]

Dear Rip,

I suffered a patellar subluxation three weeks ago, and have just had the cast taken off five days ago.

I was planning on starting squatting an empty bar for twenty odd reps. Do you have a recommendation on how long one should wait before starting anything like this?

Many thanks for your time. Regards to Stef.

[Mark Rippetoe]

In the absence of actual details, I have no input. Just be careful.

[Bolson32]

Patellar subluxation and you were in a cast for over 2 weeks?

Have you had this happen before? I had issues with patella alignment/tracking and have subluxated both knee caps a couple of times, hurts like hell for a day but I'm good after a couple usually. I've never had a full dislocation. With that said, squatting has all but fixed that problem.

[tnumrych]

Dear Rip,

I suffered a patellar subluxation three weeks ago, and have just had the cast taken off five days ago.

I was planning on starting squatting an empty bar for twenty odd reps. Do you have a recommendation on how long one should wait before starting anything like this?

Many thanks for your time. Regards to Stef.

How severely damaged was the retinaculum and did you suffer any fracture to the femoral condyle?

[lewabbit]

Patellar subluxation and you were in a cast for over 2 weeks?

Have you had this happen before? I had issues with patella alignment/tracking and have subluxated both knee caps a couple of times, hurts like hell for a day but I'm good after a couple usually. I've never had a full dislocation. With that said, squatting has all but fixed that problem.

Subluxed and tore the patellar tendon. Lordy, it was painful.

[Bolson32]

Subluxed and tore the patellar tendon. Lordy, it was painful.

You left the torn patellar tendon out. I did that the first time I tore my knee up in high school. And yes, lordy it is painful. I didn't squat back then so I don't know what to tell you. But, I can share that I never had surgery as it wasn't a full tear, and I struggled with knee pain and issues for about the next 8 years until I decided to start squatting on a regular basis. Now, my knee pain is all but gone.

[freshelfpie]

What, pray tell were you doing to cause this heinous injury? I only have 2/3 of my right patellar tendon due to ACL surgery (autograft, they harvest the middle third of the tendon to replace the ACL), so am somewhat obsessed with knee issues.

[lewabbit]

What, pray tell were you doing to cause this heinous injury? I only have 2/3 of my right patellar tendon due to ACL surgery (autograft, they harvest the middle third of the tendon to replace the ACL), so am somewhat obsessed with knee issues.

Squatting. Had 160 kilos on the bar, but due to life happening, I'd eaten just 600 calories in the previous 24 hours. First set went ok. Got three on the second set, missed the third coming out the hole, missed a safety setting it down, and got slowly but surely crushed.

[Michael Loucas]

Squatting. Had 160 kilos on the bar, but due to life happening, I'd eaten just 600 calories in the previous 24 hours. First set went ok. Got three on the second set, missed the third coming out the hole, missed a safety setting it down, and got slowly but surely crushed.

Once I was squatting in a half rack, and I missed just one safety, and made the other by a hair so I was able to get out even though the bar was crooked. I guess I got lucky. A month later I bought a Rogue R-2. Best investment, don't have to worry about that anymore.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The BEST investment would have been a rack from BBW: http://startingstrength.com/index.php/site/equipment