Squat only knee pain

[Buzz word]

A few weeks ago now I upped my front squat weight to 80kg and had done it for a few sessions trying to rep out at 8 reps. I reached 6 and thought I would give an 85kg 1 rep a go. It was easy but I thought I would leave it as it is as high as I have been. The week after I was excited to get back to my favourite lift and see if could maybe get a 90kg 1 rep.

I started to warm up with the bar and then some some high reps at 60kg, like normal. However when I upped the weight to 70 kg I could only get about half way through. It felt like my right knee was going to explode. Pain in the front right section of the knee. I put it down to poor warming up and tried again next week, same thing.

The other day I tried warming up at 40 kg just for a slow buildup and see if i needed to warm up for longer. That was ok, I put on 50kg and the same knee pain. A few weeks ago i was warming up higher and now I get this pain.

What I dont understand is that it's only the squat where I get this my deadlift, cleans and pushpresses are unaffected.

Any ideas how I can fix this and get back to form again? I'm considering leaving the squat for a rew weeks and seeing if it's an injury.

[Halb]

How low do you squat? Do your knees come out on front of your feet? Sounds like you could be resting the weight on your knees which you should never do.

Good tips
http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-te...
http://stronglifts.com/build-explosive-strength-ho...

Edited by Halb on Friday 6th November 10:10

[Buzz word]

I squat fairly low. On the squat frame I use there are rests poking out the back that are about hip height for me from the floor. I usually go low enough to have the bar be about an inch from the top of the rests. I'm not sure if my knees go infront of my feet or not. I have been told I have good form in this lift.

[Bill]

Sounds like anterior knee pain, the joint between the patella and the rest of the knee comes under huge load as it effectively acts like a pulley between the quads and the lower leg.

In short as it's coming on earlier and earlier get yourself off to a physio.

[P1eface]

Do you point your feet outwards when squatting?

I found this helped with my knee pain (mostly at the top of the knee cap).

[Buzz word]

Yep, feet slightly outwards. I tried to have straight feet when I was starting but quickly found that turned out was more comfortable. I think it's due to the fact I would stand like that normally. Straight feet seem to put a bit more stress on the jont for me.

A physio could be an idea, how do you go about seeing one? do you need a referal through a GP?

[Bill]

Buzz word said:

A physio could be an idea, how do you go about seeing one? do you need a referal through a GP?

Via the NHS or insurance, yes, otherwise no.

[Halb]

Buzz word said:

I squat fairly low. On the squat frame I use there are rests poking out the back that are about hip height for me from the floor. I usually go low enough to have the bar be about an inch from the top of the rests. I'm not sure if my knees go infront of my feet or not. I have been told I have good form in this lift.

Do you go below parallel? If so knees in front of feet is ok. But if you don't go low enough to at least parallel and your knees move forward, as a poster above said you are putting serious stress on your knees. Do your squats match up to the above guidelines?

[996 sps]

Bill said:

Sounds like anterior knee pain, the joint between the patella and the rest of the knee comes under huge load as it effectively acts like a pulley between the quads and the lower leg.

In short as it's coming on earlier and earlier get yourself off to a physio.

This sounds right, if the patella does not track right in the patella-femoral joint you will iet knee pain, with some people I get them to take their shoes and socks off draw a line on their second toe and then ensure their patella runs in line with this during the squat, weak glutes will allow the knees to roll in, if this happens I put a soft med ball in to stop their knees falling in and dont allow them to squat so far down. Its so difficult to explain all this without watching someone squat or seeing the tracking of their patella. If you strengthing vmo this will allow your patella to track correctly. This is the trouble with compound moves like squats they work global muscle groups but not local smaller important muscle groups.