One of the most common enquiries I get from practitioners is about knee injuries. A lot of the time these injuries come from over-training. Unfortunately many doctors have little experience or understanding of musculoskeletal mechanics or injury, with many just giving out painkillers and sending you on your way. Of course, you should always consult your doctor with any serious injury but for any problems in the knee area, I’d recommend seeking advice from a specialist. This article will hopefully serve as a primer and will arm you with some useful information.
Patellar Tendonitis (Jumpers Knee) : Common
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This injury is one I see a lot of in freerunners and athletes doing too many plyometric drills, jumping or tricking. Repeated jumping with little warm up or lack of conditioning will cause this problem to flare up. Besides jumping, tendinitis can also occur from running, kicking, or any repetitive motion. Stretching will only make it worse, as will massaging the area of the tendon. If you have patellar tendinitis, review your training program to determine if you’re “overusing” your knee in any way. Pain is usually felt just below the knee cap and will hurt when activity is resumed too soon or the area pressed.
Damage Control
Patellar Tendonitis (if caught early) is easily treated by rest, ice, increased fish oil dosages and anti-inflammatories until the pain and swelling dissipate.
Osgood-Schlatter Disease : Common In Teenagers
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A lot of younger freerunners suffer with OS disease. Sometimes confused with patellar tendonitis and vice versa. The condition is caused by stress on the patellar tendon that attaches the quadriceps muscle at the front of the thigh to the tibial tuberosity, a bony lump on top of the shin. Following a growth spurt (why teenagers are most at risk), repeated stress from contraction of the quadriceps (thigh muscles) is transmitted through the patellar tendon to the immature tibial tuberosity. This can cause multiple fractures along with inflammation of the tendon, leading to excess bone growth in the tuberosity and producing a visible lump. Pain is felt when the top of shin is pressed just below the knee cap and during kicking or jumping activities.
Damage Control
OS disease is easily treated by rest, ice, increased fish oil dosages and anti-inflammatoriess until the pain and swelling dissipate. The condition usually eases within a few months, with a study of young athletes revealing a requirement of complete break off training for 3 months (on average) and gradual resumption of full training by 7 months. It�s a long time I know, but it’s better to wait it out than resume training too early and reinjure yourself.
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome : Common
Patellofemoral pain is a common knee problem. If you have this condition, you feel pain under and around your kneecap. The pain can get worse when you’re active or when you sit for a long time. You can have the pain in one or both knees. A common misconception is that the patella only moves in an up-and-down direction. In fact, it also tilts and rotates, so there are various points of contact between the under surface of the patella and the femur. The repeated incorrect movement of the kneecap can go undiagnosed. Steps, hills and uneven surfaces tend to exacerbate patellofemoral pain.
Damage Control
So far no one is certain why PPS occurs, many think poor posture, muscular imbalance and poor walking or running technique all contribute. It is best treated by rest, ice, increased fish oil dosages and anti-inflammatories until the pain and swelling dissipate, strength training and testing for muscular imbalances can help.
Meniscus Tear: Uncommon
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In the knee joint there are two half-moon-shaped pieces of cartilage called menisci lying firmly on the shin bone. The outer or external meniscus is called the lateral meniscus. The inner or internal meniscus is called the medial meniscus. It is primarily the job of the menisci is to distribute load of the body on the knee when we walk or run. The menisci also help to keep the knee stable. Meniscus injuries mostly occur when the knee is wrenched or twisted. In a weight-bearing twisting manoeuvre, the meniscus may be caught between the thigh bone and the shin bone and subsequently damaged. This type of injury is common in contact sports, freerunners only need to worry if they make a sudden change of direction while running or landing and twist the knee. In older adults, the meniscus can be damaged following prolonged ‘wear and tear’; this is called a degenerative tear.
Symptoms are knee pain and swelling. These are worse when the knee bears more weight (for example, when running). Other typical complaints are joint locking, when the patient is unable to fully straighten the leg. This can be accompanied by a clicking feeling. Sometimes, a meniscal tear also causes a sensation that the knee gives way.
Damage Control
Taking a break from normal training and focusing on strength training can help. Stronger and bigger muscles will protect the meniscus cartilage by absorbing some of the load on the knee.
However some tears only act up once in a while and don�t show many symptoms. However if it�s a serious tear that causes a lot of pain surgery is the only treatment. Good news is after an arthroscopic meniscectomy the patient can resume high-level sports in as soon as a month.
Knee Ligament: Sprains Common, Partial Scarce, Complete Rare
There are a number of ligaments in the knee these are;
* anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) - the ligament, located in the centre of the knee, that controls rotation and forward movement of the tibia (shin bone).
* posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) - the ligament, located in the centre of the knee, that controls backward movement of the tibia (shin bone).
* medial collateral ligament (MCL) - the ligament that gives stability to the inner knee.
* lateral collateral ligament (LCL) - the ligament that gives stability to the outer knee.
ligament injuries really do require some time spent away from activity. The severity of the injury will tell just how much time. You can sprain or tear any of the four main knee ligaments (MCL, LCL, ACL, PCL), although the incidence of MCL and ACL sprains/tears is the highest.
If you completely rupture your ACL, you may hear a popping sound. You may also feel something snap inside your knee, as if it has given way. Swelling around the knee, pain while bending and extending are all common symptoms for ligament damage.
Damage Control
Ligament injuries will fall into one of three grades;
* Grade 1 is a sprain.
* Grade 2 is a partial tear.
* Grade 3 is a complete tear.
Grade 1 can be treated by rest, ice, increased fish oil dosages and anti-inflammatories until the pain and swelling dissipate.
Further treatment will vary according to which ligaments you have damaged and how badly. It will also depend on how much sport you do. If you don’t put much demand on your knee, resting it and following a programme of strengthening physiotherapy exercises may be sufficient. Grade 3 Will more than likely need surgery.
More About The Author - Will Wayland
Will’s academic background, coupled with his ‘under the bar” experience , has proven to be a recipe for success. Will has worked with athletes of all levels, from youth sports to the professional. Will specialises in developing the body for the goal of enhancing performance. Heavily inspired by Russian conjugate sequence system his training methods are used by athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts of all ages and from all walks of life. He has a BSC honours degree and HND in Applied Sports Science from the University of Teesside, and he specializes in the muscular and neurophysiology of human movement and performance. He currently trains, consults, and lectures around the country. You can find him on the net at www.williamwayland.blogspot.com Our intention is for the information here to be used as an open resource, so anyone wishing to use our material on their own websites may do so. All we request is that a courtesy email is sent to us first at parkour@urbanfreeflow.com and that a link back to Urban Freeflow is provided and a credit given to the author of any articles used.
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I would hate to be the one to hear an ACL POP!!! Gives me the shivers.