Knee Pain, Stiffness Due to Football Training

Bigger Stronger Leaner Injuries and Rehab
1

Hey,

I started to train football several weeks ago. The first time everything was in pain, but good pain, muscle soreness everywhere, especially in my thighs and abductors (lasted 7 days) due to sprints.

But after some sessions I felt a knee pain (left) the day after. It was so stiff that i couldn’t walk downstairs. It lasted a few days, then it was ok again, kinda.

We kept doing the things where I think my knees don’t like: The instant stopping while during sprints. My right knee was affected too. But not THAT pain, it was a sharp pain even though i could walk without problems. Pain is gone, kinda (1 or twice a day for a second it comes back) …

but since then my knees don’t feel RIGHT anymore, even though there is no pain they just feel wrong, stiff somehow, i can’t really tell.

I tried some stuff:

  • glucosamin
  • foam rolling everything near the leg
  • hitting the glutes
  • stretching
    etc

My history:

I am almost 33 years old, I did NOT do any athlete sports after i finished school with 20 (I was good in volley- and basketball, without any problems)

Then i started lifting with like 23 until now. Knee problems sometimes with squats, but got over it. In the last year (before football) I had ZERO knee issues, I can squat and deadlift with no problems. Football messed it up, not weight lifting.

History of issues:

  • broken right ankle and tear years ago, the mobility is not really back
  • left hip, the sacroiliac joint is blocked most of the times (after THAT my knee felt strange too, but no pain), so lack of hip mobility
  • shoulder issues, but under control

wonder if the hip left and right ankle could cause some of the problems?

Now I dont know what to do, i skipped the left praktice, got me some orthopedic knee brace, but it doesnt solve the problem.

What about the right shoes for outdoor and indoor, could that be the prob? I always wear chuck taylors when deadlifting and my body feels fine. The first times i used running (!) shoes and i didnt get that they were the worst think i could do, so i even twisted my ankle.

Any ideas for good football shoes indoor/outdoor?

And I have orthotic shoe inserts (flat feet) which I only wear outside sports. I dont have a ground feeling when doint weightlifting in it.

I guess the strongest point is that I havent done anything in the last 10 years what really stressed my knees that way.

So. Help. Thanks.

2

Where is the pain? What movements cause it? Any clicking or “catching” feeling?

3

Anterior pain. Well pain occurs not 24/7 but when its more “dull” on the left side, and sometimes a sharp pain for 1-2 sec. on the right side - but didnt have it the last few days.

And yes,feels like they click and catch in any movement, getting worse even though i don’t stress the knees (no more sprints/lower body movements)

Actually I tried deadlifting/squatting - no pain during the exercises, but after.

And well, after long time sitting I need to move more than 5 min to get them feel comfortable again

4

Your structure is bad.
I am no expert but my mother had years of back issues. It is obvious to me from your history that rest and rehab are needed. You cannot fix a home long term when it sits on a bad fondation.
Native people were hired to build bridges in north america because they never used shoes. The mocassins they used had a flexible sole that kept their natural structure and equilibrium in a natural state.
For the last 22 years i avoid using shoes as much as possible because they mess us up, so any shoe you buy should be close to feeling barefoot.
There should be a straight line from our point of contact to the ground to the top of our head. Your line is not straight and ankles, knees, hips, etc… are at risk.
What happened to you was just an incident that accelerated the thing was was waiting to happen.
I am sorry to paint that picture but with knowledge you have a chance to improve long term.
Fixing the ankle is step 1. If needed get help, physio, kino, accupunctue, whatever. Than move up.
We are resilient, you can do it if you fallow the right steps.
All the best !

5

OK, I’m just throwing stuff out there since I can’t examine you. It might be arthritis. It could be a small meniscus tear. It could be patellofemoral syndrome. Google those and see which one matches your symptoms the best.

6

[quote]smallmike wrote:
OK, I’m just throwing stuff out there since I can’t examine you. It might be arthritis. It could be a small meniscus tear. It could be patellofemoral syndrome. Google those and see which one matches your symptoms the best.[/quote]

Doctors often treat “symptoms” because they are in business and it brings people back and also because they never studied health.

Treat your symptoms and your life will likely be ups and downs.

Treat the cause and you might experience decades of a healthy painfree life.

About 40 years ago a doctor was hired by politicians here and he created a national system and we each received a “sickness insurance card”.
Well what can be expected by a specialist with 10 years of studuies in sickness.
About 2 decades later to improve the image they switched the name to health insurance but the doctors kept their sickness expertise and education.

7

[quote]hb50p wrote:

Doctors often treat “symptoms” because they are in business and it brings people back and also because they never studied health.
[/quote]

Errrrr…what? Doctors never studied health? I gave him a list of diagnoses, which would be the causes, not the symptoms. His symptoms will indicate what the likely cause is.

8

He wrote
"History of issues:

  • broken right ankle and tear years ago, the mobility is not really back "
    no need to guess the cause.
9

That would be the history. It might be the cause or it might not be, we can only speculate. He has issues with both knees, not just the right, so there are probably other things involved as well.

10

[quote]Fixing the ankle is step 1. If needed get help, physio, kino, accupunctue, whatever. Than move up.
We are resilient, you can do it if you fallow the right steps.
All the best ! [/quote]

The problem with german chiros is that they don’t prescribe physio, only if you are REALLY REALLY messed up. I didn’t even physio after i BROKE my foot. “Just walk around, it will fix itself” was the advice.

Now after I twisted my ankle 4 weeks ago I notice a dramatically decrease of ROM in my dorsiflexion, it is WORSE than the right foot even. No wonder my hip is not able to heal, since things up and below the line are messed up now.

Must be the syndrome. I will tell you why:

The pain only occurs on the left side NOW. No nore pain right. I stopped squatting, deadlifting, playing football. Only single leg work, and the pain on the right knee disappeared, i think 2 days ago I had the last itch there, for a second.

I see the left knee being more in danger, because I noticed some thing a while ago. Months ago the left one starting “clicking” but without any pain. Then a small wrong movement on squats while going heavy. The same pain like now, but disappeared after 1-2 days. Football on a hard surface gave me knees the rest.

But the major thing i noticed is: when I do ankle mobilization drills the left knee CAVES IN. There is no chance to a straight line from hips to ankle. I noticed a while back that my left foot is pointed more outwards than the right, must be a compensation because the left knee really caves in, really bad, while walking etc. I fixed it at least on squats and deads, pushing the knees out, and it works. But then i start walking and it begins again. I even have corrective insoles from my doc, but still.

And i have big problems firing my glutes. A years back I could fire the right glute, now i can only hit the left. I have the feeling that single leg DLs could do a thing, since I control the caving better now.

There is a ton I currently do: Hip hinges as warm up, ankle mob., vmo activation on band, foam rolling the thighs, calves, hip flexor stretch (I am in anterior pelvic tilt also), at least 1 hour a day.

But I don’t see any improvement YET. I increase my ROM on ankle mobilization while doing it, but after i do another set an hour later (or the next day) my ROM is still back as usual, it seems like it doesn’t improve. It’s strange.

11

Sometimes an expert might help. Around here some have multiple qualifications. Years ago my wife had back problems and a lady who was doing both massages and accupuncture was very helpfull. Here doctors are paid by governement but we pay for massage, accupuncture, etc…
Good luck.
For glute 1 leg lower back extension might be a plus.