Sharp knee pain doing leg extensions...

[Cuda1447]

There seems to be something wrong with my knee. I've had two surgeries on my right knee and a nasty 'kissing contusion' on my left knee a few years ago. Knee pain isn't something I'm not used to. I typically just ignore it and chalk it up to soreness from the beating my legs have taken over the years.


Something has caught my attention though.

Two days ago I was at the gym working out and I went to do some leg extensions. This isn't an exercise I do often, thus why I probably never noticed this before. I tried lifting the 50 pounds that were on there, just to warm up and I couldn't do it. I noticed a sharp pain in my left knee. Then I dropped to 30 pounds and still had that same pain. After this I started to investigate and started using just my left knee. Every time my knee moved to around 45 degrees I would get a really sharp pain in the front of the knee, toward the top it seems.

Now here is the weird part. I can do most everything else fine. Leg presses, fine. Running, jumping etc... no problems. I had a soccer match last night and aside fromthe normal soreness, no problems whatsoever. Except extend the leg. I was driving on the way home and attempted to extend my knee from a sitting position and again, the same sharp pain. I couldn't even extend it last night.

I'm sitting at my desk right now. I lift my foot off the ground and slowly extend my knee from 90 degrees to straight and as I get to around 45 degrees I get that sharp pain again. I can do it, but it hurts like a bitch every time.


Any idea what might be causing this problem? I don't like going to see the doc. until I know I have something serious wrong. Most of the time these things work themselves out. I am a little more concerned though because this seems to be an injury I may have had for quite some time, but never really paid attention to before, thus I don't think its something that is going to go away on its own. Maybe I can 'rehab' the knee back to normal? Any thoughts on what it might be?>

 

[surfsatwerk]

You shouldn't be doing leg extensions ever.

 

[Cuda1447]

You shouldn't be doing leg extensions ever.

Ok.... why?

Even if that's the case, I still shouldn't have these pains when doing them. I know it's not normal. Any ideas as to the cause?

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Ok.... why?

Even if that's the case, I still shouldn't have these pains when doing them. I know it's not normal. Any ideas as to the cause?

Terminal knee extension with those machines (i.e. open chain) induces unnatural and severe stress on your ACL. If you've ever had an ACL injury or surgery, you really shouldn't be doing them. It's definitely not normal and that's why you shouldn't do them. A lot of people without a history of knee injury will get pain with that exercise due to the terrible stresses it puts on them.

 

[Cuda1447]

Good insight SC. Any idea on the actual knee pain I'm having though? Would it be indicative of meniscal damage? Or possibly something with a ligament?

 

[Muse]

Listen to your body, always. I've always had good knees, rarely have an issue with them. I had some pain in my right knee around a year ago (it hurt going up/down stairs at times) but it resolved. I don't do leg extensions. The last time I did squats was 20 years ago and about 3 days later I came down with a nasty case of shingles. Related? Perhaps not, but I'm not itching to do squats again. That's a bit of a pun there, one phase of shingles is horrible itching! I had a shingles vaccination this year, don't want a recurrence.

I bike, I skate, I do 30 minutes every other day on an elliptical stair stepper. I also play golf 2x/week 1/2 the year walking a very hilly course, that's real good for the legs. I do leg curls in the gym every other day, 2 sets, back hyperextensions too (that brings the legs into play), but that stuff doesn't seem to be hard on the knees. Leg extensions are tough on the knees!

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Good insight SC. Any idea on the actual knee pain I'm having though? Would it be indicative of meniscal damage? Or possibly something with a ligament?

I can't assess that really. If you have a significant history and generalize knee pain with that exercise, could be a number of things. If you're concerned, see a healthcare professional, as they can actually examine and assess you personally. I can only speculate so much.

 

[mple]

Pretty good article on leg extensions and why I never do them.

http://www.t-nation.com/article/performance_training/the_truth_about_leg_extensions&cr=

In short

1. Increased patellofemoral joint reaction force, knee movement, and joint stress in the most commonly used range of motion.

2. Reduced hamstrings activity.

3. Reduced VMO activity and late onset of firing.

4. Non-existent hip adductor and abductor contribution.

5. Increased rectus femoris firing.

6. Constant ACL tension.

7. Higher patellar ligament, quadriceps tendon, and patellofemoral and tibiofemoral forces with the most commonly utilized loading parameters.

8. Increased lateral patellar deviation.

9. Insufficient involvement of surrounding joints to ensure optimal functioning.

10. Poor training economy (no carryover to closed-chain performance from open-chain exercises).

Leg Extension Benefits:

1. Will give you a good pump, but not even close to the benefits you'll get from squatting and single-leg movements.

2. Uh, wait, there's really only one benefit — and it's pretty weak.

 

[Nunns421]

You've described the exact pain I have in my knee. I'm super active, don't do leg extensions but do lift weights and play sports regularly. Was something I didn't notice until I tried to extend my right knee and then had a sharp pain just above the patella. It's been going on for almost a year now no matter how much rehab I do and I have given it three weeks off with no success. I know this is an old post but I'm wondering if a doctor ever figured out what was wrong? Saw two doctors for it and none of them could figure out why there was only plain at 45 degree flexion and not at other degrees.

 

[Sixguns]

What would you replace the Leg Extension with?

 

[SP33Demon]

What would you replace the Leg Extension with?

Weighted lunges

 

[TechBoyJK]

fvck... im never touching one of those things again.