Anyone successfully dealt w/patellar bursitis or knee pain while kneeling down?

[timex4g0d]

All the way back in Feb I started having pain in my left knee when I would kneel down on it. I THINK it was from kneeling down too much while doing some house projects but I am not sure. Knee pain is on the top/center of the patella, just underneath the bony knob, near the patellar tendon and bursa.

Doc and PT thought it was some sort of tendinopathy but the lack of pain in most exercises didn't really jive with that, and, 6 weeks of PT didn't seem to help it. Did lots of single leg work and isometrics, glute med work, needling, taping etc.

Pain has continued for months, and while it never hindered workouts too much, it has been very annoying outside of the gym. I've seen an Ortho specialist, been to PT, taken a course of Meloxicam and none of it seemed to help and nobody has been able to really help either.

Current course of action has been completely ease up on all activity using the lower body and go through another course of Meloxicam. Been about 3 weeks since I've done any leg workouts aside from walking the dog or mowing the yard.

Am having my first kid in October and would very much like to get this crap fixed so I can get down on the ground with her.

 

[pgobollan]

@timex4g0d I have something similar in my left knee that started as what I suspected was “jumpers knee” playing soccer. It still flares up from time to time if im squatting heavy and leaving my feet to strike a ball too often, sprinting doesnt seem to aggravate it but jumping does.

Aside from your typical modalities like ice, ibuprofen, biofreeze, and wearing a compression sleeve during soccer, I’ve found that reducing squatting to once a week and staying away from heavy singles has helped as well as substituting in more leg press and single leg work. Prioritizing recovery as well as biking daily and getting my steps in seems to be helping. I also swim when i can during these warmer months and try to watch my posture when im working from home.

I wouldnt say avoid working out, I tried that at first and the second i resumed activity i was back to square one, now after tolerating the pain and working at it in a tolerable range, overtime ive seen a reduction in the level and frequency of pain. Its not gone and i dont focus on that as my goal, but its definitely lessened and more manageable.

 

[timex4g0d]

@pgobollan Thanks for the information! This is going to be similar to my approach moving forward, I think.

 

[borisv]

@timex4g0d I have had something like that but it was from an injury where I banged my knee cap. So it was acute not chronic. It took several weeks for the pain to resolve and I couldn't do anything that involved putting weight directly on my knees (eg kneeling). Lots of icing and elevation to help pain, redness and swelling.

 

[timex4g0d]

@borisv Yeah, I don’t remember ever having a ton of redness and swelling, and I never really had to stop deadlifting or squatting (though “noticed” it a little bit when going heavy). I wonder if continuing to workout, and hike and treat it normally created some chronic inflammation over time.

 

[borisv]

@timex4g0d A doctor would know best but.....that's quite possible yeah.

 

[mikeb34]

@timex4g0d A few years back, had a great deal of pain in my right knee that matched symptoms of patellar tendonitis, and a diagnosed torn meniscus in my left. Both responded very well to isometric leg extension. Execute the hold with knee at least 90⁰ bent, 4 sets of 8-15 seconds as hard as possible. Exhale on hard exertion, attempt to hold tension on the inhale - don't hold your breath.

Took about 2 weeks to really feel some relief, but it improved a little almost immediately.

 

[timex4g0d]

@mikeb34 If I’m honest, I tried a whole slew of isometric leg exercises including these, and it didn’t seem to do much, maybe if anything aggravate it.

After I’m done giving it about 6 weeks of reduced physical activity I may try these again, tho, as they are still great for that tendon.

 

[dawn16]

@timex4g0d I get pain in my knees from doing concrete work on the ground for construction

But it’s all behind my knee I think it’s my PCL

 

[blocky]

@timex4g0d Have you tried Zero drop shoes? They’ve helped my reoccurring knee problems. My problems sound similar to yours. I also avoid “explosive” type jumps and forward lunges. It sucks because I’m not getting the full intensity of my workouts but it keeps me from being in pain. I workout 3-4x per week.

Also check out the Kneesovertoes guy!!

 

[dawn16]

@timex4g0d Check out Knee Over Toes Guy on YouTube. It’s a game changer.

 

[timex4g0d]

@dawn16 Yeah, his stuff is great. However, not to discredit the fact that it does work, I don’t think the issue is strength, tightness or stability of, or surrounding, the patellar tendon, quad, glute or IT band.

Worked through most of his style of exercises with my PT with no success.

 

[lee1009]

@timex4g0d I had pretty bad knee pain after intense biking + squats and deadlifts. even after I stopped all those workouts, the kneecap pain so was horrible when I bent down to squat. I never got it checked, but it’s been about 1.5 months since I last exercised, and the pain is finally less