@trainwollie: I had a knee injury in 2022. Nothing major, but some damage to the ligaments that stabilize my kneecap. I rehabbed the best I knew how and had help from some great PTs. I only missed a few weeks of being able to play, but without realizing it, I developed some gnarly compensations. Since that time I’ve dealt with painful flare ups- never enough to take me off the field, but enough to just plain suck. Here’s everything I know now that I wish I knew then: 1. It’s really important to know what’s wrong. Rehabbing the wrong thing can lead to spinning your wheels. 2. Sometimes all you need is a good pump. I highly recommend finding any exercise that feels good for the muscles around the knee and getting those muscles firing hard. 3. Impact per week matters. Don’t be afraid to take losses early to feel better in the long wrong. 4. Setbacks are part of the process. 5. Things can hurt even when nothing is wrong. Pain is a signal like anything else. 6. Training your brain out of pain is simple, but not easy. 7. Don’t get weak. Pain often has us resorting to simple bodyweight exercises. That’s not enough if we’re trying to get back to full strength and speed. Let me know how you’ve dealt with frustrating knee pain! It’s more common than you think.
