knee bugging me.......need some advice......

guys, i just started wakeboarding.

my knee typically starts bugging me the day after i go wakeboarding, never during the session.

anybody have any advice? i guess i need to strengthen my knees? does anybody wear a preventive brace (aka a brace NOT for post surgery/injury)..

the only thing i can think of besides strengthening me knee is to pay more atttention to my boot positions....i kept tweaking my boots so a bud (goofy foot) could ride my board....

anyway, if anybody knows of anything that can help i would appreciate it....

Ride your bike to strenghten your knee

apparently running is good cause it applys moderate impact to your knees strengthening the weak soft tissue ready for the hard landings in the flats.

Running is hard on bad or damaged knee components, cycling can agrevate as well.
Eliptical trainer is the best. Lowest impact on knees.

Dude- maybe try switching your stance and see if it helps........

swimming will strengthen the knee without impact.

the reason i said running was cause i was informed by a physio.

if you knee isn't actually damaged and you want to prevent it, impact training is good.

swimming is great for non-impact training but if you just swim then go boarding u'll screw your knee in no time cause it won't be used to the impact and all the soft tissues will be screwed.

if there are any engineers they may agree with this: material is strengthened when exposed to forces (work hardening), this is the same as the tissue in ure knee. As long as your knee isn't already screwed u'll be fine as long as your impact training doesn't get stupid and start twisting your knee.

yeah, my knee just kind of aches for a few days later. i think biking might be the call with some moderate impact excercises. thanks fellas.

anybody wear any preventive (aka non-doctor perscribed) braces like spandex material? are they junk?

by the way jeff i am going to really pay attention to my binding set up next time (boot position/stance), thanks. i think that could be part of it, cause its only my right knee. front knee is fine.....

take glucosamine - it increases the fluid in the joints and relives pain caused by use and impact. The best place to buy it is Costco if you're a member. It takes 6-8 weeks before you'll see any improvement but it should really help. But you need to take it every day, not just occasionally. My doctor recommended doubling the dose to 3,000mg for the first two weeks and then 1,500mg for 3 to 6 months.

Glucosimine and Collagen are great- been taking them for at least a year, and knees feel fine-

Running is a good way to increase leg strength, but I'd recommend running on grass or something other than concrete to minimize damage. I actually started playing ice hockey to increase leg strength.

Will Glucosimine help on ankles too?

I would be willing to bet that you really need some ortho. to get alot of damaged stuff out of there. I probably do as well, fortunately it only bothers me when I twist it playing basketball or soccer but not wakeboarding.

My advice is GO SEE A DOCTOR!!

definitely try changing you stance before doing anything drastic. I had chronic knee pain when I first started riding and couldn't figure it out. I finally started playing with my stance and the pain went away. Glucosamine is also not a bad call and if the knee pain continues you may want to try a neoprene brace. The extra tension around the knee sometimes helps alleviate pain, although they provide little tendon suport.

There is a great article in wakeboarding magazine about this, wish I remember the issue, was a couple 2 or 3 months ago. I had the same issue and had my stance out as far as I could on a 142 board. Im 5'11" 200 lbs. I narrowed the stance and my knees felt alot better. Try to narrow your stance. I brought it in 2 positions from the outside. Just make sure you move them both in the same amount so your stance doesnt differ when you ride regular vs. switch.

I wore a soft knee brace for ligament support and I think that helps although I tore my ACL wearing it so it obviously is not a cure all If I had it to do over again, I probably would have bought one that had more support for the sides of your knees, some have metal, some have hard plastic.

Hope that helps...

wakestar (shawn)-no offense bro but im a chiropractor and my best friend is a m.d.

doctors dont always have the answers-people only think they do. sometimes it is best to ask people who have similar pain doing the same activity to see what worked or works for them. thanks for the advice fellas.

by the way michael i looked at my stance and it was a little wider then my natural stance. will try that too, thanks man.

No offense taken, but I obviously couldn't tell that you were a chiropractor, due to you profile saying that your occupation is an artist. I just think that far too many times people come on WW asking for medical advice, when they obviously need medical or chiropractic attention. Sorry for thinking you were one of those people.

I was having similar problems with my knees. Now they are getting quite a bit worse. I switched to a different board that lands softer and it has helped the pain. Those neoprene leg braces also help considerably. I have just started to see a physio and believe what I have is bad tendonitis. Which apparently can have many causes. I am taking the fall of sports and doing some major stretching and leg strengthening. I think those are the big problems for me. Plus when you are going as huge as I am that can't help either, right?

All I have to say is this, anytime any joint gives you issues, stay off it for a couple days until it's cool. if you tweek a knee, quit riding right then before you F*** it up. I've done it for 5 years, until this year when training the day before a big comp. I kept going knowing I shouldn't. long story short my surgery is scheduled for Sept. 30...ACL. Orthopedic surgeon took a look and said, "I'm not gonna waste your time getting an MRI, lets just schedule surgery, I can tell already that it needs it." Did it 7/16, and haven't been on a board since. This summer has definately sucked! Do as I say, not as I do...or something like that.

shawn-good point about my profile. i have to change that-filled it out before i graduated. no hard feelings bro. i was just venting because i knew i didnt need medical attention and was inquiring really for preventitive measures. ask your m.d (unless he's hip like me) how to prevent an injury while wakeboarding and first you will have to explain to him/her what wakeboarding is...you guys answered my question. i will work on the suggestions you guys gave me.

Quit wakeboarding is best advice I can give ya. I broke My Tibia first day out this season. Well It's been 3 months I still can't walk. I've been riding for 7 years never questioned myself once. I'll stick to wakesurfing now

is wakeskating easier on the knees?

sorry fellas-moment of weakness. i like wakeboarding too much to quit now....i just dont want to @#$# up my knees for surfing.

time to strengthen these get away sticks i call legs..........

Again glucosamine, works great for all your joints and Harry Hog has a point, the impact is good. Though swimming is great and I think everyone should do it more.

yup, i hear ya on the gluco. that stuff takes time though to kick in (at least a month from what i read), but i will start on it anyway. i swim quite a bit, i think the light impact might be a good call.

anybody else releived their knee pain from moving their stance in a little closer or adjusting the way your bindings are pointed a few degrees?

Go as big as you can off of the double up out into the flats. That should definitely help.

I've had knee problems for years and started taking liquid glucosamine. It absorbs quicker ( about 80%, as opposed to pill version at 40% I believe) felt a huge difference within 2 weeks. I use a supplement called synflex from activeamerica.com

Have you tried to simulate your stance on dry land and then attempt to perform a 3/4 squat or lunges with your feet planted in position?
I know it sounds strange, but if you can reproduce the pain then you have your answer.
The only reason I'm suggesting this is so that you can pinpoint your pain to your stance and then make your adjustments accordingly.

not a bad idea, ill try it...