Knees hurt after training: in the gym, what to do

Knees hurt after training, discomfort that occurs after intense strength exercises is not uncommon. People who lead an active lifestyle often do not understand why this happens. It is important to identify the causes of pain in the knees after exercise.

How long have you had this pain syndrome?

A few days (25%, 569 Votes)
First day (21%, 479 Votes)
Several months (12%, 273 Votes)
Week (10%, 232 Votes)
Several weeks (10%, 229 Votes)
About a month (8%, 188 Votes)
Chronic form (7%, 154 Votes)
About a year (6%, 125 Votes)

Total voters: 2 250

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Heavy training load

Heavy loads can cause pain

Constant physical activity that is not accompanied by proper nutrition can cause problems in the knee joint. From an excess of essential nutrients, cartilage can become thin and completely destroyed, which will lead to bone deformation. After all, even though the knee is the most mobile and resilient joint in the human body, the likelihood of injury is high.

After excessive physical exertion, a healthy person’s knee will soon return to its previous state and stop hurting.

But if a person’s lifestyle involves constant heavy loads on the knee joint, it will soon begin to wear out. Such a joint will become increasingly thinner over time, and its recovery will take several days, then weeks, then months.

If after training your knee begins to ache, or mild or severe pain appears, then after training you should perform a few simple steps:

You can apply something cold to your knees. Cold will relieve swelling and pain. Keep the compress for 15 minutes.
The procedure is done regularly after physical activity.
Gels and warming ointments are excellent for relieving knee pain. It is better to use such products the morning after training.
If the pain in the rut is constant and lasts more than two days, then you should consult a specialist.

Pain treatment

If your knees hurt after training, you need to start treatment. If you have periodic, inconsistent symptoms, you can deal with them at home. An integrated approach, as well as prevention, will help you forget about discomfort in the knee joint.

Knee pads

What is the first thing you should do if your knee hurts after training? You should start by using a knee support. You need to wear a knee brace not only when symptoms have already appeared, but also for prevention and unloading of the ligaments. There are several types of knee pads. The following models are most suitable for training:

hingeless soft;
semi-rigid bandages.

There are several types of training supports; before purchasing, it is important to carefully understand their features.

Elastic bandage

An excellent inexpensive product that will fix the joint and patella in the desired position. It will help to avoid sprains that lead to pain, but you need to be able to select the correct tension force.

For the first time, applying a bandage from an elastic bandage is difficult, since it is difficult to independently adjust the pressure and firmly secure the ends of the bandage. Over time, the procedure will not cause difficulties and your knees will hurt less when riding a bicycle.

Read about Bubnovsky’s advice for knee anxiety in another article.

Closed knee pad

One of the most common types of calipers. Great for running and cardio training. It will help to avoid injuries by securely holding all elements of the joint.

Open knee pad

Thanks to the round cutout in the patella area, the model will allow the joint to function better and increase the range of motion. This brace will help with cycling and other sports where the knee often bends and straightens.

Sports tapes

Self-adhesive tapes that securely hold the joint and ensure its stability. Thanks to micromassage properties, they improve blood circulation, which promotes tissue nutrition. Suitable for water sports due to its water resistance.

A properly selected bandage will provide reliable protection for the joint. This should not be neglected, because if you do not support your knees during heavy loads, this can lead to wear and tear of the cartilage and chronic arthritis and arthrosis.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments

If your knees hurt after training, you cannot do without medication. For intermittent and non-acute pain, you should not take pills or give injections; you can simply get by with special ointments that will overcome the symptoms and restore the function of the joint.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory ointments act locally on the area of pain, help relieve inflammation, and also suppress the production of enzymes and prostaglandin, which cause pain.

Ointments that can be used after training:

Nise is an ointment based on nimesulide that will effectively relieve pain. It has practically no side effects, so it can be used by athletes during preparation for competitions.
Fastum gel - a light gel base that actively penetrates into the deepest tissues and acts at the cellular level. Promotes the removal of metabolic products, which reduces pain.
Diclofenac has a local anesthetic effect, which helps to quickly overcome discomfort in the knee joint.
Indomethacin reduces the exudative phase, that is, it prevents fluid from entering the ligamentous bursa. The accumulation of water in the cavity leads to the development of inflammatory reactions.
Apisatron is an ointment based on bee venom that has a vasodilating effect, which improves blood circulation and reduces swelling.
Viprosal is also a warming ointment that can be used to make compresses. Improves tissue metabolism and promotes rapid recovery from microtraumas when knees hurt.

You should use anti-inflammatory ointments not only after training. To better warm up and warm up the muscles, you need to apply them in small doses under the knee pad. This will be the best prevention of injuries and disease development.

Physiotherapeutic methods

Physiotherapy will also help overcome knee pain. To do this, it is not necessary to visit a medical office; some procedures that will be very effective can be performed at home.

Physiotherapy methods to help get rid of knee pain after exercise:

Contrast shower - sudden changes in temperature will improve blood circulation and help suppress the action of enzymes that cause pain.
Massage – has a general strengthening effect, will help increase joint movement and remove lactic acid, which can affect the appearance of pain in the muscles surrounding the knee.
Ozokerite - a compress made from mountain wax at home, will relieve inflammatory processes and improve metabolism in connective tissues.

Treatments against pain in the physiotherapy room:

magnetic therapy;
laser therapy;
UHF therapy;
electrophoresis;
phonophoresis.

Low-intensity waves act very gently at the cellular level and improve biological processes in the body, while absolutely not burdening the patient. You should talk about such methods with your trainer, who will write a referral to the medical office.

Tissue changes associated with age

Dietary supplement for strengthening the knee joint

Naturally, as the human body ages, it loses the beneficial microelements it produces. If in a young body collagen is produced and there is enough of it for the normal functioning of the joints, then in an elderly person everything is more complicated. Collagen production decreases, so you need to take supplements. Otherwise, problems with knee cartilage cannot be avoided.

Supplements should be taken in courses, then the ligaments will be strengthened, the cartilage will be restored and the pain in the knee will go away. Of course, the doctor deals with such issues. It is not recommended to prescribe medications, or even dietary supplements, to yourself.

How to prevent the development of joint pain after training?

To prevent and slow down joint wear, you can take a course of vitamins and dietary supplements. Tested and harmless are:

Proper warm-up and the use of special accessories will avoid unpleasant side effects.

First, you need to choose shoes with the appropriate level of cushioning. Running, jumping and performing weightlifting exercises in the same shoes is not recommended. To protect the knee and elbow joints, you need to wear special bandages, supports, and clamps. An orthopedic doctor will help you choose accessories with the required degree of rigidity.

Secondly, before each workout you need to warm up properly. In this case, the warm-up should be a slow and measured version of the main workout. If you plan to run, then it is necessary to prepare your knee joints by walking with a gradual increase in speed. Before playing tennis, maximum attention is paid to the elbow joints. You can do racket swings or a regular “mill”. If you plan to perform exercises with a barbell, then you need to slowly imitate presses without using any equipment.

Properly distributed loads, the use of auxiliary accessories and nutritional supplements will help protect joints from wear. But if the pain still begins to bother you, you need to contact a qualified physiotherapist to select an individual physical activity program.

Knee injuries

Any injuries, even those received in early childhood, can make themselves felt during sports. But it also happens that an injury occurs during training. This could be a sprain, a bruise of a bone or soft tissue, a rupture - all this requires examination by a physician. Don’t ignore the specialist and put everything off for later. If the cause of the pain is found and a diagnosis is made, then it will be easier to resolve the issue.

Meniscus of the knee joint

Knee problems are not always characterized by pain in the area of this joint. The joint may become less mobile if the knee ligament is torn or sprained. In this case, a person usually does not experience severe pain. If the meniscus is injured, but it is already difficult to bend the leg. Cushioning is lost if a person has sprained the intermeniscus ligaments.

If pain is felt under the knee, then this most likely indicates pinched nerve roots or an injury to the femur.

In any case, only a doctor can determine the cause of discomfort in the knee.

In order to avoid knee injury during training, you must not forget about warming up. During the warm-up, the muscles warm up, thereby preparing for heavy loads. The likelihood of injury to the prepared muscles is minimal.

Five minutes is not enough for a normal warm-up. There's no need to rush. It will take at least fifteen minutes to warm up the muscles. After training, it is important to do muscle stretching exercises. Stretching is also key to maintaining joint flexibility. But it is important not to overdo it - during exercise there should not be severe pain, only a slight burning sensation. You can “breathe” through unpleasant sensations. Remember that muscles and ligaments need to be tightened, not torn.

First aid for pain during exercise

If sharp pain occurs during class, the knee turns red, blue or swells, first aid must be provided immediately. To do this you need:

Relieve pain. This can be done using a cold compress. If you don't have ice on hand, apply something cold to your knee for no more than 15 minutes. Otherwise, a burn may occur.
Ensure fluid drainage. The injured leg should be raised above the head and held in this position for several minutes.
Speed up blood flow. To do this, use warming ointments. It is advisable to carry out this procedure the next day after the injury. A means to restore blood flow, which helps relieve pain.

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Inflammatory processes in the joint

Bursitis of the knee joint

Inflammation in the knee can begin not only after a bruise and sprain, but also for other reasons. At first glance, metabolic disorders and vitamin deficiency are not associated with the knee. But with systematic heavy loads, this can play a cruel joke on your legs. Even smoking and a weak immune system will lead to unpleasant sensations in the knee joint if you do not monitor your lifestyle during active sports activities.

The joints of athletes are more susceptible to inflammatory processes than others. Inflammation of the knee joint is called bursitis. Bursitis in an advanced state is the first stage on the path to muscle atrophy, which surrounds the area of inflammation.

When fluid accumulates in the joint cavity of an athlete, this is called synovitis. With synovitis, fever often occurs and movement is not possible. All symptoms are accompanied by severe pain.

The inflammatory process in tendons is medically called tendinitis. In this case, the knee hurts from behind.

All of the above cases are serious diseases of the knee joint. There can be no self-medication here! If you do not consult a doctor in a timely manner, the consequences can be very serious. In particular, you should not delay treatment of your child.

Excess weight

Excess weight causes knee pain

The knees support and move the weight of the entire human body from place to place. If there is excess weight, then the work on the joint is much more and harder. Every extra kilogram is an additional load on the knee. Therefore, it is important to monitor your diet, even if you are an athlete and regularly engage in physical activity. But even here you should know when to stop. After all, if you get carried away with diets, you can deprive yourself of essential vitamins and microelements. This will not make your joints and bones feel better, but vice versa.

Prevention

How to prevent the occurrence of unpleasant sensations? It is best to follow simple rules that will protect you from this phenomenon, which is dangerous to your health and normal lifestyle.

Professional trainers and orthopedic doctors advise:

Perform a mandatory warm-up before training in the gym, as well as when playing football, basketball and other team sports.
Start strength training by working with light weights, paying more attention to technique
Eat right, consuming the right amount of healthy fats per day (nuts, vegetable oils, fatty fish)
Choose loose shoes that fit for sports
Before strength training, you need to wrap your knees with a two-meter elastic bandage
Monitor your body weight and hormonal levels
Drink at least 1.5-2.5 liters of clean water per day
Avoid cardio training on surfaces such as asphalt or concrete
Sleep at least 8-9 hours a day, go to bed before 12 am
Give your body a rest after strength training for at least 24 hours

Important! It has been proven that any strength exercise injures the knee every workout, however, in a healthy person it completely recovers after a couple of hours. That’s why it’s so important to give your body a day’s rest after strength training or team competitions.

Improper exercise

During training, it is very important to perform the exercises correctly. This will not only lead to the desired result faster, but will also spare the joints. Newbies to the gym definitely need the services of a trainer. Otherwise, you may end up in a hospital bed.

Often inexperienced beginner athletes ineptly distribute the load on their body. This later affects the back and legs. Let's look at a few mistakes that cause pain in the joints, including the knees:

the load on the knees exceeds the athlete’s level of training (lifting heavy weights, squatting with heavy weights, etc.);
improper distribution of the load on the legs, its excessive tension causes friction of the kneecaps, which subsequently leads to thinning of the cartilage;
Mainly the knees suffer when doing weighted squats, especially when standing leg extensions.

If you feel pain in your knees after training, it is quite obvious that the technique for performing the exercises is incorrect.

Wrong shoes for training

Loads on the knees during training

Shoes play an important role in sports. The distribution of the load on the legs depends on the position of the foot. Sneakers or sneakers should not be tight or large. It is also better to use an orthopedic insole. Without it, not only your knee can get sick.

Buying cheap shoes for sports should be avoided right away. Why? Firstly, usually in such models the leg “does not breathe”, therefore, it will sweat. And secondly, the foot in cheap shoes will constantly feel discomfort, and the entire load will go to the knees.