[cjsheps]

Hi UKB,

Over the years I've had recurring problems with the back of my knees. After doing heel hooks that involve "twisting" of a heel (ie toe pointing horizontally), I feel pain in the outside ligament-y bit on the outside of my knee. I've attached a photo to highlight the region.

http://postimg.org/image/lkxl95ywb/

A few weeks ago, I gave too many goes at a circuit that involved a lot of pulling with a right heel, and since then the issue has worsened a lot. It hurts to move in and out of a squat, and I'm very limited when heel hooking.

The twisting element suggests that I've done some damage to my meniscus: can anyone support or refute this? I'm going to try and get a scan when I'm back in the UK, but I'm currently in Rodellar.

Having lost some weight recently, I imagine having weekened chicken-legs might be a contributing factor. I was thinking of doing some low-rep explosive exercises ie box jumps to try and strengthen the surrounding structures.

Thanks a lot in advance for helping with a pretty selfish post,

Chris.

[Fultonius]

Does it catch/lock?

Looking at where you've marked it, that looks more like the LCL or hamstring. 

I'd be going to the doctor to get a physio/knee surgeon/specialist's advice. Lots going on in that part of the knee.  I recently have an MRI for heel hook induced pain, nothing came up.

[Johnny Brown]

If my meniscus tear is nothing to go by the area you've highlighted is nowhere near the cartilage. Looks like soft tissue damage to me.

[a dense loner]

When I had the pleasure(?) of going to the valley with Doylo a couple of years ago I had 3little projects all using a right heel, which I was unaware of at the time due to excitement. On the last day my leg became fubar, knowing that it's time was over it just gave up, it took 2-3 mths for it to become normal. I just stayed away from heels during this time and it felt ok as soon as I thought it was ok, if that makes sense?

[Eddies]

If my meniscus tear is nothing to go by the area you've highlighted is nowhere near the cartilage. Looks like soft tissue damage to me.

+1

[Wil]

If my meniscus tear is nothing to go by the area you've highlighted is nowhere near the cartilage. Looks like soft tissue damage to me.

+2 - I've torn my meniscus more than once and it's been nothing like you describe. I've always had distinct swelling on the inside of the joint.

[duncan]

Usual disclaimers regarding diagnosis by internet...

The structure highlighted looks to be the semitendinosus (one of the lateral hamstrings) tendon. A hamstrings tendonopathy would hurt during heel-hooking, the lateral knee tendons especially if the foot was turned outwards. As others have said, with no locking I wouldn't rush to have a scan.

If it is this, treat as any tendonopathy: heavy weight eccentric and concentric exercises. Hamstring curls to start with. Should hurt somewhat when you do them but not the following day.

Let us know how you get on.

[cjsheps]

Thank you so much for the replies. Having done some more reading around, I agree that it sounds like soft tissue damage. Regarding the "locking up", if I squat too low the whole things just seems to fail and I more or less pathetically collapse!

I'll start doing some tendonitis exercises to see if that helps. The leg workout from kneebaring seems to be doing it some good too!