Knee pain solution

[EJL]

My DD has had left knee pain for about 2 years. I've always given her the ol' "suck it up kid, you'll be fine". Ice and ibuprofen and we kept going forward. This winter she again began with the knee pain line. Okay, says I, and took her to a sports ortho the other day. Doc says that he is seeing the same thing with increasing frequency in female athletes, catchers in particular.

Here's his explanation. As they grow their hips widen. The knee cap wants to move outside in order to stay in line with a line drawn from the top of their hip bone to the lower part of the knee. As they flex and extend the leg the knee cap moves left and right, under stress, causing the pain under the knee cap.

His solution is a certain brace which holds the knee cap in place when she squats and stands. She also needs to strengthen the inside quad to help pull the knee cap over.

This is the reader's digest version but I wanted to share our experience in case any of your DD's are having a similar issue.

Ed

 

[Coach Lia]

Unfortunately, this is the case for wome, our hips will broaden to prepare us for child bearing thus, putting stress on our knees. Best way is to strengthening the VMO (Vastus Medialis Obliquus) it's the point beside the knee at the end of the thigh nearer the center of the body.

During the off-season, make your catcher do squats (make sure of proper form) or leg press with a ball between legs. Then when she's stronger she can do single leg squats. You can do leg extensions but make sure you DON'T do full range of motion because it's also not good for the knee.

 

[sluggers]

My DD has had left knee pain for about 2 years. I've always given her the ol' "suck it up kid, you'll be fine".

???

Not good advice at all.

 

[SnocatzDad]

Several times over the past three years my daughter has suffered from growing pains in the joints that don't seem specific to any particular activity but the joints particularily knees and back are ususally where most of the discomfort comes and usually it is a precursor to growth spurt that requires refreshing the jeans and shoe wardrobe.

Although my daughter is a catcher, I wouldn't say catching causes the pains, but it can definitely make catching uncomfortable. She had those pains on and off even during seasons where she didn't catch. Some days are extremely bad and others just mildly uncomfortable. This is why it is so important to develop multiple catchers on a team, especially when they are younger and still growing. If a catcher tells me she's in pain and can't go, I'd better listen as a coach because typically they won't say anything at all until they are already miserable.

BTW. The last time I told a kid to suck it up and get tough it was my son at football practice when he jammed his finger during a drill and wanted to come out, fortunately he persisted in complaining and we checked it out and sure enough he had broken the bone between the finger and the wrist. I'm sure there are kids out there that will cry wolf to get out of exerting themselves, but as a coach I think you are better off erring on the side of caution.

 

[softball_chic_12]

i am a catcher and have knee pains too....i try to ice my knees at least half an hour after every practice and depending on how the game went...somewhere between half an hour to an hour. I wonder though....should I go see a sports doctor to get it checked out and learn what to do for my knees that way? or should i just keep icing?