C2 aggravating my knee

[happycamper515]

Been rowing for a week now and it's starting to make my knee hurt. I got the C2 because I thought it'd be low impact and nice to my knee but as I try and improve it's beginning to aggravate my knee. Maybe I need to push less from the catch and be content with just maintaining cardio and focus not so much on improving stats. I've seen noticeable improvement in just eight sessions but I've also noticed increasing knee pain.

I know what the answer is but I've been putting off going to the doctor for over a year now after I Injured my knee.

[max_ratcliffe]

Been rowing for a week now and it's starting to make my knee hurt. I got the C2 because I thought it'd be low impact and nice to my knee but as I try and improve it's beginning to aggravate my knee. Maybe I need to push less from the catch and be content with just maintaining cardio and focus not so much on improving stats. I've seen noticeable improvement in just eight sessions but I've also noticed increasing knee pain.

I know what the answer is but I've been putting off going to the doctor for over a year now after I Injured my knee.

Without knowing what is wrong with your knee, it's difficult to say (it would be difficult even if I did know, as I'm no sort of medic). However, that said, I have noticed a very slight valgus collapse with my left knee during the drive. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but yep, I do occasionally roll it inwards. More control at the hip is needed for me to make sure everything stays aligned.

May or may not be relevant for your knee pain.

[Gammmmo]

Been rowing for a week now and it's starting to make my knee hurt. I got the C2 because I thought it'd be low impact and nice to my knee but as I try and improve it's beginning to aggravate my knee. Maybe I need to push less from the catch and be content with just maintaining cardio and focus not so much on improving stats. I've seen noticeable improvement in just eight sessions but I've also noticed increasing knee pain.

I know what the answer is but I've been putting off going to the doctor for over a year now after I Injured my knee.

-lower the DF
-experiment with different foot plate positions
-place close attention to leg tracking, the extent to which you are extending the knee
-be aware that pain manifesting in the knee could originate elsewhere such as in the hips or feet e.g. so for latter look at how rotated feet are
-maybe too much too soon? body takes time to adapt
-use ice
-until you identify the problem source, consider doing less on the ergo and more crosstraining to maintain sanity

[happycamper515]

My knee pain always flares up when I squat for too long doing things like yard work. I try not to go too deep into the catch to avoid the deep knee bend but I'm a fairly slender guy so going too deep is more of a problem than not being able to go deep enough into the catch position.

When I started my stoke was only about 1.05 but in a week I've been able to get it consistently around 115 and even into the 120s but maybe trying to lengthen the stroke isn't the best thing for me.

[ampire]

Try a rest day, don't do too much mileage at once.
Try stretching calves and hamstrings. I use a slant board for my calves to increase my ankle flexibility.
Try rowing with the feet not strapped in.
Try different shoes, either shoes with more heel or less heel.
Try different foot holes on the foot stretcher.
Try lowering the damper/drag factor, drag factor around 100 might be easier on your body, that is usually a damper setting of around #3 on the side of the machine.

[jamesg]

My knee pain always flares up when I squat for too long doing things like yard work. I try not to go too deep into the catch to avoid the deep knee bend

Exactly, it's best to keep knee angle more than 45° at the catch (shins vertical). Posture is all-important in aerobic rowing, where we take the same stroke action up to a thousand times a day, so cannot risk it being even the least bit damaging.

Suggest you set the stretcher as low as possible and use a front stop. This only needs a rope tied round the rail, 40-50 cm away from your heels. Then swing forward with a straight back before moving the slide.

The stroke itself is not necessarily heavy: it can be better to keep drag low, the rating a bit higher and the leg action a little lighter. The Watt/Rating ratio (= Work per stroke) lets you keep an eye on what you are doing.

[dublinseacow]

Hi, I'm going to provide my 2 cents.
My left hip muscles weakened after I injured my knee a few years ago. My physical therapist recommended using using a theraband wrapped around my knee and connected to a stable object to help improve hip strength. My left knee started aching after rowing. I saw it collapsed and pulled out the theraband. I wrapped the band around my two knees. As I push off with my feet, I also make sure I push both knees out and feel resistance from the band. I got off the C2 the first day of doing this and my hips and glutes just ached. My knee pain has gone away. I can now go down into a deep squat and not have knee pain.

If you see a physical therapist, ask if using a theraband can help with your knee pain.

[stony]

Sorry late to the post. My knee replacement was done with kee that kept one legement it tackt that has now become loose allowing me knee wobble on recovery. To keep things straight I place a mini soccer ball between my knees while I row. So far so good, seem to have power through the stroke.

[Popcorn]

Lots of great suggestions above. I have had knee pain and swelling in the past but I am OK on the erg if I avoid two days in a row when it's sore, really pay attention to being symmetrical and do all the other kinds of exercises I'm supposed to do, the strengthening and the flexibility exercises, plus what everyone else has told you above. Now (after three years of regular erg use) my knees are much better than they ever were.

The good thing about the rower, as opposed to anything else I have tried, is that you have great control over using your knee in a nice straight line, no twisting and torquing, no uneven ground to mess you up. Just don't overdo it when it is acting up.