Severe Knee Pain!

[MH1313]

Hey everyone!

I'm having some serious knee pain. As you can imagine its in my sliding leg. I'm not sure what help I can get besides a bowling coach and hands on work for my approach, but its worth asking.

I do warm up and stretch before bowling as well as stretching after. I work out on a regular basis trying to strengthen my legs.

I don't typically slide to horribly much in my approach, which may be part of my problem.

I bowl on average a minimum of 6 games a week (two leagues) so this is getting pretty serious and is effecting my game...

I just bought a brand new pair of SST4's, hoping the new sliding pad would help my situation, but it really didn't...would different pads help? Do I need to slow down my approach?

any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

thanks,
MH

[Jord_84]

I suffered some serious pain in my knee and hip on my slide leg from Aug-Feb. of this last season. I started taking extra strength tylenol about 15 mins before I left my house for the bowling alley. Once I got there, I'd rub my knee down with icy hot, in addition to my stretching routine. I also added an orthodic arch support only to my slide shoe, and over the last 2 months my pain has disappeared completely.

at the worst, my pain was excruciating...and it majorly messed with my game.
Hope this gives you some ideas, and I hope you find relief!

[NoTapNorm]

I bought some etonic shoes last year and was using the #8 sliding sole when my knee started hurting also. I changed to the #10 (slickest) and I wasnt sticking at all and the pain went away.

[playbowl]

MH1818

If the pain is severe then see your doctor to be sure there is no damage. If there is no damage then the underlying cause must be found. The knee is a very interesting joint in that it can withstand tremendous load in the front to back direction. This is the way it is designed to work. It does not move sideways like a wrist or ankle joint and does not fare well when twisting or lateral forces are applied either suddenly or repeatedly. There are a number of places in the approach from beginning to end that can cause pain with the usual suspect being the slide sole as stated above, try that first. Then, have your approach and footwork analyzed on videotape to see where the problem is. Imbalance in sole friction, improper weight distribution, excessive extension or twisting can cause problems. Listen to your body, PAIN is the body's way of letting us know we are doing something incorrecty and it is time to get it fixed.

I hope it is nothing serious.

[MH1313]

I do have a doc appt next week, so I'll take advantage of that for a quick diagnosis.

The killer thing for me is I don't twist, turn or anything like that, I have a very straight forward approach. My one thought is I already have a pretty mean drift (6 boards to the left), so I'm leaning towards uneven weight distribution.

I suppose it could also be to over use? Last week was a week where I bowled 24 games in a week...something I'm not quite used to.

I'll check into everyones wonderful reccomendations and get some tape of me bowling up and on here eventually!

Thanks,

Matt

[JaxBowlingGuy]

I also have knee problems that stem from not sliding as I am more of a power player and plant at the line. I have been to the dr and they said it was tendonitis in the knee. To help with that I had them perscribe be 800mg motrin and take them about 30 min before bowling and Im good to go... Then also got a 2nd perscription for when im at home and not planning on going out much less bowling..

My girlfriend also has knee problem from time to time from fluid build up on the knee. She will go every now and then to have it drained..

I know how ya feel, it suck and when your game suffers its really not any fun. :-(

[MH1313]

I hope my knee isn't as bad as your lady friends!

I also really want to avoid taking any drugs what so ever...I hate even taking basic advil or ibuprofin! I'm a firm believer in those things weren't necessary for thousands of years, why should I become dependent on them now...but if all else fails they do help ;) haha

thanks for all the advice! its nice to know I'm not alone with my gimpitude

[playbowl]

I do have a doc appt next week, so I'll take advantage of that for a quick diagnosis.

The killer thing for me is I don't twist, turn or anything like that, I have a very straight forward approach. My one thought is I already have a pretty mean drift (6 boards to the left), so I'm leaning towards uneven weight distribution.

I suppose it could also be to over use? Last week was a week where I bowled 24 games in a week...something I'm not quite used to.

I'll check into everyones wonderful reccomendations and get some tape of me bowling up and on here eventually!

Thanks,

Matt

Next time you are on the approach, before you start moving, shift all of your weight onto your non-slide foot until you can pick up your slide foot off the floor. (the hurt side) When you are in balance - go. This is your new start and approach until your leg gets better. My guess is you are currently using an even number of steps in your approach. All of your weight has to be on your slide side before you can pick up your non slide (right foot) to start walking. Meaning, if you take a little more time than usual to get started, all your weight is on the sore leg during your setup. Shift it to the good side for awile.

24 games is the TQR with 8 more of either Match Play or Total pins to see who makes the show for most PBA tournaments. Every week.

[MH1313]

I'm actually leading off with my weak leg with my approach. I will definitely give this a shot as it won't effect me much! I never thought of this before...guess thats why you make the big bucks right?

what do you mean by TQR? forgive my ignorance...

[playbowl]

Tournament Qualifying Rounds

[jmainville]

I have the same problem. I take aleve before I go bowling as a preventative. Works most of the time. I should see a doc a some point but havent yet. I've also noticed that I now have a pop in my wrist on release of the ball. Doesnt hurt but just a concern.

[JerseyJim]

I have tendonitis in my knees because of the stress put on them by playing a bunch of different sports when I was younger. I started wearing a jumper's knee strap which helped a lot. I also pop 3 advil before bowling. In the last couple of months I started using Capizin roll-on. It's a pepper extract which does wonders with knee pain. Probably the best thing I could do for it is to lose 20 - 25 lbs.

[MH1313]

Capizin eh? where does one find that, I'd be interested in checking it out...does it have a strong odor?

haha lose 20-25lbs...thats awesome...I think most of us could do that and not be in too much trouble! haha!!! wait, maybe I should do that ;)

[Jord_84]

hahah beware the capzasin

Jersey Jim recommended it to me when I was seeking advice about my knee pain.

You can get it at walmart...or any drug store. If you do try it...get the roll on applicator like Jim mentioned, you don't want to get this stuff on your hands. Use it very sparingly!
I put some of this stuff on my knee and went out for some practice....about 4 games into my practice session my knee started burning intensely. My hand also started burning even though I had washed my hands thoroughly.

It's effective and long lasting....just be careful with how you apply it.

[MH1313]

burning!??! what is this stuff?

more importantly did it work once you figured out the proper dosage?

[Jord_84]

capzasin comes from the seeds in peppers....thus the burning.

I tried using small amounts...but as soon as I'd start breaking into a sweat practicing...that's where the burning got really bad for me. I couldn't find it in the roll on bottle...so I got a tube. Even though I washed my hands when I was done applying it...the palm of my right hand would burn so badly. I don't know if sweat and body heat intensify the reaction or what...but my knee and my palm (because I wear a positioner with a sleeve) were both covered...trapping any body heat.

One day after I had put the capzasin on and practiced, I took a hot bath....and this was probably 10 hours after I had applied the capzasin....I got in the bathtub and my knee started burning again!

I've stuck with icy hot. I have to re-apply it more often because the effects of it are short-lived, but capzasin just wasn't for me. Maybe I'm allergic, I don't know.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Something that i have found that works well too is Biofreeze... its like icy hot but a little better in my mind... i know at 1 point you could get it from like a back dr usually for like $10 a tube.. it works well and doent really burn but more of a cooling feeling.. it may be sold at the store now.. im not sure bc i get it for free from a friends dad thats a DR..lol

[mikeyyy44805]

i would go have it checked out just to make sure you didnt damage a ligament...

[MH1313]

It's been two weeks since league, and the pain has all but gone away, I think I'm out of the woods on this one.

Its not like I haven't been active either...volleyball started up, along with lawn care and a more strenuous workout schedule...I'm hoping it was just a little overuse.