bad knee squat

[marcus]

Hi, I wonder if anyone can help me, I've had pain behind the knee cap of my right knee for some years now and I've searched high and low on the internet, had an xray, seen a specialist and still know real answers.
I just came upon runners knee the other day and I thought it must be that coz it does feel like the back of the knee cap is rubbing on the bone, however I did the runners knee test and no pain, as well as the fact that I can run all day and it never hurts.
It hurts when I squat or lunge even just with body weight, the strange thing is it hurts for about ten reps and then the pain is gone and I can squat or lunge quite happily, the pain comes the next day and for a few days but goes away if I don't squat again.
Some years ago I used to do heavy squats but not go down all the way, mostly not even to 90 degrees and I've never really trained hamstrings, which is why the runners knee caught my eye what with the imbalance in strength between the quads and hamstrings.
Is it possible that doing heavy half squats and not training hamstrings has lead to damage to the back of the knee cap and an imbalance.
One more thing on my knee xray there is a spot of discolouration on the back of the knee cap but the doc said it was nothing.
Bearing in mind I live in France and they are not big into sports therapy and the like especially where I live, so the doctors may not recognise sports damage???

[Heidi]

Hi

Imbalances around the knee joint can definately contribute to anterior knee pain.
http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/cybertherapist/front/knee/patellofemoral_pain_syndrome.php

If you have not had any treatment or a rehab plan for the knee then this would be the route I would suggest. Try to make sure you have a full range of motion at the knee, ankle and hip (i.e. that the hamstring, quad and calf muscles aren't tight). And try to adress the imbalance between the quads and hams. These muscles should be as equal in strength as possible to prevent imbalance injuries.