Knee · Inward knee
Knee caving in
The knee dives toward midline under load. It is almost never a 'knee problem.' It is a foot, hip, and timing problem that shows up at the knee.
Why it shows up
Limited ankle dorsiflexion, a sleepy glute med, and a habit of pronating to find range all funnel force through the medial knee. Strengthening the VMO in isolation is a rounding error if the hip still cannot keep the femur out.
How it feels
- — A pinch at the front of the knee on stairs or squats
- — The knee that tracks in when you land from a jump
- — IT band 'tightness' that stretching never finishes
On the table
Medial knee structures and the IT band can feel irritated. The work is usually lateral hip and the foot.
Drills
Ankle & foot
Knee-to-Wall Dorsiflexion
Restore ankle bend so the knee and hip stop paying the bill.
Ankle & foot
Short Foot
Wake the small muscles in the foot so the arch can share load instead of collapsing.
Ankle & foot
Tibialis Raise
Strengthen the front of the shin so the foot can land and the knee can travel without dumping in.
Knee
Split Squat Iso
Build time in a split stance without the front knee caving in or the torso dumping.
Knee
Terminal Knee Extension
Own the last bit of knee straightening that most sore knees have quietly given away.
Knee
Seated Tibial Rotation
Restore the small spin the lower leg is supposed to have so the kneecap can track instead of grind.
Knee
Wall Sit Iso
Load the front of the thigh and the tendon under the kneecap with a still hold — without beating up a noisy knee.
Self-massage
Ankle & foot
Arch ball
Wake the small muscles in the foot so the arch can share load instead of collapsing.
Ankle & foot
Calf roller
Soften a calf that will not let the ankle bend, so the knee does not have to cheat.
Knee
Front-of-thigh roller
Quiet a noisy front of the thigh so the kneecap can track instead of grind.
Hip
Front-outside hip ball
Take pressure off the front-outside of the hip that yanks the knee inward.
Hip
Inner-thigh ball
Soften the inner thigh so the knee is less likely to cave, then load it on purpose.
Ankle & foot
Outer-shin ball
Quiet the outer lower leg so the ankle and arch can share the work.