Lunges are bad for the knee of the trailing leg if you have cartilage damage at the front of the knee, a condition known as patellar chondromalacia. The rear leg in a lunge position doesn't bear as much load as the front leg, so why is it a problem in that case, and why does it hurt?

In that position, the thigh muscle (quadriceps) from above and the patellar tendon from below press the kneecap against the thigh bone (femur). In people with cartilage damage in that part of the joint, pressure that does not need to be high can cause significant problems in the form of pain. Most often, pain is present in only one part of the range of motion (usually midway), rather than throughout the entire descent and ascent.

What to do?

There are two options:

• Remove lunges from training, because the knee is irritated after that exercise
• Undergo a complete rehabilitation program, which will increase tissue capacity to the point where symptoms disappear. That can be done in 2-4 months. But keep in mind that damaged cartilage cannot regenerate. That is why symptoms can return after a couple of years if muscle strength (primarily of the quadriceps) and tissue capacity drop significantly.

Book an evaluation at Top Gym so we can assess your current condition and bring the knee to a state where it can comfortably handle load during lunges and other, much more demanding activities!

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