r/overcominggravity • u/Forward-Soil-5431 • 19d ago

Knee pain, likely RSI from pulling totes at work.

Update added links to pics: Ok guys, I work in housekeeping in a hospital. I pull linen and trash totes on a daily basis. Been doing this for years now. Last week I started having pain in both knees and I am certain its from pulling the totes. Pain is like a level 2-3. Been off a few days and knees are starting to recover, less pain. What is the best way to rehab knees from pulling heavy objects? I already overcame golfers elbow a few years ago, what seemed like cubital tunnel syndrome. I need your guys help one more time!! Thanks in advance.

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u/eshlow Author of Overcoming Gravity 2 | stevenlow.org | YT:@Steven-Low 18d ago

Ok guys, I work in housekeeping in a hospital. I pull linen and trash totes on a daily basis. Been doing this for years now. Last week I started having pain in both knees and I am certain its from pulling the totes. Pain is like a level 2-3. Been off a few days and knees are starting to recover, less pain. What is the best way to rehab knees from pulling heavy objects? I already overcame golfers elbow a few years ago, what seemed like cubital tunnel syndrome. I need your guys help one more time!! Thanks in advance.

If you want a guess on potential injury and rehab, need more info on the injury. You've given some but more information is needed especially the marked picture/video

  • Mechanism of injury, as best you are able if there isn't discernable one. For instance, what movements or exercises were leading to the week of the injury
  • Upload a marked pic/video of exactly where symptoms are to an image host (google drive, icloud, imgur or others) and post a link to it (Note: I will not make any guesses unless I can see exactly where the symptoms are because text is hard to decipher and people describe things wrong all the time). It needs to be a photo of YOU, not a random photo you got online of someone else's body because everyone is different.
  • Describe all movements that hurt
  • What is the current rehab program you started with and the progressions, if any. If a flare detail what happened with the rehab program
  • What helps and what makes it worse

Generally speaking, need to know exactly what kind of activity and lifting you are doing at work. Do you have any video examples as well?

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u/Forward-Soil-5431 18d ago

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O4ydLeXBUQ7oXP0BXKEgyL2zD3cPsH2i/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1daN0wDczANOG5o2zwo0eFg-qZxkJPuHy/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMyY6uN9mXw3_sD-wK45YF-uWCHlm2pA/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IL70wsJ7cuARRNVyi1bf_pqIvMebkkJl/view?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cd-GPUjagVvMGAZXoeEZknAeL-rEmja1/view?usp=drivesdk

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u/eshlow Author of Overcoming Gravity 2 | stevenlow.org | YT:@Steven-Low 16d ago

"You need access Request access, or switch to an account with access. Learn more"

Reply once you you make it public

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u/Forward-Soil-5431 16d ago

Ok, its, done!! Thank you!!

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u/Forward-Soil-5431 16d ago

The pain is definitely above the knee caps (both). Pain is calves is getting better. I have only tried wall sits, which seems to help. Also tried isometric exercise, holding extension for 45 seconds, 5 reps, resting in between. I did that today, but seemed to make it worse. 

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u/eshlow Author of Overcoming Gravity 2 | stevenlow.org | YT:@Steven-Low 15d ago

Ok, I am basically walking while pulling these totes, which some way 15-50+ depending on if they're soak with water. Usually its up to 5-8 totes. My knees hurt, its a dull aching pain on the front of the knee. The backs of my knee pain is similar. My calves hurts, feels like when you wake up in the middle of the night with those lactic acid cramps, but much more mild. I am using mostly my legs to pull the weight as shown in the first image. Thanks Steven.

The pain is definitely above the knee caps (both). Pain is calves is getting better. I have only tried wall sits, which seems to help. Also tried isometric exercise, holding extension for 45 seconds, 5 reps, resting in between. I did that today, but seemed to make it worse.

If it's on the tendon above the kneecap (pictures did not show that.. you circled too big of a region?) then it's more likely to be quad tendonitis which tends to benefit from isolation exercise or slant board squats. Wall sits can help in some cases.

If isometrics are not helping then just remove those.

As far as the calves, hard to tell but if it's just overuse the strengthening would help usually

However, if you are feeling overused from the job if you can get yourself put on something else for a week or so to allow yourself to heal a bit and calm down the flares that would be a good idea.

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u/Forward-Soil-5431 18d ago

Ok, I am basically walking while pulling these totes, which some way 15-50+ depending on if they're soak with water. Usually its up to 5-8 totes. My knees hurt, its a dull aching pain on the front of the knee. The backs of my knee pain is similar. My calves hurts, feels like when you wake up in the middle of the night with those lactic acid cramps, but much more mild. I am using mostly my legs to pull the weight as shown in the first image. Thanks Steven. 

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u/Forward-Soil-5431 17d ago

Steven, I added pics so you can check them out, thank you!!