Yang Family Tai Chi Discussion Board

I have just started learning Tai Chi 3 weeks back. I am having knee pain after practice few starting forms, specially in inner knees. Is this normal for people who starts Tai Chi practice or I am doing something wrong

Tai Chi generally works the knees pretty hard, but in a controlled way. This can be great for anyone's knees.

Do Tai Chi badly still works the knees pretty hard, but in a poorly controlled way. This can be bad for anyone's knees.

Generally, people starting Tai Chi may feel soreness in the legs. This is normal. Sharp or unremitting pain is not normal.

Common problems that can cause the wrong kind of knee pain are:

1. stances with the front knee too far forward in bow stances. At the conclusion of a bow stance, the front knees should not go beyond the toes and the lower leg should not go very much past vertical.

2. along the knees to twist too much out of alignment. Except in certain transitions where you may be changing direction as much as 135 degrees, the knees should point in the same direction as toes of the feet of the respective legs. To do this, you may have to concentrate on allowing your hip socket to open more than your daily habits in movement.

For more "advanced" discussion on this subject, try these posts from earlier discussions:

http://discuss.yangfamilytaichi.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1041&p=11774&hilit=knee+pain#p11406

http://discuss.yangfamilytaichi.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1041&p=11774&hilit=knee+pain#p11368

I hope this helps.

Take care,
Audi

sac1991 wrote: ↑Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:02 am I have just started learning Tai Chi 3 weeks back. I am having knee pain after practice few starting forms, specially in inner knees. Is this normal for people who starts Tai Chi practice or I am doing something wrong

Hi, sac1991,
Most of the time, people do get muscle pains then go away after three months.

FYI For those who have pains in the inner knee at the beginning of leaning Tai Chi; it is a very serious problem. It was recommended not to continous with the practice. I am not discouraging you not to practice Tai Chi. Howerer, I had seen quite a few of people have the knee pains that do not go away and must quit. I am just suggesting that it is not suitable for you.

Greetings,

Knee pain is something, as we age, most of us have to live with to varying degrees. However, Taiji, especially the Yang family style, should not be a cause or agent of pain. Have a word with your teacher on this, but my opinion, not knowing the exact circumstances of your practice, is to look at posture, stance and your movement in transitioning from one posture to the next.

Always begin with a posture that is comfortable for you. This can be very upright and high. Don't try to emulate or copy a lower execution of the postures, just because everyone else is. As you become familiar with the form and develop more strength and flexibility, you may choose to do with a lower stance, but don't be in a rush to do this.

Check your stance, especially the bow stance. You should not be walking a tightrope but more like straddling it. Imagine that your heels are on opposite sides of the rope. If you walk the tight rope, or worse, crossover, your knees will twist, not to mention your spine. This would be uncomfortable and you must rectify your stance IMMEDIATELY. Again, check with your teacher.

How you transition is also critical. One of the principles is to know 'empty' and 'full'. From a purely physical and bio-dynamical aspect, you need to move in a way that will facilitate ease of movement, without stressing any joints, ligaments, tendons, etc. Let your body do what comes naturally to it. As an example, whenever you need to turn, it is generally the case to shift your weight to one foot (it becomes full), empty the other and lift slightly the sole of the empty foot. Then, as your waist turns, your empty foot will naturally pivot on the heel, without even any conscious effort on your part. Again, this does not result in any stress on your ligaments of tendons. Try this with the transition from the end of 'grasping the bird's tail' to 'single whip'.

At no time in your practice should you feel discomfort that is not natural or unusual. Again, ask your teacher and he/she should be able to ascertain what might be the problem and rectify any errors that you may be unknowingly making.

Finally, consult your health practitioner if you find that nothing works, as there may be other issues that are involved. We are all built differently and we need to adjust our practice to accommodate to our own specific needs and limitations. For instance, if I tried to emulate some of the actions that I see in some Taiji demonstrations that is done by a person 40 years younger than me, I am likely to tear something or rupture a hernia. Lol. There has been much written on the positive outcomes and health benefits from the practice of Taiji, and I have not heard or read of any adverse reports.

Only good outcomes can come from the proper practice of Taiji, so do not be dissuaded from continuing your Taiji journey, as it will be to your great loss.

Take care,
Frank

Here is the common problem with knee injury of the Tai Chi practitioners.

3. Patellar Chondromalacia

Patellar Chondromalacia occurs when the cartilage enabling the femur and kneecap to glide smoothly over one another becomes damaged. This damage is caused by regular wear and tear or by repetitive trauma due to the knee muscles weakening and the patella (kneecap) becoming misaligned. Patellar Chondromalacia is very common in runners and is often termed as 'Runners Knee'.

Patellar Chondromalacia patients complain of tenderness under or around the kneecap and the pain often increases when using stairs or getting out of a chair. A grinding feeling may also occur when trying to straighten the knee.

Tai Chi requires the practitioner to stand on leg or shift the body weight from one leg to the other. Unfortunately, if the postures on the legs were not done properly will cause injury to the knee cap. Without proper guidance, some practitioners stand on one leg with the knee bent beyond the toes. The same with a bow stand. If these things happened, there will be too much stress on the cartilage cause it to wear and tear.

Here are some of the examples:
1. There was a Hong Kong star who practiced Tai Chi wrongful for the preparation to do a movie. His kneecaps became permanently damaged.

2. My tour guide in China told me he practice Tai Chi in 2017. In 2019, he told me he had quit because of knee injury. He told me that he moved he knees improperly and showed me how he moved. He moved his knees first, on every move, instead of turning the heels. Thus that will cause lot of stresses on the cartilage and permanent damage will result.

FYI The proper distance to bend the knees is not to go beyond the toes. Howerever, the Wudeng Taoist has a more restricted requirement for the knee to bend. It require the knee not to go beyond 2/3 of the distance from the heel.

Ref: http://mendmyknee.com/knee-and-patella- ... E#injuries