Knee pain can be a big issue when it comes to leg presses and squats, and understanding why pain starts and how to prevent it is important if you want to bulk up or gain strength and mass in your lower body. Squats and leg presses are often the cause of debilitating knee pain and if this pain is not addressed then permanent damage can occur that will sidetrack you from your training efforts.

Knee pain can impair your lower body training and make your leg workout much less effective.

Knee pain is frequently caused by common mistakes. Trying to lift more weight than these joints can safely manage will result in pain and may cause injury or damage as well. Using the wrong techniques or not ensuring the proper form is used are both common mistakes that can cause knee pain to start. Injuries to tendons, certain medical conditions including arthritis, and other factors may all affect how much pain you experience when you perform squats and leg presses. If you want rock solid legs and well developed muscles in your lower body then preventing or minimizing knee pain is critical. If your workout is shortened because of knee pain or you can not even get started then reaching your strength training goals will take much longer to reach, if you can manage to meet these objectives at all.

What Causes Knee Pain?

Understanding the cause of knee pain will help you train better and get the physical fitness results that you want to see without an injury knocking you off track. Knee pain can be caused by a number of things and it is important to pinpoint the exact cause in order to make any necessary changes. Previous injuries may cause pain to start when you workout your legs and damage or scarring can cause limitations in movement that can cause pain during a routine as well. Sometimes joint pain may start around the knee because you have lifted too much weight or because of inflammation because you did not rest long enough. Training the legs is one of the most commonly neglected workout components and leg exercises are important for a well developed and strong lower body that is in proportion to your upper half. You should train legs at a very intense level and until you can not go any further, and any pain can interfere with this and prevent muscle growth.

Tips For Preventing Knee Pain With Any Leg Workout Routine

• Avoid cardio activities that are hard on the knees or that are high impact. This will minimize the stress on your knee joints and keep the pain away.

• Always warm up your legs before a workout. Whether you are performing squats, leg presses, or other routines do not go straight for the heaviest weights. Do a few reps with a light weight to start with and then increase the amount you are lifting with your legs. This will prevent many injuries and ensure that your joints are ready for the maximum you will be lifting.

• Never lift more than your knee joints can safely handle. Videos showing bodybuilders who end up destroying their knees because they try to lift more than this weakest link can handle.

• Never push yourself too far. You need to push yourself in order to get muscle growth, especially in the legs, but know when to stop so you do not end up with a serious injury.

• Always use the proper form and technique for the workout. This will minimize any stress and pain while maximizing muscle growth and development.

• Never lock out your knees. This move can cause knee pain and injury.

Find the Right Workout Variations for Your Knees

Leg presses can be performed using many different variations. If knee pain is aproblem with one variation then try another until you find what works best in your specific case. If the machine is too difficult to use at first then lower the weight amount by small increments until you reach the level where you are challenged but not in danger of hurting yourself. Foot placement on the foot pedal of the leg press machine will allow you to target the different muscle groups in the leg. Since your leg is locked in as far as the allowable movement is concerned this can be a terrific exercise if you are recovering from a tendon injury. For those with arthritis some changes may be needed in order to keep stress to a minimum on the knee joint.

Always Squat Using The Correct Form

If you do not fully understand the proper form to use for squats then make sure you learn before you attempt this type of workout. If squats are improperly performed this can add more weight and stress on the knee joints and this can lead to injury or tissue damage. Some tips for squats to avoid knee pain include:

• Make sure that your knees stay back as you make the descent, and avoid any rounding of your back.
• Your hind end should be sticking out and your back should stay arched through the entire squat.
• Use the heel of your feet and not the ball when squatting in order to avoid knee pain and prevent injury.
• Workout barefoot when you do squats, and push off with the heel of the foot instead of the toes when you start to come up.

Source

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/knee_injury_prevention.htm

http://www.livestrong.com/article/546137-leg-presses-hurt-my-knees/