warmin up for a game and streching

[AspireNatlRef]

Ok, I have done about 12 games this year, and I am getting some pattelafemoral pain. I mean I am helth, runabout 5 miles a day, fit but this stuff hurts.

So, what are you guys/gals doing to completely warm up. Hopefully I won't be doing the next 12 games I have in the next week in pain.

So, give me your streching routine and let me know how it works,

As Alwys,

ANR

[falcon.7]

Okay, where exactly does it hurt? Inside/outside, muscle/bone... "Patellofemoral" basically covers everything from your pelvis to your knees. It may not be something that can be solved by warming up or stretching.

[njref]

Okay, where exactly does it hurt? Inside/outside, muscle/bone... "Patellofemoral" basically covers everything from your pelvis to your knees. It may not be something that can be solved by warming up or stretching.

I think that he is referring to his kneecap? But there are a lot of possible issues here, from bad shoes to overuse and running on uneven surfaces. Tight calf and hamstring muscles may contribute, so you want to jog to warm up and then stretch those muscles. Ultimately it may require some time off from running.

[mkoenig_1]

I know this doesn't really answer your question, but I have had knee pain on and off since college - which amazingly is 25 years this coming spring. And apart from an ongoing regimen of ice and Advil, I would say that good shoes are key to caring for them. So I would tend not to overlook NJRef's passing comment. If your shoes are old, (and by this I mean both your running shoes and the shoes you referee in) then probably a good idea to replace them. Also, I try not to wear a decent pair of shoes - not sneakers - with good support during the work week (assuming you work at a job other than refereeing). It always amazes me that people will try to save $30 on a pair of shoes and end up spending $500 on doctors visits and physical therapy to treat their knee/achilles/back/whatever.

More to your point, I would suggest getting to the field an extra 15 min early to make sure you have time to warm up your body, and also looking into weather you have a muscle imbalance in terms of the strength of your hamstrings and calfs when compared to your quads. This is often the case with people who put in high mileage running and may be contributing to the discomfort, and it may be that you need to do more to strengthen your quads.

Or it may be that you need a week(end) off - a tough pill to swallow I know.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[Rufusabc]

I echo the thoughts of the those who ahve mentioned the shoes. Check out the need for inserts too. Also, the three in a row centering might be best left to the younger guys! I think a steady regimen of running in th emiddle will hurt just about anyone. I got seriusly hurt last season, and I trained like crazy through the winter. But I'm a bit older and the knees don't hold up. I blew out my knee standing about 10 yards to the right of a defender who was going to bomb the ball up the field and instead he hooked it right towards me and I had to move quickly to get out of the way. There was a one in a million shot I should have been in the way as I was barely ahead of him and way off to his right, but straight at me it came. There went my knee. Haven't done a match since.

[mkoenig_1]

Rufus - bummer about the knee. I feel for you, and I was only sidelined for a couple of weeks before I was allowed to AR again.

The scenario you describe has been one of my bigger fears over the past year as I have been rehabbing my knee and working up to more challenging games.

I'm curious: how did you handle the situation? We have a lot of guidance available for how to handle injuries when it comes to players, but what if you are the one who is injured? Any advice? Anything you wish you had done differently?

Mods - apologies if hijacking the thread. Feel free to split off if it makes sense.

[Nesto]

Ok, I have done about 12 games this year, and I am getting some pattelafemoral pain. I mean I am helth, runabout 5 miles a day, fit but this stuff hurts.

So, what are you guys/gals doing to completely warm up. Hopefully I won't be doing the next 12 games I have in the next week in pain.

So, give me your streching routine and let me know how it works,

As Alwys,

ANR

Definitely go see a orthopedist - preferably one who specializes in knees. PF pain can be from several issues - muscle imbalance, meniscus tears, footwear, arthritis... check out this article:
http://www.aafp.org/afp/991101ap/2012.html

From the footwear angle, even new shoes that don't fit with your personal bio-mechanics can cause problems.

Went through it last season myself. Initially my doctor was certain it was a torn meniscus, but imaging ruled that out and showed osteoarthritis (the overuse version of arthritis v. rheumatoid which is the autoimmune form). A little surprising for me as I am early 40s, but he told me that some athletes will develop joint arthritis as early as in their 20s if their bio-mechanics leave them prone to it. Turns out my patella just doesn't track very well and is being worn down on one side.

Took me a few months of physical therapy before I was able to ref, but this season I'm back to form. A good physical therapist will assess specifically where you need to work. For me, I did overall quad strengthening, adductor strengthening and some proprioceptive exercises (balance training on balls and other weird devices) for my knee.

Not all PF responds to this, but McConnell taping (it's in the first article) worked fantastic for me. The pain just disappeared when I was taped. Helped me rehab much faster. Once I had gained enough strength back, I switched to a brace specifically for PF pain (this one: http://www.hely-weber.com/product.php?id=65). Not quite as effective as the tape job, but works very well.

For pre-match, I now warm up with a 5 - 10 min jog. For my knee, I make sure to stretch hips and glutes, hamstring , inner thigh/groin, hip flexor, calfs, quads, and ITB/pirifomis. After stretching, I make sure to do some more running, ending with a few sprints. I usually don't need the brace anymore, but always have it in my bag should I feel the slightest twinge when I'm warming up or reffing.

[andymoss]

If you do wear two or more different pairs of shoes during the course of the day, try to make sure they are all of the same age.

Going from one pair that are a year old and have worn accordingly to a pair that are a month old that have barely worn will change your foot strike angle and could put cause issues. I did just this - old mini-studs for early morning game on dew covered field, switched to turfs, then back to mini's when it rained a little. Not positive this was the definitive cause, but suffered a ruptured disc (L4/L5) about six months later. Can lie dormant according to Ortho.

Now, back to the warm up. If I'm in the middle, I'll make sure we warm up as a crew. In warm-ups if the conditions demand and we all have them. Uniform if not. A couple of times across and back on centre line, then jog to centre circle, side-step facing right across circle, then jog. About turn and side-step, again to the right. Another across and back, this time back-pedalling. One more, with a 70% burst. And one more at a full sprint. Last one at a slow jog.

Doing it as a crew does a number of things. Brings team cohesion - really good with younger ARs. Gives you chance to do your pregame. Tells the teams your are a team now, so will be a team during the game. Gives you a first opportunity to interact with the parents - a quick good-morning, nice day and a smile, etc.

I can't stretch very well because of my back, so I don't bother. It's getting better, and I know I really do need to stretch more. Now season is nearly over, I can do more running, cycling and swimming and stretching.

Ibuprofen 800mg helps too!

As centre, I'll probably also take a wander round the field to check for soda cans chewed up by mowers, pens & pencils if a school field, football eqpt. (belt buckles) if a football field. Anything that could be a danger to the players. If an AR, I'd do my half of the field.

Most of this is just if it's the first/only game of the day - if it's the fourth or fifth tournament game, I'll figure the field is okay and save my legs for the game.

A lot of knee issues are do to an imbalance in the frontal quads - very common in referees. As well as stretching, try to hit the gym and work on the leg extension station.

Good luck.

[Nesto]

A lot of knee issues are do to an imbalance in the frontal quads - very common in referees. As well as stretching, try to hit the gym and work on the leg extension station.

Just one thing, if you're having PF pain stay completely away from the leg extension station - it puts a lot of stress on the knee and may make your pain substantially worse.

Try to consult a physical therapist, they can give you an individualized strengthening plan - there will be some exercises you just shouldn't do for a while.