Knee pain.

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
Post Reply
Josh
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:04 am

Knee pain.

Post by Josh »

Hello. I just joined this community in the hopes of reaching out and sharing my experience and ultimately getting help with something I've been struggling with.
I have been meditating for 13 years (mostly zazen style breath meditation) and most of that time have been doing it in full lotus.
A few months ago I developed pain in the front right corner of my left knee when in full lotus or even with legs crossed. It doesn't hurt at any other time though it does hurt when my left foot is crossed under a chair (at the dinner table for example) and resting on the achilles tendon of my right foot. The pain has put a serious damper on my meditation and doesn't feel like it should be "pushed through" like the pains in my legs in the early days of doing lotus.
I know right away I'm likely to get a barrage of responses to the effect of "just don't sit cross legged dummy," but it's important to me to understand this pain and to do what is necessary to make it go away. Can anyone help me on this quest?
Thank you.
User avatar
catmoon
Former staff member
Posts: 3423
Joined: Thu Nov 19, 2009 3:20 am
Location: British Columbia

Re: Knee pain.

Post by catmoon »

Josh wrote:Hello. I just joined this community in the hopes of reaching out and sharing my experience and ultimately getting help with something I've been struggling with.
I have been meditating for 13 years (mostly zazen style breath meditation) and most of that time have been doing it in full lotus.
A few months ago I developed pain in the front right corner of my left knee when in full lotus or even with legs crossed. It doesn't hurt at any other time though it does hurt when my left foot is crossed under a chair (at the dinner table for example) and resting on the achilles tendon of my right foot. The pain has put a serious damper on my meditation and doesn't feel like it should be "pushed through" like the pains in my legs in the early days of doing lotus.
I know right away I'm likely to get a barrage of responses to the effect of "just don't sit cross legged dummy," but it's important to me to understand this pain and to do what is necessary to make it go away. Can anyone help me on this quest?
Thank you.

Understanding the pain: It hurts. A lot. It has a cause. One day it will pass, but that day may be the last day of your life. This pain may signify damage to your body. You need to find out if this is true, so get a doctor to look at it.


Meantime, don't sit cross legged. ;) Take care of your knee.
Sergeant Schultz knew everything there was to know.
User avatar
Sönam
Posts: 1999
Joined: Wed Mar 24, 2010 2:11 pm
Location: France
Contact:

Re: Knee pain.

Post by Sönam »

hello Josh,

It seems you are not a new comer in sitting meditation, and apparently it's only a couple of month it happens ... not before, so it's not the question of "let it go".
So the only right answer is to go to see a specialist (maybe a sport doctor) because it certainly has a physical cause.
... but of course if you wanna play with, you can transcend the pain.

:yinyang:
Sönam
By understanding everything you perceive from the perspective of the view, you are freed from the constraints of philosophical beliefs.
By understanding that any and all mental activity is meditation, you are freed from arbitrary divisions between formal sessions and postmeditation activity.
- Longchen Rabjam -
User avatar
Huifeng
Posts: 1477
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:51 am

Re: Knee pain.

Post by Huifeng »

I agree with Sonam.

First, ask your teacher (if you have one).
Second, maybe see a physiologist / doctor.

Hope the pain heals soon. :hug:
Josh
Posts: 5
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:04 am

Re: Knee pain.

Post by Josh »

Dear Sonam, Huifeng and Catmoon,
Thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I have been to a couple doctors but have not seen a specialist yet. I live in Tahiti and have a very solitary practice so no teacher but I was hoping that the internet would have an answer for me. I had bad back pain for 10 years and cured it with a website that asked for ten bucks so I thought, why not reach out to the e-meditation community? I had hoped that someone would have some experience to help with what seems like an ordinary pain.
Post Reply

Return to “Meditation”