Surfing Waves

Recently, while surfing, I am bumping my left knee (back knee as in goofy foot) on my board I guess. The bump is not on the knee cap, rather right below it. It gets very sore and tender while I am surfing and then for a few days after that. Never had this before. I am assuming I am somehow hitting it as I am popping up. The bump gets pretty large and very tender. I filmed my popping up in my living room to see if I could figure out where I am hitting it to no avail. My pop ups are good as I have been surfing a long time and all while a kid. Anyways..... any of you guys ever get this? Obviously, I am hitting it somehow but cannot figure how. The knot is below my kneecap, kind of on the straight part of my leg. Anyone have any answers for me? Stupid thing hurts and I actually ended a session Sunday early due to the discomfort.

I am going to attach a picture which does not do it much justice as it is Tuesday already and the size has gone down considerably. I posting the picture to see where the knot is happening versus the actual knot. Thanks in advance.

I have not had something like that in that area but my guess would be some kind of ingrown hair follicle or something similar just due to rubbing and not banging. If it were me I would consult a doctor. I had one on the back side of my leg and ended up needing to have it cored out and on antibiotics for a couple weeks.

Surf Hound wrote:I filmed my popping up in my living room to see if I could figure out where I am hitting it to no avail. My pop ups are good as I have been surfing a long time and all while a kid. Anyways..... any of you guys ever get this? Obviously, I am hitting it somehow but cannot figure how.

I don't have an answer, but Corky Carrol has written about this problem (http://www.ocregister.com/articles/surf ... t-big.html). Do you knee paddle? That could be putting pressure on your knee. Also, keep in mind that popping up on the floor is different from popping up on an actual wave. On a wave you'll be popping up on an incline (might mean you scrape your knee along the deck more often) and on the floor you'll be flat. At my break there are a lot of days when it gets really choppy and I find myself sometimes bumping up and down as I pop up (I need to pop up faster). I'm still trying to perfect my popups in choppy surf. Anyway, I have a sore rib problem that I thought I had solved, but it has come back so I use chest padding. You might want to look for some kind of padding as well.

Corky was talking about surfer bumps but this is not that because surfer bumps don't hurt

How about your paddle? You cross your right over your left? Might be that's where the knee rubs on the tail pad. Also check your wax....when the water temps drop in the summer here the tropical wax gets really hard on the board and if I don't re-wax with cool water wax I have irritation for a couple of months where my knees contact the board while paddling and popping up. I really feel the irritation on the pop up; I think I spring off my left more than my right.....I'm goofy too so maybe that's it. I went as far as to put a piece of duct tape on my left knee for sessions in August last year.

Mine is usually right at the top edge of the kneecap though; the part making contact when you plank up to pop up.

The bump is on the bottom, towards foot part of knee cap sobmy paddle is not irritating it. When I paddle, even with legs crossed, it's the top of my knee cap in contact with board. I have to be hitting it some how on pop ups. I think it's happening when I am popping straight to pig dog going right. The bottom of my knee that would drag is what's getting it. Strange though cause one would think the inside of knee cap is what would be taking damage. It's dead center of my leg. I have not noticed anything when I go left which is super rare in that Santa Cruz is the land of the damn rights. Wax and all that no issue as the water stays between a warm 50-55 degrees all year making a wetsuit ur best friend.

The bump is on the bottom, towards foot part of knee cap sobmy paddle is not irritating it. When I paddle, even with legs crossed, it's the top of my knee cap in contact with board. I have to be hitting it some how on pop ups. I think it's happening when I am popping straight to pig dog going right. The bottom of my knee that would drag is what's getting it. Strange though cause one would think the inside of knee cap is what would be taking damage. It's dead center of my leg. I have not noticed anything when I go left which is super rare in that Santa Cruz is the land of the damn rights. Wax and all that no issue as the water stays between a warm 50-55 degrees all year making a wetsuit ur best friend.

I'm wondering if it's the opposite of the pop up, but the Pop Down. At the end of the ride, do you jump to the side of your board ? Might have a bit of contact then. Kinda of cheese grater affect on the dismount.

nah. something in the pop up I can feel it as soon as I stand up. Just can't figure out how I am hitting it, especially the location. It's under my knee cap and one would think I would be hitting my knee cap on the pop up as that is the most protruding section of the knee when its bent.

It's been happening probably my last 3 sessions. I am hoping whatever I am doing - I stop this Saturday as I never had this issue before. Well see...