knee pain in snooker stance?

[ddadams]

Hey guys, firstly, I don't actually play snooker (often), but I LOVE the game.

There's just not enough places here to really play.

Anyways, after adopting some lazy feeling mechanics a while ago I began to look for a cure to my horrible mechanics in pool.

Well, snooker fundamentals made the game WAY more enjoyable. Because I'm actually stroking prettttyyy straight now.


HOWEVER, my right leg is facing down the line, and knee locked of course.

This KILLS MY KNEE. To the point where I don't know if I can regularly keep at this stance.

Its fine until I bend it. I can literally play for 7 hours this way but the second I bend it I'm screwed basically.

I have a bad back, and this stance actually helps my back out a LOT compares to the twisting I have to do in a pool setup. So I'd prefer to use this stance if I can negate this knee pain.


Any suggestions?

 

[victorl]

By right leg facing down the line, do you mean your toes are pointed down the shot line? That would be uncomfortable.

 

[ddadams]

By right leg facing down the line, do you mean your toes are pointed down the shot line? That would be uncomfortable.

It is, and they are.

I don't know why, but this actually gives me so much more accuracy than taking a 30 degree angle or so.

At least it really seems that way.

Should I just sacrifice a little and try to get used to the angle?


Also, does anyone here wear a knee brace at all when playing?

 

[sfleinen]

Hey guys, firstly, I don't actually play snooker (often), but I LOVE the game.

There's just not enough places here to really play.

Anyways, after adopting some lazy feeling mechanics a while ago I began to look for a cure to my horrible mechanics in pool.

Well, snooker fundamentals made the game WAY more enjoyable. Because I'm actually stroking prettttyyy straight now.


HOWEVER, my right leg is facing down the line, and knee locked of course.

This KILLS MY KNEE. To the point where I don't know if I can regularly keep at this stance.

Its fine until I bend it. I can literally play for 7 hours this way but the second I bend it I'm screwed basically.

I have a bad back, and this stance actually helps my back out a LOT compares to the twisting I have to do in a pool setup. So I'd prefer to use this stance if I can negate this knee pain.


Any suggestions?

Yes, I experienced these same symptoms many years ago when I adopted the orthodox snooker stance -- exact same pain in the knee, as well as some pain in the back of the thigh and calf muscle.

The pain in the back-of-thigh and calf muscles were due to stretching those muscles -- much like if you stood straight with your feet together, and bent over at the waist to touch your head to your knees. (The first times you attempt this, it hurts like hell.) But once I kept playing like this (augmented by some leg stretch exercises), that pain went away forever.

The knee pain is from being locked in one position for a while. Best thing to do here is to make sure to periodically take a break, walk around, and perhaps even wear a heat wrap around the knee while you're playing. (E.g. one of those from ThermaCare.)

Hope that helps!

By right leg facing down the line, do you mean your toes are pointed down the shot line? That would be uncomfortable.

Yep, the founding principle behind the snooker stance is alignment. Pool players think that way you mention above -- everything is about comfort, not alignment. The human body is remarkable in its way to adapt, and once you adapt to the snooker stance (i.e. muscles stretch and adapt to where that's now the new comfort zone), you'll never go back to a pool stance. When I try it (for goofs, on a blue moon, etc.), it feels so loosey-goosey to me.

-Sean

 

[ddadams]

Yes, I experienced these same symptoms many years ago when I adopted the orthodox snooker stance -- exact same pain in the knee, as well as some pain in the back of the thigh and calf muscle.

The pain in the back-of-thigh and calf muscles were due to stretching those muscles -- much like if you stood straight with your feet together, and bent over at the waist to touch your head to your knees. (The first times you attempt this, it hurts like hell.) But once I kept playing like this (augmented by some leg stretch exercises), that pain went away forever.

The knee pain is from being locked in one position for a while. Best thing to do here is to make sure to periodically take a break, walk around, and perhaps even wear a heat wrap around the knee while you're playing. (E.g. one of those from ThermaCare.)

Hope that helps!



Yep, the founding principle behind the snooker stance is alignment. Pool players think that way you mention above -- everything is about comfort, not alignment. The human body is remarkable in its way to adapt, and once you adapt to the snooker stance (i.e. muscles stretch and adapt to where that's now the new comfort zone), you'll never go back to a pool stance. When I try it (for goofs, on a blue moon, etc.), it feels so loosey-goosey to me.

-Sean

It's amazing too because I haven't seen anything on the snooker forum I lurk occasionally about this, ever.

I haven't genuinely LOOKED to see if any snooker players online mention it but I've never seen the knee lock pain brought up, ever.

 

[Pidge]

Snooker players wont mention it because they've adapted. The only ones you will see mentioning it are the pool players who have switched to a snooker stance. You have two options, stick at it and play through the discomfort until you adapt or give it up. There are other ways to position yourself without sacrificing the alignment of the entire body. You could choose to step in with the toes slightly pointing out, but that has its problems. If you step in this way its hard to then position the rest of your body as if you'd stepped in with the foot down the line. I would suggest stepping in with the foot down the line as you already do, but once down put weight onto the heel and pivot the foot from the heel to face outward slightly.

No gain without pain, but if the pain becomes too much, walk around, stretch it if needed and rest it.