ADVICE TO HELP WITH KNEE PAIN?!

zkss27

My knees are starting to hurt... to the point that it's taking me a while to fall asleep at night because of them aching. I run 3 days a week, cross train 3 days a week (which is usually a nice walk), and rest one day. I'm averaging about 12 miles/week running and 9/week walking. I know it's not a ridiculous amount, but I've never done this much. It's always worse at the beginning of whatever workout I am doing, and then they start to feel a bit better.

BUT... as the day goes on, the pain builds. It seems like sitting for long periods of time makes it worse. They are tender to touch. The pain is more on the inner sides, right behind my knee cap. I am really hoping to be ready for a 10k by July 20th. I don't want to stop training! I do try to make sure I stretch my calves, hips, and quads well, and I regularly do squats, side leg lifts, and donkey kicks on days that I walk. Any other tips, other than overdosing on pain meds?

tbrain1989

this sort of thing is hard to diagnose with out feeling the pain myself but ive had several knee problems.

thing for you to consider. but as always, seek professional medical advice


Timing of Pain:
•While going down stairs: Pain while walking down steps is very commonly associated with kneecap problems, such as chondromalacia.


•Morning pain: Pain after first waking in the morning that quickly resolves with gentle activity is typical of early arthritis.


Swelling:
Swelling of the knee is common with several different knee problems. When there is an effusion immediately after a knee injury, a possible cause is severe injury to an internal joint structure, like the anterior cruciate ligament or a fracture of the top of the shin bone.
When swelling develops gradually over hours to days after an injury, it is likely to be something less severe, like a tear of the meniscus or a ligament sprain.

Swelling that occurs without the presence of a known injury can be due to osteoarthritis (common), gout (less common), inflammatory arthritis, or a joint infection (uncommon).

Mobility:

Mobility of the knee can be affected by a number of common conditions. If mobility is chronically limited, often the cause is arthritis. When the surface of the joint becomes irregular as a result of the arthritis, the mobility of the joint may become limited.
If the mobility is limited after an acute injury, there is likely swelling limiting the motion, or a torn structure that is limiting the mobility.

Instability/Giving Way:

The stability of the knee is provided by the ligaments that connect the shin bone (tibia) to the thigh bone (femur). When the ligaments are stretched or torn, the knee may feel as though it is giving way beneath the patient. A sensation that the knee may give out from beneath you is a common symptom of ligament injury.

Popping/Clicking/Crunching/Grinding:

Popping and snapping within the knee is common, and often not a symptom of any particular problem. When the pops are painless, there is usually no problem, but painful pops and snaps should be evaluated by your doctor. A pop is often heard or felt during an injury when a ligament, such as the ACL, is torn.
Grinding or crunching is a common symptom of cartilage problems. If the cartilage is damaged -- a condition called chondromalacia -- a crunching sensation is often felt by placing the hand over the kneecap and bending the knee. A similar grinding sensation may be felt with knee arthritis.

Locking:

Locking is a symptom that occurs when a patient cannot bend or straighten their knee. The locking can either be due to something physically blocking motion of the knee, or by pain preventing normal knee motion.
One way to determine if there is something physically blocking knee motion is to inject the knee with a numbing medication. After the medication has taken effect, you can attempt to bend the knee to determine if pain was blocking the motion or if there is a structure, such as a torn meniscus, that is blocking normal motion.

Examining the Knee:

crucially the Knee needs examination,

i would suggest that you pick from the examples above as to what fits and if its not in the severe categories then keep running,

when was the last time you changed your running shoes?

do you train on hills or flat?

what surfaces do you run on? do you alternate between underfoot conditions?

my personal advice (not medical) is that repetition of the same activity is your enemy, if one tendon is worked during one run, for example along the road, the next day you need to be running on the grass or trails to allow that tendon too rest whilst the others compensate,

zkss27

I run on the same 1 mile paved loop. It has a few pretty good hills, both up and down. When I walk, I walk on a 2 mile trail loop that is flat. Should I walk on the paved one and run on the trail? Mix it up?

themelmac

When was the last time you replaced your running shoes? It's recommended that you replace about every 300 - 400 miles.

I recently had knee pain - going up and down the stairs was painful for me and I narrowed it down to my shoes just being a really poor fit. Once I got new shoes, the knee pain stopped. I have really high arches and my shoes didn't have enough support for me.

tbrain1989

i would mix it up, i dont believe in the over training ethos, you just need variety, allow your body to adapt and recover,

also, watch the stretching, stretch before, during and after.

if your knee is still sore after these then work on the muscles supporting the knee specifically

have you got any resistance bands? they are great for building tendon strength in your knee? if you google some exercises it saves me doing any more typing

in the mean time (because no one wants to stop running once they have started) try and get a knee support, and some tubigrip bandage. try combinations of the two, or just use one, basically trial and error until it stops hurting, you cant live with sleepless nights

mandasalem

As a knee pain sufferer, I highly recommend icing when you can after you exercise but before you sleep-- 15 minutes per hour, no more than that. Also, you should definitely have it checked out. I wear knee braces when I do anything intensive, and my doctor currently has me doing exercises to strengthen the quads and the tendons 3x a day, plus glucosamine/chondroitin.

Good luck!

NaomiLyn15

google runners knee. Sounds like thats the issue. I have been dealing with it lately too. They say to stop running for a while. I haven't followed that suggestion yet, but my knees still hurt, so maybe I should.

lambchristie

I am right there right now.

I did purchase and found them to be a great purchase, the Dr. School's athletic insoles. Great cushion, knee splints gone, knee pain was gone... and then it returned. Sharpe piercing pain under the knee cap. Then I was walking down the hall at the office and my knee locked and I almost fell over.

I went to an orthopedic (surgeon) knee specialist. I have a torn menisicus in the right knee (2nd time in 10 years).

I would suggest that you get to an orthopedic (knee specialist) and have them check it out by taking an x-ray and possible an MRI.

People here on this site can only 'guess' what is wrong ... pain is a sign something isn't right. Please, get it checked out professionally.

mhankosk

So... I was training for a half marathon and was running a heck of a lot more than I was before. I started having knee pain too. Ran on it for a while, but then it literally brought me to tears when I would take a step. Decided to go to an orthopedic doctor. X-ray results: nothing... so they told me to get an MRI. Turns out I have a "stress reaction" in my upper tibia. Basically its the precursor to a stress fracture. Turns out I wasn't allowing my body enough time to repair itself after working out and cause some serious damage. I'm banned from running for a while (which is making me super sad) all cause I didn't listen to my body and stop when I should have. Try doing some low impact cardio (elliptical, bike) for a while and let it heal. Good luck! Hope it feels better soon! :drinker:

TheBeerRunner

Check this site out: http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/knee-pain

You'll find some good information on exercises you can do to help alleviate specific knee pain types.

If you're still having issues, see if you have a local shoe store that has a board certified pedorthist on staff. They will be able to fit you in the right type of shoes for your running stride.

If you're having issues with osteoarthritis or just specific joint pain not localized to a ligament or muscle, look into taking a daily supplement for joints, like Animal Flex. I've been battling some patellofemoral pain due to wear and tear on the cartilage, then started taking Animal Flex instead of my normal Glucosamine Chondritin with MSM supplement I had been taking for years. The results are like night and day. If all else fails, RICE - Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation after your runs will help cut down on pain and swelling.

OwenEvan

I agree with the Runners Knee suggestion. I have a torn meniscus but also have been diagnosed with Runners Knee (aka Patellofemoral pain syndrome). Last year during training for triathlons I has having to take advil PM just to sleep because of the constant aching in my knee. Other then ice which helped a little, I found the most relief from a cortisone shot.

lheaton

I'm dealing with this now. Definitely see an orthopedist - I made the mistake of going to my family doctor. They did an x-ray, but he didn't examine my knee or even look at it. Wrote me an anti-inflammatory Rx and said it would go away. It hasn't and is much worse now because I didn't take a break. Now that I'm hitting my stride, I have to come to a screeching halt and I'm pissed! I started icing it with a bag of frozen peas and ace bandage last night. 800mg of Ibuprofen every 6 hours. No running for 2 weeks. Messes up my 5x5 stronglifts program and my 5k training. To say I'm crushed is an understatement.

zkss27

I guess I should just rest and see the doctor if that doesn't help NOT what I wanted to hear, but I suppose it would be best for the future. I understand being crushed when having to stop training. The thought of me going back to an elliptical or bike is far from thrilling. I love my morning, outdoor run! I tried to do an insanity DVD the other day. That was even worse than the pain I got from running. I guess I could just focus on strength training only for a while.

zkss27

I just bought new shoes in feb from a place that watched my stride. They set me up with a pair that was supposedly best for me. Surely they aren't worn out yet?

murphy612

Sounds like Patellofemoral pain syndrome Most common knee complaint of runners. Of course, always get it checked out by a doctor.

The best fix for it? Strengthen the muscles that support the knee. Quads, glutes, hamstrings, etc. Do squats, lunges, deadlifts, etc. Once my legs became massively strong, my knee pain disappeared completely. I never have knee pain anymore and it's pretty awesome!

Good luck!

chandanista

I started to get into shape last year and stopped due to foot pain. This spring I got some new shoes and made up a food plan and was on my happy way! Until my left knee started to pop and hurt. I've had babies and I would put the birth pain at a 10; the knee was usually a 1-2, annoying but whatever, but every so often it would go up to a 7 or 8 and I'd be down for the day.

Now I'm in the best shape of my life but between my nurse practitioner and my physical therapist I am to take it SLOW and EASY until my meniscus heals. The PT has given me exercises and stretches to do, which really help, except he keeps telling me my leg lifts are too high and the knee bends are too low and I have to take it easier. It's a real adjustment, let me tell you! At the gym I was never kicking high enough or squatting low enough, now that I have it I have to slow down!

I've lost 31 pounds this year, staying on my diet plan and hope to continue losing. I have 20 pounds to go to be a healthy BMI but 30 to go to reach my personal goal. I have to figure, it's a marathon, not a race, and I guess I just have to learn patience. Meanwhile...have you tried biking outdoors? I've determined that a small amount of biking (like 2 miles at a slow pace) is invigorating first thing in the morning and has yet to trigger any knee pain.