Hate to even think it....

LisaM_9

2 weeks ago on a long run about 12 miles in, i got a sharp pain on the outside of my right knee. I ran another 3 miles, and ended up walking 2 more back to the car, cause by 15 ... the pain was pretty intense. Since then I did get new shoes, rested my knee for a 3 days and did a 4 mile run to try the shoes out and the knee. Had some stiffness in my knee at 3 miles but no pain... I thought ... success! Getting better... Did an 8 mile and another 5 mile this past week with no pain. Then had a rest day and did my longest run - 18 miles... at 7 miles felt the pain, and at 7.5 was stopped in my tracks... hurt like , well you can guess it... my problem was I had to run back to the care 7.5 miles.... so took 5 minutes stretched, jogged a little, and then after a bit it felt better, and I did finish the 18 but in the last half mile was hobbling to the car. Went to a Cubs game... (yeah not good game!) but lots of walking... when I sat for a long period the knee was tight. When I got home I iced it, but it was stiff. This morning, still feels the same, tight and limping a bit. The tightness is on the outside lower part of my knee... Been surfing the net... I am afraid to say it, but think its an IT Band injury....

Was supposed to run a 1/2 marathon this upcoming Sunday and still training for a marathon that is in 6 weeks...

So here are my questions and looking for thoughts and recommendations:
1) The way it feels right now, figure no running maybe the whole week, but was hoping to get maybe a short run later to see how it felt? Should I?

2) I want to run the 1/2 but now not sure how to approach it. I had goals for times for this one, but now thinking that I shouldn't push hard on it...

3) Any quick ways to make this feel better and heal up ?? (I know ....) But if anyone has had this any thoughts on how to tackle this... I am so sad about this... My goal was to get my 1st marathon this year, now I am worried I wont be able to...

Any feedback and advice greatly appreciated ... good or bad ...

Thanks.
Lisa

smiffy645

I think a trip to the physio is the only sensible approach, get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, see what they think about running the 1/2.

KeithAngilly

I think a trip to the physio is the only sensible approach, get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan, see what they think about running the 1/2.

^^^this

I wouldn't do any running until you had it checked out. Soreness is one thing, sharp pain probably shouldn't be ignored.

timeasterday

Get a foam roller - start rolling that IT band every day.

barrpc

Sounds like MRI time. Last time I had that sharp pain it turned out to be a "bucket tear" in my miniscus. Hopefully not. But if so, my scope was easy and recovered fast from it...I was walking on it the next day, so it's not the end of the world.

dorianaldyn

Ok, so this injury wasn't from running (it was actually the result of childbirth), but I would feel a SHARP, SHARP pain in my knee whenever I would kneel on it. I went to a knee doctor and he actually diagnosed it as a problem with my IT band. He sent me to physical therapy (I wasn't convinced) - but the physical therapy totally cured me! The first part was sports massage and then the second part of each visit was exercises with instructions of what to do at home too. So, if it is your IT band, there's hope for a full recovery - however, my physical therapy took 6-8 weeks - so go get seen as soon as you can if you hope to make that race in 6 weeks.

beeblebrox82

Sounds like IT band, I had the same issue when I started upping my weekly mileage last year. Foam roller worked wonders... was EXCRUCIATINGLY painful to do... but it worked wonders.