Knee Pain

Squidgeypaws007

Alright guys, just another quicky. Ever since I was about 15 I've had knee pain in my right knee. At one point I went to the doc's about it (it was something to do with the cartilidge - apparently it will go as I get older), I've had physio for it and yet it's still a pain in the *kitten*. Now I'm not exactly careful with the knee, it's been banged up sliding off of a motorbike (I'd like to add that I wasn't driving - just for the sake of my pride!), various peddle bikes (which I was "driving".....goodbye to the pride) and several horses (no comment....).

It's not been present lately, not until I started running....it was always my excuse not to run, but I don't want to give up running this time! I'm actually enjoying myself, I look FORWARD to my runs (been doing the C25K programme, at week 4 I started doing x2 each session. Am now week 7 so this is where I'm starting to wonder about the continuous use of said knee).

At first it was just an ache, now it's more of a stabby pain that is lasting longer. It comes during running but is bearable whilst I run so long as I don't lift my knees up high (it's started stabby-paining when I'm not running now though).

Anyone with knee experiences out there - any ideas? I don't really want to go see a doctor again (ofc it may just be the easiest way about it, but I thought I'd ask forums first!) about it and I don't want to give up running...but think I'm going to do permanent damage?

I'm kind of hoping it'll go away as I get lighter/run more.....am I off on one?

kaned_ferret

Sounds very similar to my knee worries (osteochondritis as a child, hit by a car aged 12, a few mishaps around horses :blushing: ). Aside from the usual disclaimer / advice of "I am not a doctor blah blah" these are the things that I find help me:

anti-inflammatories. I have prescription strength naproxen, which although pants for reducing my back pain, works nicely on the knees when they're sore (you can get weaker strength naproxen over the counter). As far as drugs go it's easier on the digestive system than things like ibuprofen (important for me due to duodenal erosions)

rest. Thankfully my "off days" from c25k are generally enough for it to subside enough that I don't want to cry upon resuming, but if you need to take more time, do!

hot / cold. The usual advice is put your feet up and use a cold compress to take down the swelling. For me personally I prefer to use heat to soothe my joints, so I stick one of those microwavable wheat bags on any sore spots. My chiropractor was actually the first person that advocated the use of hot as opposed to the standard cold compress, and it works well for me. His advice was always "try heat first, and if that doesn't work, then try a cold compress".

knee support. I bought a really nice neoprene knee support from Boots, and it seriously works! I've only had to wear it on two of my runs, but the two times I needed it, it changed the runs from "arghfrickinstabbypain!" to "oh, ok it doesn't seem to hurt and I feel bizarrely supported". Well worth investing in one in my opinion, it might just help you through some bad days until your knee can recoup on its own.

hope this helps a bit! :flowerforyou:

lizard053

Do your PT exercises to help strengthen those muscles and loosen the tendons/ligaments. Wrap it when you run, ice it and elevate after a run for 20 minutes. Helps keep the swelling to a minimum, thus reducing pain. And lost of ibuprofen! LOL!

I'm not a doctor, but this is what I try to do when my poor knees are acting up due to my weight. Only ever 1 side, but painful when it's bad! I'm doing C25k too, and so far, no knee pain! (Did week 6 day 1 yesterday!)

Good luck!

Squidgeypaws007

Ah brilliant! Thanks Kaned Horses should come with a health warning methinks xD

Yeah I always found that the cold made my knee feel awful - I used to work in a shop which had an open front (and no real bloody heating I might add) and it was just torture, so hot all the way for me. That's a great idea actually, might take a nice hot water bottle or something and pop it on there, see if it eases up!

There is no swelling as such (it never really "did" that), it's just really achey - so do you think ibuprofen still?


Ooooh, and interesting on the knee support - does it restrict the movement at all? I always worried about it fitting round my "fat" legs, but if it's omfgstabbypainowowow to okicankindadothis then I think I'll definitely pop out and invest in one!! I think it just needs a helping hand to come to terms with the new exercise regime.....I was seriously sedentary for quite a few years!!

Squidgeypaws007

Do your PT exercises to help strengthen those muscles and loosen the tendons/ligaments. Wrap it when you run, ice it and elevate after a run for 20 minutes. Helps keep the swelling to a minimum, thus reducing pain. And lost of ibuprofen! LOL!

I'm not a doctor, but this is what I try to do when my poor knees are acting up due to my weight. Only ever 1 side, but painful when it's bad! I'm doing C25k too, and so far, no knee pain! (Did week 6 day 1 yesterday!)

Good luck!

Nice, thanks for the advice!! I've not been "stretching" per se beforehand, so I think that's a great idea... I'm also working on strengthening the muscles around the knee (wish me luck!!)

kaned_ferret

The knee support I bought is adjustable - and I have fat knee syndrome to match my fat thighs and cankles, and I can get it on - the neoprene is stretchy to a certain degree and it just velcroes on - you can always take it out of the packet and try it on over your trousers in Boots, that's what I did

It does restrict movement a *bit*, but not so that it changes my 4.5 / 5mph jogging gait - I think it would get in the way more if you were trying to do something that required real bending of the knee (which of course being a support it's supposed to be helping you avoid!)

On the stretching note, everything I've read in my research is that stretching BEFORE running is a bad idea, it's best to do movement0based warmups, and static stretching after cooling down. It seems that static stretches on non-warmed-up area can lead to muscle fibre tearing.

Squidgeypaws007

Ahh, that's interesting! Yeah I read somewhere there is no proof that stretching actually helps, so I'd decided to go without - hadn't read the bit about actual damage!! Yikes!

Pffft, I'm like something from the day of the living dead when I run, I can't be doing more than 4mph (so so so slow, lol) so it probably won't get in my way too much in that case I'll have to wear some skinny trousers when I go to boots then, hehe, least they fit better now!