running with a "hurt" knee.... will explain

jbug5j

okay, background. i have a treadmill and i had a routine going for a few months. it was going great. about a month ago i took a week break because my legs hurt so bad. well.. that threw me off and ive been running about twice a week instead of 3-4 times. i stretch before hand and normally everthing is good.

today i was planning on running after work and all day my knee has been killing me. it feels like its on fire and ive been limping. i try not to because i heard if you baby a hurt on your body it wont get better. even as im sitting with my leg reclined it just hurts. i cant tell if its swollen. my whole, mostly right, leg has been bothering me for a while. my ankle, knee, hip. well my ankle is fine and my hip is fine its just my knee. i dont have insurance so unless its an emergency im not going to go, and as of right now i dont see it as an emergency.

my question is, should i push through it and run? or just walk? or rest until it dosnt hurt?

belladonna786

DO NOT RUN!! I made the mistake of "running through the pain" and ended up out of commission for a month! relax heal it then continue. Low impact until the pain is gone.

SandraR5811

You could try a chiropractor. They are generally less expensive than going to a clinic or hospital, and the chiropractor can usually tell if it is serious and needs to be seen by a doctor, or something that is just misaligned. Hope this helps good luck.

fitQueenbeast

You need to let your knee heel if you are in serious pain. Otherwise, you risk further injury...possibly permanent damage. I had a pinched nerve and thought I could plow right through. I didn't let sit down so my knee sat me down. I was forced to rest it TWICE for a few days on separate occasions.

If you don't really know what's wrong, you might consider going to a doctor.

Lane1012

unless you know what the problem is I would not risk further injury by running.. give it time to heal and see how you feel in a few days.

BinaryPulsar

I wouldn't push through that with running and would walk instead if that seems ok. Going to a doctor and getting PT could help you avoid more serious problems with it later and allow you to exercise correctly.

sh4690

Could be a range of things, torn muscle/tendon, knee bursa etc..

Go see a doctor if it is hurting and see what they say, for the painkillers if anything lol!!

Don't exercise with it, but still do your stretches especially around your knee, just to keep it moving

x

jbug5j

thanks all im hoping it goes away fast as im already having trouble with "sticking with it" as it is. another break might ruin it lol. at least im not that hungry today so i wont eat a lot while im out of commission.

gmallan

Don't push through it. I've been having kee pain for months and had 6 weeks off running, it's almost gone.

RICE, Rest Ice Compression Elevation

Laceylala

It is one thing to have some minor pain, but burning pain like that? Id be getting into a doctor.

MoreBean13

Don't run through it. It can lead to much more serious consequences. I would get on the internet and do some research- try to figure out based on your symptoms EXACTLY what is causing the problem. Knee problems originate from a bunch of different things that have different treatment protocols. Have you been fitted at a running store for proper shoes for your gait?

It makes me a little concerned that you needed a week break from "hurting legs" What exactly do you mean by your legs were sore?? Joints? Tendons? Muscles? How long had you been doing your running program when the soreness started and got unbearable? The reason I ask is that if you build up your mileage appropriately (no more than adding 10% a week) and if you have proper fitting shoes and no underlying injuries, this shouldn't happen. In fact, when you've been running a while you shouldn't even get soreness that lasts more than 24hrs unless you're doing something really stressful- like a race, or a long workout of hill sprints, that you're not used to. If you're properly conditioned for your mileage, you usually wake up the next day and the soreness is over.

So, I am thinking you may be experiencing overuse injuries from upping your mileage too fast, and then after taking the time off and coming back, you basically jumped the mileage up too quickly all over again. Running can be tricky- even when your lungs, heart, and muscles are conditioned to go miles and miles, your joints and tendons need to be babied and take a lot longer to get up to speed, pun intended . I would suggest, if this rings true to you, that you stop now to rest until the knee is healed, and then start back up REALLY slowly. Cut your mileage, and build back up slowly. Mix in alternate cardio if you want to do more- elliptical, swimming, biking- it helps for balanced muscle development and getting cardio without pounding the joints. And, Start lifting yesterday, if you don't already. Strong developed muscles are the best protection from injury.

jbug5j

Don't run through it. It can lead to much more serious consequences. I would get on the internet and do some research- try to figure out based on your symptoms EXACTLY what is causing the problem. Knee problems originate from a bunch of different things that have different treatment protocols. Have you been fitted at a running store for proper shoes for your gait?

It makes me a little concerned that you needed a week break from "hurting legs" What exactly do you mean by your legs were sore?? Joints? Tendons? Muscles? How long had you been doing your running program when the soreness started and got unbearable? The reason I ask is that if you build up your mileage appropriately (no more than adding 10% a week) and if you have proper fitting shoes and no underlying injuries, this shouldn't happen. In fact, when you've been running a while you shouldn't even get soreness that lasts more than 24hrs unless you're doing something really stressful- like a race, or a long workout of hill sprints, that you're not used to. If you're properly conditioned for your mileage, you usually wake up the next day and the soreness is over.

So, I am thinking you may be experiencing overuse injuries from upping your mileage too fast, and then after taking the time off and coming back, you basically jumped the mileage up too quickly all over again. Running can be tricky- even when your lungs, heart, and muscles are conditioned to go miles and miles, your joints and tendons need to be babied and take a lot longer to get up to speed, pun intended . I would suggest, if this rings true to you, that you stop now to rest until the knee is healed, and then start back up REALLY slowly. Cut your mileage, and build back up slowly. Mix in alternate cardio if you want to do more- elliptical, swimming, biking- it helps for balanced muscle development and getting cardio without pounding the joints. And, Start lifting yesterday, if you don't already. Strong developed muscles are the best protection from injury.

i was running/jogging for three months when i took my break. the first month was really light. i dont judge by distance, i judge by miles per hour. so at first i was starting at 2 and going to 4 then alternating form 3 to 4 then ending at two again. then i started a couch to 5K. my legs started really hurting like burning. my thighs mostly. it felt like the muscle but i wasnt sure. i just knew i needed a break. so i took a week off. then i started up again but not as dedicated as before. i tried a few variations of walk(3mph) for 5 min then do X amount of running(4mph) then end with walking(3mph) for 5 min. then i did walk a song, run a song, walk a song, run a song, walk a song. same mph intervals. ive been playing around with the incline on my treadmill too. but its not a physical incline, i guess it just gives more resistance. i just know when i increased it i felt it more in my butt lol. last time i ran i did intervals with my time but added a minute of 5mph in the middle. i hope that this made sense lol

cheerchicksie

i'm going through something really similar to you. i used to run 3-4 miles every day on my treadmill, but then i think it was tendon inflammation or something like that...and i stopped running because my knees hurt so much.
basically the problem is (And i think it's similar to yours) that your muscles are stronger than your tendons/cartilage/bones/ligaments, so your body is fooled by how hard you can push yourself. and that leads to injuries.

i'd go to the doctor and get like a painkiller prescribed. in the meantime switch to like the elliptical or something (I put it on like max resistance and its almost as good as running) for your workout...i know it sounds tough to stop, but you really need to rest your knees! otherwise it could lead to something permanent

Contrarian

Please ask your doctor.

jbug5j

i'm going through something really similar to you. i used to run 3-4 miles every day on my treadmill, but then i think it was tendon inflammation or something like that...and i stopped running because my knees hurt so much.
basically the problem is (And i think it's similar to yours) that your muscles are stronger than your tendons/cartilage/bones/ligaments, so your body is fooled by how hard you can push yourself. and that leads to injuries.

i'd go to the doctor and get like a painkiller prescribed. in the meantime switch to like the elliptical or something (I put it on like max resistance and its almost as good as running) for your workout...i know it sounds tough to stop, but you really need to rest your knees! otherwise it could lead to something permanent

interesting... BUT ALSO AGGRIVATING!! lol i want to just run and lose weight. it was working! >_< stupid body... lol

austindog2

I ran on a hurting knee back in January - ended up in physical therapy for three months and I still can't run Take the time off for it to heal, and do other things in the mean time! Crunches, upper-body exercises, etc. Jillian Michaels says in her 30DS video that punches (squat with alternating punches) are a great way to get cardio in with a knee injury. Maybe try that? Feel better soon!

joehempel

I have a feeling your mentality of "I don't go by miles, but miles per hour" is really detrimental. It sounds like you are going too fast for your muscular ability.

Your endurance may be fine....but muscles need time to build and it sounds like you're pushing yourself too hard.

But you said that you are running 2, then 3 then 4 or something like that...if you are running 2 miles an hour, that's like 30 minutes a mile and you could probably easily walk that with time to spare. Or is that miles you are running and not miles per hour?

With only 3-4 months I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that your muscles aren't ready for the type of work you're trying to put it.

Sweetsugar0424

I agree with everyone when they say do not run through it. I have bad knees and I decided to work through a pain on the elliptical, woke up in the middle of the night in extreme pain, spent a day at the hospital only to end up on crutches for a couple weeks and then it took over 6 months to be able to work out at all again and another 6 months after that to be back to being able to do normal leg work again. Unfortunately by then I had lost all motivation and ended up gaining back most of the 65 lbs I'd worked so hard to lose. It's so not worth the risk.

SuperVegan8

Depending on where the pain is you can make things much worse. See a medical professional, get it checked and work around what you can/cant do. I ran on mine through pain and missed 3 months last year. Just be careful and listen to your body.

MoreBean13

Don't run through it. It can lead to much more serious consequences. I would get on the internet and do some research- try to figure out based on your symptoms EXACTLY what is causing the problem. Knee problems originate from a bunch of different things that have different treatment protocols. Have you been fitted at a running store for proper shoes for your gait?

It makes me a little concerned that you needed a week break from "hurting legs" What exactly do you mean by your legs were sore?? Joints? Tendons? Muscles? How long had you been doing your running program when the soreness started and got unbearable? The reason I ask is that if you build up your mileage appropriately (no more than adding 10% a week) and if you have proper fitting shoes and no underlying injuries, this shouldn't happen. In fact, when you've been running a while you shouldn't even get soreness that lasts more than 24hrs unless you're doing something really stressful- like a race, or a long workout of hill sprints, that you're not used to. If you're properly conditioned for your mileage, you usually wake up the next day and the soreness is over.

So, I am thinking you may be experiencing overuse injuries from upping your mileage too fast, and then after taking the time off and coming back, you basically jumped the mileage up too quickly all over again. Running can be tricky- even when your lungs, heart, and muscles are conditioned to go miles and miles, your joints and tendons need to be babied and take a lot longer to get up to speed, pun intended . I would suggest, if this rings true to you, that you stop now to rest until the knee is healed, and then start back up REALLY slowly. Cut your mileage, and build back up slowly. Mix in alternate cardio if you want to do more- elliptical, swimming, biking- it helps for balanced muscle development and getting cardio without pounding the joints. And, Start lifting yesterday, if you don't already. Strong developed muscles are the best protection from injury.

i was running/jogging for three months when i took my break. the first month was really light. i dont judge by distance, i judge by miles per hour. so at first i was starting at 2 and going to 4 then alternating form 3 to 4 then ending at two again. then i started a couch to 5K. my legs started really hurting like burning. my thighs mostly. it felt like the muscle but i wasnt sure. i just knew i needed a break. so i took a week off. then i started up again but not as dedicated as before. i tried a few variations of walk(3mph) for 5 min then do X amount of running(4mph) then end with walking(3mph) for 5 min. then i did walk a song, run a song, walk a song, run a song, walk a song. same mph intervals. ive been playing around with the incline on my treadmill too. but its not a physical incline, i guess it just gives more resistance. i just know when i increased it i felt it more in my butt lol. last time i ran i did intervals with my time but added a minute of 5mph in the middle. i hope that this made sense lol

I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the miles per hour thing. So, you set the treadmill to 2mph, and then up to 3-4mph, then back to 2mph? Does the treadmill tell you how many total miles you've gone?

The thing is, you need to go by total miles, not speed. Every step you take can be considered one rep. Let's say the average person takes 2,000 steps per mile- that's 1,000 reps on each leg. Your joints and tendons have to absorb shock 1,000 times each. Whether you do it fast or slow, every extra mile is requiring those shock absorbing systems to do 1,000 more reps. And the mechanics of walking and running are different, so you have to build up to running if you're not used to it. So, if you can say, walk 15 miles a week, and you decide to switch all your walks to runs, even though the muscles can take it, and even if your cardio system can do it, the shock absorbers have no prep to handle that, and you will be really likely to sustain injuries doing that.

Good news is, your walk/run concept is good. If you just cut back the intensity to progress at a more sustainable pace, it will work well for you.

Next, you didn't answer my question about proper running shoes (that I saw). The right shoes can mean the difference between being injury prone or not. Go to a specialty running store and get fitted, If the person doesn't watch you walk and run, then have you run in several pairs of shoes to watch your mechanics, you haven't been fitted. It is literally the only and most important thing you need to run. Make the investment ASAP. You may want other running things- gear, gadgets, etc- but shoes are the only thing you NEED.

My next advice is to start stretching your IT (iliotibial) bands. Google the stretches and start doing them right away, every single day, religiously. IT band issues can present as hip and/or knee pain, and if you're a new runner, you can't tell the difference. I couldn't for sure. It's both corrective and preventative to work the IT bands.

Finally, I can't picture how the treadmill adds resistance without an incline. For the near future (after your knee is better) set it to 0.5% to 1% and leave it for a while while you're learning to run. Play around with it while you're walking to increase the intensity of the walks, and play with it later when you have built some running endurance. My opinion is that (with the exception of outdoor natural hills) you should save sprinting and hill workouts for when you have developed a base endurance- IMO that means about 3 miles running nonstop at whatever pace is comfortable (my prediction would be 12-13 minutes per mile at that point) but it's not about speed at all at this point- first things first, and endurance is first.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't get better soon, I would suggest seeing a doctor, or confining your workouts to higher intensity walks (with incline). Walking is much easier on the joints- but you never hear of people getting a 'walkers high'.

jbug5j

Don't run through it. It can lead to much more serious consequences. I would get on the internet and do some research- try to figure out based on your symptoms EXACTLY what is causing the problem. Knee problems originate from a bunch of different things that have different treatment protocols. Have you been fitted at a running store for proper shoes for your gait?

It makes me a little concerned that you needed a week break from "hurting legs" What exactly do you mean by your legs were sore?? Joints? Tendons? Muscles? How long had you been doing your running program when the soreness started and got unbearable? The reason I ask is that if you build up your mileage appropriately (no more than adding 10% a week) and if you have proper fitting shoes and no underlying injuries, this shouldn't happen. In fact, when you've been running a while you shouldn't even get soreness that lasts more than 24hrs unless you're doing something really stressful- like a race, or a long workout of hill sprints, that you're not used to. If you're properly conditioned for your mileage, you usually wake up the next day and the soreness is over.

So, I am thinking you may be experiencing overuse injuries from upping your mileage too fast, and then after taking the time off and coming back, you basically jumped the mileage up too quickly all over again. Running can be tricky- even when your lungs, heart, and muscles are conditioned to go miles and miles, your joints and tendons need to be babied and take a lot longer to get up to speed, pun intended . I would suggest, if this rings true to you, that you stop now to rest until the knee is healed, and then start back up REALLY slowly. Cut your mileage, and build back up slowly. Mix in alternate cardio if you want to do more- elliptical, swimming, biking- it helps for balanced muscle development and getting cardio without pounding the joints. And, Start lifting yesterday, if you don't already. Strong developed muscles are the best protection from injury.

i was running/jogging for three months when i took my break. the first month was really light. i dont judge by distance, i judge by miles per hour. so at first i was starting at 2 and going to 4 then alternating form 3 to 4 then ending at two again. then i started a couch to 5K. my legs started really hurting like burning. my thighs mostly. it felt like the muscle but i wasnt sure. i just knew i needed a break. so i took a week off. then i started up again but not as dedicated as before. i tried a few variations of walk(3mph) for 5 min then do X amount of running(4mph) then end with walking(3mph) for 5 min. then i did walk a song, run a song, walk a song, run a song, walk a song. same mph intervals. ive been playing around with the incline on my treadmill too. but its not a physical incline, i guess it just gives more resistance. i just know when i increased it i felt it more in my butt lol. last time i ran i did intervals with my time but added a minute of 5mph in the middle. i hope that this made sense lol

I'm not entirely sure what you mean about the miles per hour thing. So, you set the treadmill to 2mph, and then up to 3-4mph, then back to 2mph? Does the treadmill tell you how many total miles you've gone?

The thing is, you need to go by total miles, not speed. Every step you take can be considered one rep. Let's say the average person takes 2,000 steps per mile- that's 1,000 reps on each leg. Your joints and tendons have to absorb shock 1,000 times each. Whether you do it fast or slow, every extra mile is requiring those shock absorbing systems to do 1,000 more reps. And the mechanics of walking and running are different, so you have to build up to running if you're not used to it. So, if you can say, walk 15 miles a week, and you decide to switch all your walks to runs, even though the muscles can take it, and even if your cardio system can do it, the shock absorbers have no prep to handle that, and you will be really likely to sustain injuries doing that.

Good news is, your walk/run concept is good. If you just cut back the intensity to progress at a more sustainable pace, it will work well for you.

Next, you didn't answer my question about proper running shoes (that I saw). The right shoes can mean the difference between being injury prone or not. Go to a specialty running store and get fitted, If the person doesn't watch you walk and run, then have you run in several pairs of shoes to watch your mechanics, you haven't been fitted. It is literally the only and most important thing you need to run. Make the investment ASAP. You may want other running things- gear, gadgets, etc- but shoes are the only thing you NEED.

My next advice is to start stretching your IT (iliotibial) bands. Google the stretches and start doing them right away, every single day, religiously. IT band issues can present as hip and/or knee pain, and if you're a new runner, you can't tell the difference. I couldn't for sure. It's both corrective and preventative to work the IT bands.

Finally, I can't picture how the treadmill adds resistance without an incline. For the near future (after your knee is better) set it to 0.5% to 1% and leave it for a while while you're learning to run. Play around with it while you're walking to increase the intensity of the walks, and play with it later when you have built some running endurance. My opinion is that (with the exception of outdoor natural hills) you should save sprinting and hill workouts for when you have developed a base endurance- IMO that means about 3 miles running nonstop at whatever pace is comfortable (my prediction would be 12-13 minutes per mile at that point) but it's not about speed at all at this point- first things first, and endurance is first.

Hope that helps. If it doesn't get better soon, I would suggest seeing a doctor, or confining your workouts to higher intensity walks (with incline). Walking is much easier on the joints- but you never hear of people getting a 'walkers high'.

sorry about the shoes question. i missed that. im wearing nike shocks i got YEARS ago for christmas. they seem comfortable enough.... my feet like them lol.

im starting to understand the distance vs speed thing. its just the faster i go the more cals i burn.... i guess i need to worry about distance. um.. my treadmill measures distance, speed, cals burnt, and heart rate. it also has an incline option. it says incline, and you hit the arrow up or down. but the thing is, it dosnt physically incline... i dont understand it either but like i said, when i played with it i felt it in my butt more.

i will definately look up those stretches. i do basic ones but im never sure if im doing the right ones or doing them right.

i REALLY appreciate the info you(and everyone else) has givin me. i didnt know there was so much to running. im not an outdorsy type of person so when i got my treadmill i was super excited. im definately going to try to watch my distance more but i dont understand how speed isnt important..... i just say "i want to treadmill for a half hour" and then go for a half hour trying to burn as many cals in that time i can. should i instead say "i want to treadmill for x amount of miles"?

MoreBean13

<snipped some of the quotes>

i REALLY appreciate the info you(and everyone else) has givin me. i didnt know there was so much to running. im not an outdorsy type of person so when i got my treadmill i was super excited. im definately going to try to watch my distance more but i dont understand how speed isnt important..... i just say "i want to treadmill for a half hour" and then go for a half hour trying to burn as many cals in that time i can. should i instead say "i want to treadmill for x amount of miles"?

It's not that speed isn't important- it's just that you have to build up to it to get speed without injury. If you try to go fast right out of the gate, you get hurt (as you're experiencing). I would consider looking in to a program like C25K. I have not done it myself, but I understand it's structured to allow you to build mileage appropriately, and after (I think?) 6 weeks you should be able to run for a half hour straight. Once you have that kind of endurance, you can then choose to focus on running faster for shorter distances, or move on to longer distances. The point is that your body is conditioned to handle it at that point.

But, yeah I think most runners you ask will tell you how far they run vs how many minutes. If someone says "what did you run today" My response would be "6.4 miles" and not "1 hour" if that answers your question.

dvisser1

Most hardcore runners will get new shoes every 3-4 months, some do it based off mileage and some off age. For me, my running shoes are used for just running (no gym, no strolling around town, just the running and associated cool down walk) and I get new every 3 months. The padding in the shoe breaks down pretty quickly and the last (stiff plate in the sole of the shoe) loosens up, breaking down. Worn out shoes leads to pain and possibly injury. If you like the shoes you have, just get a fresh pair.

I like the walk - jog - walk cycling you're doing, it's good way to build up cardiovascular endurance, and muscle endurance. Cartilage, tendons, ligaments all take a lot more time to become conditioned than muscles do, but I would think the 3 months of regular exercising would have accomplished that.

As someone else recommended, strength training. Now. 3 days a week on your off days from running. It doesn't require much. Body weight squats and lunges are a great start and might be all you need. When I went to physical therapy for knee problems (knee cap would pop out of the normal track when running) the first exercise my therapist had me doing was back step lunges. While you are letting your knee heal, and you really need to, just walk. Walking is good, very low impact exercise.

jzammetti

Don't push through it. I've been having kee pain for months and had 6 weeks off running, it's almost gone.

RICE, Rest Ice Compression Elevation

^^^^^^^^^^^ THIS.

jbug5j

update: it hurt again today and i had to work. about half way through my shift my knee popped a few times and now it feels fine.... odd huh? not sure if i should still wait a few days till i run or not. i found a better c25k that is designed for the treadmill. hope i can start running soon!