Knee Pain...

gettingmeback2013

Hi All! I started the Couch 2 5K last week, and I began week 2 this morning. I am 5'2", I began the C25K at 197lbs, am now 196 (yay for another lb lost! LOL). I have never been a runner before this, never been an EXERCISER before this. This is all new to me, but I believe I have FINALLY found the exercise I love to do and I look forward to doing!

Now, last week, I did 2 of the C25K runs back to back, 2 days in a row. And since then, my knees have hurt. They hurt the worst the day after, felt a bit better the next day and this morning they felt okay but not 100%. I did the 1st run of week 2 this morning and my knees are back to hurting.

Does this sound like I am just heavy and it's something I will work through or does it sound like I am beginning to do some damage? I know I'm pretty heavy for my height, is there a way I should be running (it's more like a jog, or bouncy walk at my weight and lack of in shape!) to ensure I don't damage my knees? Get a brace maybe?

Thanks in advance for your help!

gettingmeback2013

This may be of importance...I am also 35. Thanks!

dtroutman

I know when I hurt my knees walking the doctor said I just wasnt giving my body enough time to rest inbetween, so maybe you just need to be sure and skip a day. I have a sister in law who is a really into running and she says she never runs two days in row. Hope your knees get to feeling better and good luck : )

kathyvstephan

bounce

trogalicious

have you been fitted for legit shoes?

krawl78

Look up some before/after stretches to do. Also, look into rolling your muscles out. I'm a few lbs lighter than you and when I first started C25K rolling my muscles (with a foam roller) and proper fitting shoes were the only thing that helped. Good luck and DON'T YOU QUIT! Try running on a softer surface as we... I'm not sure where you are running right now.

billsica

Don't bounce, your not tigger.

What I did in the start is to work on was making my stride smaller, almost half steps. Push your shoulders back and tip forward ever so slightly. Arms should be down. Try to hit with your foot on the toe or middle, not the heal.
You will slow way down at first, but that's ok, all part of the process.

Then go look to get some new real running shoes if you don't have them already.

mammakisses

I'm 5'2.5 and 208 and tried c25k too but my knees and shins hurt so I decided to wait and do something else. I rather not hurt myself. Instead I bike, I can do lots of it without pain. I'll try again later when I'm lighter.

gdrmuzak

It could be due to weight or it could an indication of a bigger problem.

Personally, I am doing things now that I couldn't do last August without some pain. I noticed after losing 13-15 pounds my back and knees didn't hurt officiating basketball...there was a spring in my step and I'll never forget the game I noticed it and wondered if it was the weight.

After I lost about 20 lbs., I noticed I was doing things (resistance and incline training) on the elliptical machine at the Y that I hadn't done in several years (when I weighed less) and my ankles weren't popping or giving out and my knees were fine.

Rest is critical when you are stressing your body at it's physical limits. Pay attention to it and keep losing weight. It's worth it! It's an exciting accomplishment...and that much more rewarding when people start noticing.

trogalicious

Go to a running store. Not a sporting goods store... but a store specifically for runners/running. Have them do a gait analysis and fit you for the proper shoes.

SloRunner25

I had the same issue when I started. I was also around 197 when I started C25K. My knees were very sore at first. I started doing 30 Day Shred along with the C25K program, and the squats and lunges really helped build up my muscle strength in my legs. Slowly the knee pain became less and less as I completed the program and just started my own schedule of training.

Yesterday I ran my first 5K complete with some nice rolling hills. I'm sore today but my knees feel fine. Build up that muscle strength, give it time, and keep on going. In the 4 months of training, I pulled my calf muscle twice, had shin splints, and hurt my foot. Trial and error. You can do it. Of course, consult your doctor if the pain is more than you can handle/ you're really worried about it. And then there's always the subject of do you have the right shoe for your foot. If you haven't gone to a running store to get fitted, do it asap. It's amazing the difference the right shoe can make.

Good luck and keep on training! :drinker:

Katla49

I'm an old girl, looking back. I'm on this weight loss journey because of knee pain. I used to be a dedicated jogger. I would trade in jogging for riding a bike if I could do it over. I know how great you feel when you're done running, so I'll give some other suggestions. Mix it up. Jog one day, ride a bike another. If you work out at a gym, use an elliptical about half of the time. You'll keep your stamina, burn calories, and save some wear and tear on your knees. As you lose weight, you can slide up the jogging a bit, but never do it every day. Your body needs rest. Knee joints take a real beating during a run, so give them all the help you can. Good luck!

JDunbar82

Looks like you're getting some great advice here. For what its worth you should also consider looking into IT band stretches. When I first started running I had terrible knee pain and I honestly thought maybe my knees just weren't cut out for it but I started doing a little research and realized it was really a problem with my IT bands...once I started doing the stretches I have not had a problem since. Good luck and don't give up!

ze_hombre

My wife and I had big problems with knee and lower body pain when starting C25K. It all stopped when we did the following:

1. Get some minimalist shoes. Traditional running shoes are HORRIBLE for you. I use Brooks Pure series.
2. Get a gait analysis done. Find out if you under or over pronate.
3. Read up on Chi Running. Learn how to midfoot strike and maintain good posture while running. Don't ever heel strike (I would bet money that is what you are doing. It causes a lot of stress on the knee joints).

Since my wife and I made these changes we have had 0 issues with joint pain. We have both run 5k's now, and I ran 6 miles yesterday on my training plan for a half marathon.

wannabpiper

I'm 5'4", 150 lbs, 53 years old, and for four years in a row I've tried to start a running program. Each time I ended up with patellar tendonitis and peroneal tendonitis. The knee pain was awful, and I started out by going to Fleet Feet for proper footwear thinking that was the issue. I eventually ended up in physical therapy and gave up trying to run.

This year I'm DETERMINED! to get it right, so I started a thread in another area of this site looking for starter help. With their help, here's what I'm doing different this time around:

1. Working with my doctor to get the tendonitis under control.
2. Got fitted for better shoes again as those of four years ago are worn out.
3. Icing the knees after the exercise.
4. For three weeks I've been walking 3 miles four days per week at a medium (2.5 mph) pace.

So far the pain has really subsided. I think that my muscles and tendons and ligaments were just so out of shape that trying to run without rebuilding their health was causing injury rather than enhanced health.

Today I downloaded C25K on my phone and will begin to work with that to phase in a bit of trotting.

BTW: one hint I got from another thread that has made a HUGE difference for me was to download audio books and listen to them as I've been walking. It distracts me from boredom (which was a significant problem) and the discomfort of initial exertion.

Best to you and keep trying

gettingmeback2013

Thank you all SO MUCH for the fantastic advice! I will be trying many of these suggestions.

I had never been fitted properly for shoes before, and my feet would seriously start to hurt mere minutes into a walk. Even just a normal, every day walk. The weekend before I started the C25K program, I went to a running shoe store and was fitted for shoes. I do overpronate quite a bit. Now, for the first time in as long as I can remember, my feet don't hurt AT ALL when I walk or run. It's awesome! LOL

As for the techniques you all suggested, I will be trying, one by one, each and every one.

Thank you all for being so helpful!!!