Knee pain?

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emilygray7165
emilygray7165 Posts: 69 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I love running, I try to do at least two miles every day, but recently it's been becoming a bit of a problem. My legs hurt a little while i run and my knees really ache afterwards. Anyone got any ideas about what this could be and how I could solve the problem?

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  • emilygray7165
    emilygray7165 Posts: 69 Member
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    Anyone?
  • cdjs77
    cdjs77 Posts: 176 Member
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    I, unfortunately, have a lot of experience with knee problems from sports. It really depends on what kind of pain it is and where it is located. Is it aching, sharp, soreness, stiffness? Is it inside the knee, on one of the sides, in the front or back, all over the knee? Your best bet is to see a doctor, as only they can truly let you know what's going on. However, if you are trying to judge whether it is possibly a serious injury which you would need to see a doctor for or something you can fix with RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation), it's difficult to say what it might be without a more specific description.
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
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    How old are your shoes? It could hopefully be just a needing to replace them.
  • anniemarianas
    anniemarianas Posts: 49
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    My friend olivia has awful awful knee pain but has invested in knee supports and stretches her legs and keeps moving because she's adamant it helps.

    Maybe check a doctor if the pain continues, I do have occasional knee strain but it goes away over the day.

    Also yes, as above, go to a shoe shop where you can get professional fitting advice for your trainers (we have the shoe clinic in new zealand)

    Also rest is crucial, so do remember to have a rest day every once in a while to give your poor knees a break!
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
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    How old are your shoes? It could hopefully be just a needing to replace them.

    ^^^^^^^This
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I love running too!

    The basics of safe running are as follows.
    - Get shoes fitted at a running store. Every one has a different gait, and therefore needs the right shoe. Replace them every 300-500 miles even if they still look like new!
    - Running every day is not wise even for seasoned runners. Rest days have to be part of the program. 6 days max!
    - Get a training plan. Hal Higdon has them Cool Running, and Jeff Galloway. I suggest training for a 5K (3.1 miles)
    - Warm up and stretch! Cool down and light stretch.
    - Drink lots of water, that will help hydrate your soft tissues such as the cartilage in your knee.

    I would back it off to 3 days a week after the pain is gone. (RICE and a doctor if needed) Then stick to your plan. You can always add another day and eventually 3 days back.

    Good luck, and have fun!

    BTW - I had knee surgery doing what you're doing. I am now up to 40 miles per week. You just need to take your time.
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
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    Good advice above. It's easy to switch shoes so try that first.

    Another common cause of knee pain that many overlook is a weakness in the glutes and associated muscles in the upper legs & butt. This allows the femur to rotate, putting more stress on your knee to stabilize. Work on lower body exercises like lunges (front, side, and rear), squats, and kettlebell swings or deadlifts. Also work on stretches for the glutes and piriformis muscle.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    Running on hard surfaces will destroy your knees and if you have flat feet, it's even worse. It is impossible to jog off knee pain. Don't do it or you risk years of knee surgery.

    Edit Concrete is considered a hard surface. You want to jog on sand, dirt, gravel, or specially made jogging tracks. Grass is only okay if it is something like a golf course. Neighborhood grass usually isn't soft enough.
  • lisamarie1780
    lisamarie1780 Posts: 432 Member
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    It could be anything but I would get fitted for a new pair of running shoes if I was you as it could be down to a lack of support

    I would also incorporate something core strengthening into my exercise routine, something like yoga

    I run about 3 days out of 5 and do yoga the other days. I have hardly any knee or joint pain since doing yoga regularly, it's really strengthened my body

    Also make sure you are warming up properly... stiff cold muscles don't like to run :0)
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    Also wanted to add that you can run every day as long as you run on soft surfaces with the right shoes.
  • AbsoluteNG
    AbsoluteNG Posts: 1,079 Member
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    One more thing I just remembered. The more muscle you have in your legs, the faster the pain goes away and it helps reduce knee impact injuries from jogging. Muscles help reduce the impact your knees take when jogging so build any and all muscles in the legs like your quads, calfs, and etc etc.

    .

    Most joggers greatly underestimate how important muscles are for the knee! No leg muscles means that all the impact goes directly to the knee. Knees have cartilage and cartilage does not grow back as it wears away. As you jog on hard surfaces, it wears away fast which causes knee pain. Build muscle to save your knee.


    .
  • emilygray7165
    emilygray7165 Posts: 69 Member
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    Hi guys, sorry for not replying sooner!
    Thanks for all your advice, my trainers are pretty old now so i'm thinking i'll get some new ones soon and hopefully the pain will go away. It's usually just in my left knee, and it's more of a muscular pain than anything, it's just worrying as i seem to get it even when i warm up first, so it's probably not lactic acid or anything.
    I do loads of squats and stuff so i'm pretty sure it's not that, my legs are starting to look pretty muscly now haha. But I do run on the pavement a lot of the time so it might be that, hm.
    Either way, it's not crippling. If it continues after i get some new shoes, i'll see a doctor.
    Thank you all for your advice!
  • Lalasharni
    Lalasharni Posts: 353 Member
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    Yep - I know. This is from experience.
    Running is pretty high impact exercise. You dont say what your weight/height is, but I guess you must be pretty fit?
    The constand pounding - expecially on tarmac - puts a shock through your knee joint and you are probably damaging cartiledge.
    If you get pain lower in the legs - say in the shin bone, then the cartiledge is probably worn away. This is what happened to me. I now have a knee replacement - but dont panic, I'm in my 60s.
    Since the replacement, I have taken to Nordic Walking, which burns more calories than jogging and is far lower impact. I can go longer, faster, than I was able to running.
    Perhaps thats an idea for you. BUT - see your medic and get a scan on your knees. If they are hurting, then stop running until you know why. It could be something and nothing, but if you have arthritic knees, running will worsen them until you are in trouble.
    check it out now - for your own peace of mind, if for no other reason.
    Good luck.
  • emilygray7165
    emilygray7165 Posts: 69 Member
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    Yep - I know. This is from experience.
    Running is pretty high impact exercise. You dont say what your weight/height is, but I guess you must be pretty fit?
    The constand pounding - expecially on tarmac - puts a shock through your knee joint and you are probably damaging cartiledge.
    If you get pain lower in the legs - say in the shin bone, then the cartiledge is probably worn away. This is what happened to me. I now have a knee replacement - but dont panic, I'm in my 60s.
    Since the replacement, I have taken to Nordic Walking, which burns more calories than jogging and is far lower impact. I can go longer, faster, than I was able to running.
    Perhaps thats an idea for you. BUT - see your medic and get a scan on your knees. If they are hurting, then stop running until you know why. It could be something and nothing, but if you have arthritic knees, running will worsen them until you are in trouble.
    check it out now - for your own peace of mind, if for no other reason.
    Good luck.

    I'm 5 foot 4 and 123lbs. i hope it's nothing serious, I really want to get into running again properly and start working towards doing a half marathon next year. :( The pain isn't in the lower leg, it's literally just in my left knee. it stays for about an hour after i jog, then it goes away.

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