Runner's Knee

Rotten_Apple
Rotten_Apple Posts: 58 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I started running in March of this year and in the past couple of weeks I have developed what I think is runner's knee in my right knee. I did not dramatically increase my mileage so I am not sure where it came from. There is a dull ache that I can feel throughout the knee including the back of the knee and it feels "full" though it doesn't appear to be physically swollen. It really turns into a bad pain when I squat down or when I walk downstairs (unless I walk down sideways, which is what I have been doing).

I am REALLY bummed because the weather is cooling off and I really wanted to start training for a half in December. Does anyone have any experience with runner's knee and have any advice/tips on how to get through this? I ice it sometimes and I take Advil when it feels particularly "full". Can I continue to run if I use a knee brace or will that make it worse?

Replies

  • joakool
    joakool Posts: 434 Member
    I had something that sounded similar, but when I ran it wasn't "too" bad. When I was done, I could hardly walk. I went up stairs sideways like you do. I iced a lot and kept running but it never got better ~ only got worse. I tried a brace and that didn't help me either. I finally gave myself a month off and kept icing. FINALLY the pain went away and I have been pain-free for almost a year. You really, really need to give it rest if it hurts that bad. I HATED making myself rest, but, in the long run, rest is what gave my body time to heal.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    See a Dr. and get an xray/MRI. I thought I had runner's knee but it turned out to I was wearing the crap out of the cartilage under my knee cap because of poor tracking due to tight IT and muscle imbalance. I had the symptom's of a runners knee.
  • bumblebums
    bumblebums Posts: 2,181 Member
    Foam roll those IT bands, and add some strength training to your regimen if you aren't doing it already.
  • FrenchMob
    FrenchMob Posts: 1,167 Member
    ...and the funny thing is, the pain showed up after 2 weeks off because I was on vacation.
  • timeasterday
    timeasterday Posts: 1,368 Member
    For now back off the mileage and keep icing it & elevating the leg. Have you ever been fitted for shoes at a running store? That may be a contributing factor but more likely it's the supporting muscles of the leg. Weak quads, tight hamstrings, and a tight IT band are some things to work on. If you don't have a foam roller get one and start rolling everything in the legs daily, especially the IT band.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
    I have this same issue. I am told it has to do with the IT Band..... I really don't know much about it, except that I have no issue when I walk fast or run slowly. If I try to increase my speed at all I am in a ton of pain! It is so frustrating. I pushed through it a few weeks back and ran 4 miles -- bad idea. I was completely useless that night and the entire next day. The next time I did intervals with very fast walking and still 5.5mph running -- hurt that night but was okay wthe next day. Saturday I ran in a 5K for charity, very slowly and didn't experience any pain. I now there are a ton of stretches and you can google or look up on YouTube how to do them.

    I can't be sure that is what is happening to you, but it's similar to my situation and my PCP told me it was IT Band. Good luck.
  • JoelleAnn78
    JoelleAnn78 Posts: 1,492 Member
    ...and the funny thing is, the pain showed up after 2 weeks off because I was on vacation.

    YES! Me, too. I took two and a half weeks off. Went back to running and wham! pain.
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
    Resting - check (lots of it in past 3 months)
    Ice pack - check
    IT band softened with the use of foam roller - check
    Properly fitted running shoes running store - check

    But the pain in the right knee is still there. What else can be done? No pain in the left knee though.
  • SHHitsKaty
    SHHitsKaty Posts: 301
    That sounds like IT band issues and not a knee issue. I went through 8 weeks of physical therapy at a sports medicine office for severe illiotibial band syndrome after I first started running a lot more than I ever used to.

    What helped me was foam rolling the IT bands, really stretching them specifically before and after races and getting fitted for proper running shoes at a proper running shoe store. They will watch you walk, look at your feet, see what type of arch (I have no arch at all) you have and really get you in the right running shoe.

    I went from severe pain in my knee, bruising down my entire length of my thighs to really not suffering at all.
  • Rotten_Apple
    Rotten_Apple Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks for all of the replies. I just googled IT band, I had never heard of that before :embarassed: I will definitely do some foam rolling and strength exercises. I went to a running store (not a "big box" store) for my shoes but they did not have me get on a treadmill or anything. Perhaps I will have that done as well.
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    This doesn't match the symptoms of my Runner's Knee. In Runner's Knee the pain is primarily under the knee cap in the front. I don't think there is usually significant swelling, maybe just a little (again, under the knee cap).

    I agree with the other replies and would add this... don't try to run through the pain with a knee problem. Ice it like crazy and rest until you figure out what the problem is. You don't want to make things worse.

    Good luck!

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