Jogging with knee pain?

hiyomi
hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
One thing I have always wanted to do is jog/run, and I recently started doing just that. I weigh 266 pounds and have some knee pain. My mother keeps telling me that I'm too heavy to run, that I shouldn't be running....on and on. And I'm not going to lie, it hurts a little to run, but it's bearable and I keep going, but usually I have to take a day off because my knee will hurt the day after, and I want to avoid further injury......So....should I keep trying to run, running when I can, and taking a break when it hurts, or am I really too heavy to run? Just one knee hurts, and it's on the lower/side part of the knee.

Replies

  • blackcloud13
    blackcloud13 Posts: 654 Member
    I am pretty sure you are not too heavy to run!
    However, do you know what has caused your knee pain? Until you know that, and you've figured a way to deal with it, I would not go on major runs. I think light walk/jogs would be a good start till you figure it out
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Well, my knee didn't hurt until I started jogging :| never really hurts in general, once in awhile it will. And yeah, I have just been doing light jogging :D I'm trying to work my way up! I wonder if those small knee brace things will do any good?(it's just one knee that hurts as well)
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I started running at around 280 and my knees didn't hurt. Get checked out by your doctor to find the cause you do not want to cause any long term damage
  • MatthewNSW
    MatthewNSW Posts: 88
    Get your knee looked at. Get to the bottom of it because until you know what the issue is, you can't say whether or not you're really okay to run on it.

    I lost three months of running because I didn't heed the advice I'm giving you now. Then when I came back to running, it took years before I got back everything I'd lost in terms of confidence and fitness.

    That's my tip to you - especially if running exacerbates or changes that pain you feel in any way.
  • chezjuan
    chezjuan Posts: 747 Member
    Definitely have the doctor take a look at the knee. It may be that they say it's OK to run, or they may be able to give you some exercises to strengthen your knee.
  • ils_1231
    ils_1231 Posts: 249 Member
    i have knee problems, and actually need to tape my patella in tape when i do any running, tennis, etc. -- sounds more painful than it actually is....


    best thing for me: swimming. i highly recommend swimming-- i love it.
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
    Get your knee checked out to see what is wrong. If you need a rest from running, ride a bike. Don't damage yourself.
  • aelphabawest
    aelphabawest Posts: 173 Member
    1.) If you have not already, get yourself properly fitted for shoes. Go to a specialty store. They'll tape your running on a treadmill and be able to tell if you over pronote, under pronate, etc. You need actual running shoes for jogging/running: it's worth the cost to prevent yourself from injury.

    2.) Don't push yourself too fast. Start out with a C25k program, that will ease you in well. Once you're beyond that, do not add more than 10% mileage every week.

    3.) Do other things besides running (cross training). You need to use the muscles around your knees differently. Roll out your IT band after you run.

    4.) Get straps or braces for your knees for when you're jogging and ice them afterward.

    5.) Run on the roads, not the sidewalk, whenever possible (cement = really hard. you'll feel the difference.)

    It also depends on the degree of pain - I know many, many runners who have varying degrees of knee discomfort (including myself). For me, it's a balancing act of all of the above. I definitely feel it when I mess up my mileage increase, or my cross training isn't as regular as it should be. But if I get the balance right I don't usually have a problem.

    Edit: This is all for *discomfort,* in which case it's definitely worth trying all of the above before you see a doctor. However, if it is holy-crap-I-cannot run pain, yea, talk to a doctor. I'm still running with the occasional discomfort, but this is definitely something I'm talking to a doctor about before I start training for a marathon.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    If you get the all clear from your doc, maybe try only running every other day - I've been running for about two years now, and I still like to have at least one day off between runs. Also make sure you're not increasing distance too quickly. I get a cranky knee (due to my IT band) if I suddenly increase mileage without building up to it.

    Try the c25k program - it's a 9 week, 3 days a week plan to build you up to running for 30 minutes straight, starts you out with a combo of walking and running. Good stuff, and might help avoid injury by keeping you on a schedule and increasing things slowly.

    Good luck!
  • RinnyLush
    RinnyLush Posts: 389 Member
    I had the same issue when I started running! Turned out to be "Runner's Knee", but with the right care I can run pain-free. :smile: I googled some stretching methods, learned how to roll out my IT band with a foam roller, and picked up a compression sleeve:
    http://www.mcdavidusa.com/Product/402R/MCDAVID_Level_1_Knee_Support_w_open_patella.aspx

    I always make sure to have a rest day in between every run to give my knee a break, and I elevate and ice it if it ever hurts. In time, as my stride has been improving, I have noticed it less and less!

    That being said though, when I was at my heaviest and just starting out (235 lbs) I stuck to lower impact exercises like swimming, biking, and the elliptical machine. Running became easier once I dropped some of the initial weight.

    Hope this helps! :flowerforyou:
  • RinnyLush
    RinnyLush Posts: 389 Member
    Try the c25k program - it's a 9 week, 3 days a week plan to build you up to running for 30 minutes straight, starts you out with a combo of walking and running.

    I am doing this also! Increasing just a little bit each week is really helping. Don't go too gung-ho or you'll end up hurting yourself and really regretting it.
  • ken1994
    ken1994 Posts: 495 Member
    I too am heavy and enjoy running, honestly it is going to hurt for a while, your body is trying to figure out what the heck you are trying to do to it. Keep it listen to your body and if it continues to get worse see a professional but if it goes away after each run it just may be style or shows. Ice also works wonders too! :smile:
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Thanks for all the suggestions guys! I've never gone to a doctor to get my knee checked out before, it the pain doesn't go away after a day or two after my last run, (which was Monday), I'll try and go to get it checked out. Also, I had no clue that proper running shoes can give you the comfort you need for you knees to run! I honestly haven't invested at all in running shoes, or looked into proper fitting at all. I really hope that this pain subsides by tomorrow or Thursday morning so I can try jogging again! I hear it's one of the best habits you can get into, and it's something I've always wanted to do! :)

    Other info: ( my knee has coincidentally hurt 2 separate days after I ran, both of them while the weather was extremely cold for us ) (I live in south texas, maybe the cold has something to do with it, I know arthritis runs in my moms family, I hope I'm too young for it though) >_<
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Uh, no, don't ever run through knee pain.

    Go see a doctor and get it properly diagnosed. It might be something easy to fix, like Iliotibial Band Syndrome that can be solved with a few stretches a day.

    If you run through pain today, some tomorrow will come when you can't run anymore for an extended period of time. It's self sabotage.
  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    1.) If you have not already, get yourself properly fitted for shoes. Go to a specialty store. They'll tape your running on a treadmill and be able to tell if you over pronote, under pronate, etc. You need actual running shoes for jogging/running: it's worth the cost to prevent yourself from injury.

    2.) Don't push yourself too fast. Start out with a C25k program, that will ease you in well. Once you're beyond that, do not add more than 10% mileage every week.

    3.) Do other things besides running (cross training). You need to use the muscles around your knees differently. Roll out your IT band after you run.

    4.) Get straps or braces for your knees for when you're jogging and ice them afterward.

    5.) Run on the roads, not the sidewalk, whenever possible (cement = really hard. you'll feel the difference.)

    It also depends on the degree of pain - I know many, many runners who have varying degrees of knee discomfort (including myself). For me, it's a balancing act of all of the above. I definitely feel it when I mess up my mileage increase, or my cross training isn't as regular as it should be. But if I get the balance right I don't usually have a problem.

    Edit: This is all for *discomfort,* in which case it's definitely worth trying all of the above before you see a doctor. However, if it is holy-crap-I-cannot run pain, yea, talk to a doctor. I'm still running with the occasional discomfort, but this is definitely something I'm talking to a doctor about before I start training for a marathon.

    ^^This. Get proper shoes. Makes a HUGE difference. Also, if you don't already, look into good stretches and foam rolling. Helps the muscles that support your knees.

    I don't run every day...my body much prefers the rest. I cross train by weightlifting on non-run days.

Categories