Should I continue to exercise with knee pain?

fangmouse
fangmouse Posts: 119
in Fitness and Exercise
I've been having this knee pain for the past few days and everytime I try to walk or run, there will be a sharp, debilitating pain on my knee and I will be forced to stop. I'm afraid that it will make me gain weight but for the past few days I've not been exercising. My last light exercise day was Friday (it was a walk but the calories burnt were close to nothing, only 100+ kcal). And it really annoys me that I have to sit and rest all the time. I'm afraid that I'll gain weight with my decreased exercise but I'm afraid that my knee condition will turn into osteoarthritis, which is a condition that practically all my aunts and uncles and grandparents have (so it's pretty much genetics which sucks so bad). I am resting because I want to be able to run my 5km runs and continue with my field hockey trainings. I don't want to get a knee condition that will prevent me from playing during hockey season but I can't stand not moving as well... I depend on exercise as a natural anti-depressant and it makes me utterly gutted and highly irritable and anxious when I don't get to exercise.

Is it okay to not exercise for about a week? I'm really afraid I'll gain weight and lose speed in my runs when I stop training but I need to recover so badly.

Anyone with this problem? What did you guys do?

Replies

  • Maleficent0241
    Maleficent0241 Posts: 386 Member
    A week or two off is highly unlikely to ruin your running endurance in any appreciable way. Continuing to work out on the knee and ending up with a serious injury, on the other hand, will. I think you know the answer to your own question - you need to rest it. If it doesn't start improving, get it checked out by a doctor. Most of weight loss is diet anyway, so keep your calories in check, and you won't gain weight while you're off.

    I understand feeling like you need to exercise. If it's just a matter of being antsy or bummed about it, then either do some other hobbies for awhile to take your mind off of things, or just work your upper body in the meantime. If it is seriously distressing to you and tends to be a recurring thought pattern (which it sounds like it may be), then speaking to a professional might be a good idea.
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
    Um. yes...you should definitely take it easy if you're getting a sharp, debilitating pain in your knee. I wouldn't run on it at all until the pain is gone. There are a number of things that could be wrong, but I have experienced similar issues because I wore the wrong shoes ( as well as overtrained/tried to speed up my running too fast and for too long) and messed up my ankle, knee, and hip joints due to that combination. It took a couple months for it to heal. I am not saying that is your issue, though, but sharp knee pain is not something to take lightly. If the pain doesn't go away, you may want to speak to a doctor about it.

    You can do other exercises that won't aggravate your knee. Don't stress about gaining weight (I understand the feeling because I felt the same way), but trust me when I say it's better to be out for a short time, rather than pushing yourself with an injury, which can really turn into something more serious.
  • NancyH66
    NancyH66 Posts: 20 Member
    Rest it! Also...ice and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or tylenol (if you can take those drugs). Keeping any swelling down inside the knee will help it heal faster. Don't exercise the knee when you are medicated as you could make the situation much worse (taking the pain away with ibuprofen doesn't mean the knee is ok).
    Do you have access to a pool? Swimming is a great no-impact exercise. Or you could work on your upper body with weights. Try some Yoga or Pilates. Ride a bike or an exercise bike. Walking is fine...put some speed on and you can burn a fair amount of calories.
    When the knee feels better start back VERY slowly. Warm up by walking and jogging slowly. At the first twinge of discomfort in the knee stop. if it continues to hurt you should have it evaluated by a doctor. If you have a torn ligament it may not heal on its own.
    good luck
  • brainfreeze72
    brainfreeze72 Posts: 180 Member
    Definitely rest. Talk to your doctor about anti-inflamatory drugs such as ibuprofen. Do you have access to a swimming pool? I have chronic knee injury and find that swimming is the best exercise if you have problems with your legs or knees, no impact, smooth steady movements. If you need to you can use a flotation device to help you stay bouyant while exercising your legs. Most importantly, REST YOUR KNEE. Your body is trying to tell you your knee needs attention and rest. Sore muscles are one thing but sharp pain is another.
  • AusEliza
    AusEliza Posts: 60 Member
    Rest is what you need. I tried to train through heel splints and boy was it painful and I never got through a workout feeling that I gave 110%. After a 2 week rest I was back to training like normal and in that time I didn't gain any extra weight. So yes you should rest.
  • tmm_0127
    tmm_0127 Posts: 545 Member
    Get some rest. Pain is never good, and running on it despite the pain can cause more damage. If the pain persists even though you're resting you should schedule an appointment with your doctor to make sure the pain isn't being caused by something more serious than strain (tendinitis, small tears, bursitis ...).
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
    I have problems with my knees, too. Running is really hard on the knees. Don't do it if you have pain. Go to your doctor to see what the problem is. You'll probably get a referral to a physical therapist. There are exercises that strengthen the muscles that support the knees which can help you get back to running.

    In the meantime, switch to swimming and/or biking. Both of these are rehabilitative. One of my friends is a PT and she particularly recommends biking. Just be sure to watch your form and don't splay your legs out. Keep the hips and knees in line with each other.

    Personally, I just don't run at all because of the pain, but then I never particularly loved it in the first place. I do love step aerobics and Zumba, though, which I can still do although my doctor wishes I wouldn't. Very rarely do they trigger pain. I think maybe because the impact is more varied than with running. So I think you might be able to resume the hockey easier than running.

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