knee pain after jogging :(

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It has only been a month since I been joggin every other day and my left knee is starting to hurt so bad. Any advice/suggestions? I tried doing the elliptical machines but I feel its not so natural for me so I try to stick to jogging/running.

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  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    Are you warming up before you run, and stretching afterwards? Are you wearing good running shoes? Are you increasing your mileage too quickly? Do you think you are running with proper form (feet under your body, quick steps?). Just some thoughts...
  • atxdee
    atxdee Posts: 613 Member
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    Are you warming up before you run, and stretching afterwards? Are you wearing good running shoes? Are you increasing your mileage too quickly? Do you think you are running with proper form (feet under your body, quick steps?). Just some thoughts...

    good suggestions! what would be considered good running shoes? what brand or type?
  • HeartME511healthy
    HeartME511healthy Posts: 163 Member
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    Check to see if you have a store similar to Road Runner.. Awesome place they measure your stride and running pattern. Also stretching is always best before and after. I had the same problem and a trainer told me to pull foot to butt with knee bent and try to get knee straight as you can. Both kegs it's awesome I haven't had a problem since starting this stretching method.
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    im in a similar situation. i just stared this month and have two days and my legs are in the jelly stage lol it could be the shoes, it could be the machine, your stance, stretching or maybe your knees cant handle it. i have bad knees prior to this so im curious as to what ppl will say. best of luck to ya and if i hear something significant, ill let you know!! :)
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    I have knee issues that usually pop up after a few weeks of jogging. Aside from the already mentioned great suggestions it might be worth it to invest in some kind of knee support, also an ice pack after your jog will help keep the swelling down and if all else fails anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen are great for easing swelling and pain.
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    also, doing exercises to strengthen the muscles holding your patella (kneecap) in place will help ease pain in the long term
  • atxdee
    atxdee Posts: 613 Member
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    also, doing exercises to strengthen the muscles holding your patella (kneecap) in place will help ease pain in the long term

    not exactly sure what kinda exercises this is? does sound like it might be worth a try as well, all great suggestions thanks all!
  • islandjumper
    islandjumper Posts: 369 Member
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    also, doing exercises to strengthen the muscles holding your patella (kneecap) in place will help ease pain in the long term

    not exactly sure what kinda exercises this is? does sound like it might be worth a try as well, all great suggestions thanks all!

    when I was in physical therapy for my knee they had me do things like releves on the edge of stairs (stand with your heel off the stair and raise yourself all the way up and then slowly go back down so your heel drops below the level of the stair. Do this with individual legs)
    and stand with balance ball in-between your back and the wall and move down into a seated position and back up.
    http://www.bigkneepain.com/knee-exercises.html here's a link that explains the importance, and there are some links towards the bottom that detail some exercises and stretches you can use.
  • wocm15
    wocm15 Posts: 81
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    GET PROPERLY FITTED FOR SHOES. There that is all. :) But seriously, I used to have absolutely terrible runner's knee, and then once I went to an actual running store (not some big box store like Sport's Authority or D!ck's) and got properly fit for a nice pair of shoes, it went away and has not been back since. They will put you on a treadmill, watch how you run, measure your feet, arches, etc. You will end up paying a little more money, but it's worth it for a quality shoe that is right for your biomechanics!
  • erxkeel
    erxkeel Posts: 553 Member
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    Glucosamine Hcl 1500mg & Chondroitin Sulfate 1200mg, helps me!
  • bigdawg62
    bigdawg62 Posts: 127 Member
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    You need to go to an athletic shoe store that actually has a staff who know what they are doing. We have one in NH called Runners Alley. They will watch you run and be able to tell if you have a neutral stride or if you pronate. Its critical that you have the correct shoe because if you bought a shoe that is for someone who pronates and your a neutral stride then each time you take a stride your knee is going to be wrenched sideways, or vise versa. Find the right shoe and your knee pain should go away unless you have some other injury to your knee such as from an old accident.
  • chedges9090
    chedges9090 Posts: 208 Member
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    definitely get fitted for shoes. It is more expensive.. but well worth it! really-- AND, only use those shoes for working out/running. Have some other shoes that you use for every day. Also, the shoe store that I went to suggested inserts.. and I just thought they were trying to up-sell me. But, they had said I could bring them back if they didn't work. Uncomfortable at first.. but now I cannot do without them. A WORLD of difference. I bought Brooks running shoes-- which my Orthopedic said were AWESOME. But, they may not be right for your goot/gait.

    Also, my trainer said the same things that others said-- excercise your legs/knees. Make them stronger. I was steering AWAY from those excercises/machines because I thought it would hurt too much. But, that is the WRONG thing. Just start out with low weight/reps and work up to it.

    I had knee pain also.. and these things worked for me. Also, there is something called an AMT at our gym.. similare to an elliptical.. but I think it's more difficult--and will give you more of a running motion.

    Good Luck!
  • sertcelik
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    I'm so sorry to hear about your knee!!! The best thing to do.. is stop running and head to the doctor. Trust me.. these things get worse without rest! I'm still so stubborn that I will not stop when injured, so I cant follow my own advice, but I sure always end up with something far worse than I bargained for. I love running too much! Best of luck!!
  • djbrink21
    djbrink21 Posts: 97 Member
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    I have the same issues. I love to run, but the ortho doctor told me that I have the start of osteoarthritis in both knees and not to expect to do much. Since I'm one to always listen to the doctor (sarcasm), I have been trying to run on and off for almost a year now only to have my knees start acting up eventually.

    At the beginning of January I started doing Couch to 5k, figuring that if I started as slow as week 1 of C25K is then my knees would adjust some. Well I made it as far as the end of week 4 before having to stop again. Haven't been back to the gym for a week now and it will probably be a few more before I go back. Truly sucked when I realized I was going to miss the first day.

    The good news though is that it took 4 weeks to get that bad, when in the past it used to only take a few runs. Probably has something to do with the 25 lbs I'm down since last time I gave running a good try.

    My suggestion would be:

    Get new shoes. Road Runner is best if there is one near you. They aren't going to be cheap shoes, but they will be great. Also only use them for running and be sure to replace them every 300-500 miles of running. This will be well before they look like they need to be replaced, however, it is when they support starts to really break down and should be replaced.

    Take 1500mg of Glucosamine daily. I always thought it was snake oil, until I started and it really does help. Just be aware that it will take a month or two before you really can feel any results. Also you have to be religious about taking it.

    Start slow. Much slower than you know you can run. I think this is how I got up to 4 weeks before having to stop this time. It will help build up to longer and harder runs.

    Warm up and cool down. I generally run at 5 mph for my main run. I'll do a minimum of 5 minutes walking at 3.5-4 before starting to run to warm up and another 5-10 minutes after the run to cool down.

    Stretch and Ice. After you are done running be sure to stretch your legs while they are warm. I used to do a bit of weight lifting immediately after a run then stretch and it just isn't the same. You really want your muscles warm when you stretch them. And if your knees are a little achy after a run, ice them. My preference is two BIG bags of frozen corn (the individuals kernels really surround the joint.

    Take rests when you have to. Sometimes time off is what your knee really needs.

    Hope these help.
  • gordon53
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    There's a lot of good advice out there! I have been running for about 2 years now and from a very sedentary start, can now comfortably run 10k. One of the best sites I've come across, with advice and training plans is:-

    http://therunningbug.co.uk/

    A bit of advice I got was to mix running with "core strength" exercises, and I try and follow that advice too. Another bit of advice I got, from my doctor as it happens, was not to overdo it, and if I felt pain or discomfort to have a couple of days off.

    Meant to say, I got measured for shoes shortly after I started, and it was undoubtedly the best move of the lot - now on my third pair!

    Good luck!
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    people have already said it, but I'll say it again, because I think it's so important! :) Cross train in addition to your running, to help build up your muscles. CORE STRENGTH is vital to running without injury. Do lots of planks, crunches, etc. And remember, running follows the "rule of 10s," one of which is don't increase your mileage more than 10% per week.

    I only know all these things because I've made all the mistakes and had to learn the hard way. I was finally successful in my running when I went and got fitted by an expert for shoes, started working my core, and progressed very slowly. Too much, too soon, is one of the most common mistakes beginning runners make. That being said, if the knee pain continues I would see a doctor just to rule out any health conditions that would limit your ability to run. Good luck!
  • srp2011
    srp2011 Posts: 1,829 Member
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    All of the advice given so far is excellent, but the one thing I didn't see much of is running stride - ideally you want to land on the center of your foot, or ball of your foot, but NOT the heel - hitting first with the heel causes a lot of jarring impact that can cause problems in your knees and hips. A lot of people try to run faster by lengthening their stride, but you want to aim for faster turnover with shorter steps, keeping your feet directly below you, not out front. Google to find some videos of proper running form - this will really help. And, like everyone else said, get properly fitted at a running store for good shoes :-)
  • atxdee
    atxdee Posts: 613 Member
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    Alll great advice guys! going to run to the running shoe store tomorrow, I think here we have a Runtex which I think is similar to Road Runner.

    I also took some Flexamin (Glucosamine) today see if that helps any. But I havent jogged in two days now to give my knee a rest. And its funny though I forgo to mention it is only my Left knee bothering me. But I find that odd that only one knee hurts when I jog with both.
  • scottb81
    scottb81 Posts: 2,538 Member
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    Google "good form running.". Getting the form right is the single most important thing you can do to run without pain. You can buy the most expensive and technologically advanced shoe on the market and if your form is bad you will still hurt. If you get the form right you can run in any shoe, or no shoe at all, and not hurt.