Knee pain...

As the title suggests...four days after a new setting a new marathon PR, I went out for an easy recovery run of 5K - no problem. Next day was 8K, and this was no problem until the last 400 meters or so when I felt a sharp twinge in my right knee. I continued on for the last few hundred meters, the pain was not as bad as the initial twinge though I could still feel it in my knee. It did not seem to be impact related - in fact, the pain was most noticeable after impact (not upon), and as I was lifting that leg off the ground, and then also as I was flexing the knee to bring my foot up towards my butt.

I could feel it walking around, and it was more noticeable/painful when going down stairs. Again, not on impact, but as I was lifting that leg up (still some pressure on it), and bringing my right foot up towards my butt.

Took a few days off, it healed to a point where I no longer felt it going down stairs or walking. Tried some light running, and it came back within a few minutes. Stopped, and rested for 4 more days. Which brings us to today, where I tried a bit on the treadmill at the gym, and it took a bit longer this time (And I warmed up verrrrryyyyy slowly), but the pain still came back, and pretty strongly. Coming back from the gym this time, I actually had trouble going up stairs as well. Not good. So...

It is difficult to describe the exact location of the pain - I feel some on the front, below the kneecap, and I feel some in the back, right above the top of my calf muscle. A very sharp, twinge-y pain. Now, the most pain I feel, in addition to going down stairs, is if I sit in a chair and just straighten my leg out, from 90 degrees to 180 - mostly I feel this in the front of the knee location.

My first thought was runner's knee (given the front knee, below kneecap location), but given that it isn't occuring on impact but rather after impact and is most aggravated by the lifting motion, it seems unlikely. I should add that I am able to jump without any problems, and I was also able to do several sets of weighted squats at the gym during this time without any pain (lunges however do aggravate the knee).

Given that I can do most of this stuff without discomfort I am hopeful that this won't interfere with skiing. However I'd appreciate any feedback, or any relevant personal experiences with any similar knee problems...thanks!!

I hate to say it, and I'm no doc so I can be wrong, but it almost sounds like a torn cartilage (meniscus).

I tore mine skiing and didn't even know it untill my knee began to swell and irritate me a week later. (the skiing was the only activity I did that could have did it)

The iritation would come in all sorts of forms and movements, not just compression stuff.

My doc descibed it like having a fold in your sock, you can still do everything , but it gets in the way sometimes and irritates you.

It took me almost two years to fix it in which time I did a season and a half of skiing.

When I did fix it my doc recommended I go for "the full mean deal" and do my ACL while he was in there. At 7 months post opp right now I'm off to go skiing today for the first time .

Best of luck

Matthew

have you ever heard of rest?

why not stop all the irritation to the patella for a few weeks, try aleve, and use the gravitron or other core and upper body exercises for your addiction.

Rest sounds best

I've had 5 surgeries on my right knee and they were all due to soft tissue problems (no ligaments). I've since given up any hope of running distances but find cycling to be a suitable (and relatively painless) alternative. When I do have pain, especially localized like yours, that corresponds with use my remedy is to rest. It sounds like you have a repetitive use injury that will likely heal itself if you let it. Some part of your knee is stressed and consequently inflamed. It's telling you to give it time to heal. Pursue non-impact activities that put minimal stress on the knee. The longer you wait the more it will heal. I use Aleve because neproxin sodium works well for me as an anti-inflamatory. Get your endorphin fix elsewhere for the time being. Oh, and try wall sits - I can do them pain free!

more knee woes, when is popping bad

I should know better- preparing for the ski season I took a class with a bunch of 20 year olds and sprained my knee doing standing broad jumps on the court with a previous acl injury that was doing fine playing soccer. The knee has minimal swelling with one leg stabilization with Swiss ball against wall and straight leg raises. VMO is lagging. My phys. therapist felt I would heal but I am concerned with the occasional popping towards the front patellae and more consistently when I was driving our older Subaru clutching. More sensitivty after knee regimen but tolerable without advil & ice only. Biking at low loads, no hills is ok.
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