FUNNY KNEE (not in a comedic way...)

[danzargo]

Hello fellow runneroos

I've had a massively stressful three days at work leading up to Friday so was looking forward to my "long" run this glorious Sunday morning. However, twas not to be......

Last night I decided that Mrs Dan and I deserved a treat, so we booked a table at a lovely restaurant in Wimbledon. Owing to my pathetic income this year we've been watching things like dining out but as I am working at the moment, I decided to splash out. You only live once eh? So we ate a tremendously fabulous dinner, drank a cheeky bottle of red and finished off with a vanilla panacotta!

It was as I was getting up to leave that I sensed a pain in my knee cap. It wasn't agonising in any way, but certainly strong enough to make me smart. My last run was three days ago and all seemed well with my legs, apart from a tiny bit of soreness on my right shin - certainly not enough to even worry about, so I was perplexed as to why my knee cap was painful. As a result of this I decided to postpone my run today. I could have run on it but being a sensible sort of chap, I decided that any pain in any part of my legs should be given time to stop hurting!

Has anyone else had a similar discomfort? I'm gonna pop downstairs now and grab the ice pack from the freezer to see if that helps. I've got to the stage with my running now that if I need to take a whole week off from it, then I just damned well will.

So I wish you all a tremendous week ahead with plenty of injury free running!

Dan

[useitorloseit Graduate]

My knees have been like that for years, and when I started running I thought I was going to have to give up. If it hurts, don't run on it until it stops, as I found that really exacerbated things, and I ended up having to take a few weeks off running. On the other hand, maybe it's just one of those things which will come and go without any further trouble. Listen to your body. That's all!

[danzargo Graduate in reply to useitorloseit]

That's good advice. Thank you!

[paul2014 Graduate]

Not good and I think that's a wise move. I did just that, took a week off, when I started getting pain in my knee. Unfortunately it didn't help so I popped along to see a sports therapist who identified the problem as tight quads / IT band which was pulling my knee cap to one side as I ran. Two visits later and, touch wood, things seem to be sorted.

Hopefully the rest will be enough in your case and you'll be back out running again, pain free. Good luck

[danzargo Graduate in reply to paul2014]

Cheers Paul.

[no-excuse Graduate]

Wise move Dan, giving it a rest from running. Hopefully you will be back out there soon. Nice evening out though eh! x

[danzargo Graduate in reply to no-excuse]

Thanks NE. And YES.....top evening!

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Is it just the one knee, Dan? I had sudden and random pain in both knees after a long run and started to worry, but it turns out the cushioning had gone in my shoes. A new pair of shoes later and the pain is gone. Any random pains like that now and I'd be thinking of a shoe issue.

Hope it goes soon; hope you both enjoyed the evening out too, despite that.

[danzargo Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

It's just the one knee Miles, but you raise an interesting point. My Brooks have taken a pounding since January and do look a bit knackered. Perhaps some new ones are the order of the day?

[Miles_Yonder Graduate in reply to danzargo]

January! Yeah, if they're looking a bit battered, and if the tread is worn, go and try a new pair. My old ones look a bit of a state and I only got them in April. When I went to try a new pair on, I could tell a difference straight away; they felt supportive and soft. Put my old ones on again and they felt flat and lifeless.

No more knee pain so it must have been that, though I do have a few aches getting used to the new shoes but that should pass soon.

Yeah, go try a new pair out. I wore my old pair to the shop to show the assistant what my current pair were like. He agreed it was most likely the cushioning. From what I've read on the subject, strange aches and pains can manifest themselves when shoes wear out.

[runningnearbeirut Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Is there a consensus on an approximate distance before the cushioning goes? Just wondering if this could be my problem with my dodgy ankle. I've done about 650km (wow!) in my running shoes since I bought them last August. And secondly, if it's the cushioning rather than the tread, could I just replace the removable insoles?

Sorry to hijack your thread, Dan. Glad you enjoyed your night out. Hope you don't regret spending the money on a meal instead of running shoes (although I can guess which Mrs Dan would prefer...). Very very wise to rest rather than risk doing yourself some worse damage.

[Miles_Yonder Graduate in reply to runningnearbeirut]

From my investigations, RNB, between 300-500 miles is about the average though it depends on so much: terrain, the runner themselves, loads of things. On mine, the tread was worn; I'll have to post a pic at some point. There doesn't seem to be any real set time at when to get a replacement feel; what I've been reading all suggested "your body will tell you when a replacement is due" as they did with me, but I'd rather not get random worrying aches, thank you very much!

With me, both knees started aching. They'd sort of throb at exactly the same time; it was all very symmetrical. I read that running shoes which were past their usable best can have odd effects and cause strange aches so I decided to try a new pair rather than panic and consider the worst case scenario.

Not sure about the insole replacement, RNB; I have to say, I didn't consider that, though my shoes were looking rather battered so decided to replace anyway. I still have my old ones which I will use for the gym, skipping and random walking about. Hope your ankle is feeling better.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Agree with M_Y, it's probably your shoes, but, in my role as the forum's regular prophet of doom for all things knee-related, please DON'T run if your knee hurts even the slightest bit. Just think of it as an excuse to buy new shoes

[danzargo Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

Haha! Thanks AM.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

might be unrelated?? excessive food intake? Your meal sounds gorgeous, I am dead jealous, but its my birthday next Sat and I am really hoping to go out for a big one to You take care, rest up and see how it feels tomorrow???

[danzargo Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Nahhhh it wasn't the food intake (although have you ever had beetroot boulangére? Amazingly dreamy!)

Happy B'day for next week! 30 is a big number to reach. I know these things, cos I did it over 20 years ago!!

Will rest up....

[ju-ju- Graduate in reply to danzargo]

Hee hee... Thanks Dan ( just add 14 to that!!!)

And wow that sounds utterly dreamy... Yums

[ajwyld Graduate]

Take a look at the knee exercises on the NHS Livewell site as well. I found incorporating them as part of my post-run stretching routine helpful.

[danzargo Graduate in reply to ajwyld]

Thanks , I will.

[TurboTortoise Graduate]

New shoes is ALWAYS a good idea, but I wonder if it is entirely running related? Busy few days, long hours... are you sitting in one position for extended periods of time, and is your chair typically the old and manky sort they keep especially for freelancers? Do you sit with your knees bent and feet under the chair? It could be that...

[BoPeep9009 Graduate]

Are you better yet???