injury or not?

[LauraLouP]

I have a niggle in one knee. well not a niggle an ache, a tightness. It doesn't hurt when I run or when I don't - i can just feel it when i get up from a chair. Now, sitting here typing, if I flex my leg i can feel it.

I spoke to a friend who is an experienced runner who said I had runners knee! That even with the slow build up of c25k my knee has taken the strain because my glutes etc... weren't strong enough to help. I have started squats and exercises on my rest days to build these up.

Today's run felt much better in fact my fastest yet.

So I suppose my question is - do I keep running through this ache and work on my glutes and core or should i rest from running and concentrate on strength?

I don't want to stop running but also I don't want to do damage that would put me on the IC for longer than if i rested now.

Advice appreciated

thank you

[Ugifer]

This is a difficult one to answer because few people here have formal medical training (I guess) and even if they do, I imagine it would be hard to advise without more information.

In general, I think that a bit of muscle stiffness and/or ache is to be expected when taking up running for the first time. However, anything involving joints, tendons or anything painful, I would tend to rest to avoid causing a real injury.

Clearly you have run on it and it sounds like it didn't cause major issues. Perhaps try taking an extra rest day or two between your next few runs and see if that helps it to clear up. Certainly if it gets any worse after a run then I would suggest not running again until it clears up.

Running is for the long-haul. Both in an individual run and as a lifestyle. Taking the longer view, a week or two off will not have a major impact, even if it sets you back a week on the program. Picking up an injury, however, could put you out for a month or more and then that might prejudice your motivation for the whole thing.

Overall, I would rest a bit more and be really careful if there are any signs of it getting worse.

Good luck - and happy, pain-free running!

Ugi