Someone tell my knees this is good

[Janepal]

I am on wk 2 and my knees are absolutely killing me, I could barely walk for a day and even after 2 days resting I am still in pain. Is running maybe not for me? I haven't over done it, I have taken my runs very slowly and have had all the right rest days

[50up]

Janepal sorry to hear about your knee pain. It sounds pretty bad

In the early stages of C25K, I had some knee pain, although not as severe as you describe. It did subside enough for me to continue, and now I run for longer without sore knees. So I think it is maybe just your legs getting used to running.

That said, you probably should not run whilst in pain. Maybe give yourself extra rest days to let your knees recover. I am fairly new to C25K (week 9) so maybe others can give better advice.

Hopefully you can keep going, get stronger legs and advance to enjoy the benefits. Good luck

[RainbowC Graduate]

Aching is one thing; pain is another. Pain needs listening to. It may well be worth seeking advice from your GP; there are also knee exercises for runners somewhere on the NHS site. Extra rest days, and starting even more gradually - maybe running every other run segment for a week or so, then if your knees can manage that, adding in another one or two, and taking it really gently. I know it can be frustrating, and we all want to progress more quickly, but sometimes going slowly is the best way and lets you keep going for longer.

(My experience is that my knees have sometimes in the past reached the point where I've had to stop running. When I restarted the programme in Jan last year, I did OK up to week 4 at which point they got very sore and I had to stop. I gave them 4-6 weeks off to recover and then started again - did weeks 1-3 twice each in full before moving on, then spent another few weeks building up from week 3 to 4 as that was the point which triggered the soreness for me. Taking it gently, building up slowly, and repeating as needed worked, and although it took me 9 months to get to week 9, I'm still going now!)

[Wannaberoadrunner Graduate]

You should definitely stop and seek medical advice before continuing. I do get slight knee pain sometimes, but it's usually gone before the next run and then I'm fine.

I think running is good, but nothing should compromise your health. It's worth getting it checked out; that's just my opinion.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Painful knees...........no not good!

Beginners aches and pains are to be expected​, but not persisting pain.

What footwear do you have? Many find getting fitted for appropriate shoes after a gait analysis can solve the problem.

Landing heel first can exacerbate knee problems, so do not overstride when running. A jog is all that is required.

If it persists then professional medical opinion is essential, either from a GP or physio, who can advise on whether you have specific problems that need addressing.

It is worth checking this out, because this programme can change your life and it really does work.