Knees ache

[Colcheia75]

I'm so sad... Finally after years and years looking for the determination of starting running it happened two weeks ago with your amazing help! I did week one the three runs with no problems. But after the last run I started with knees ache and now I can't run and I'm not getting much better... I've been putting some gel but it hurts even when I'm walking... Did this happened to someone here?

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Some aches are normal, do you have any swelling to go with that? There are strength and stability exercises that will help.

Where I live I can pop into my doctors and pick up a self referral to NHS physio. If you can, this is a worthwhile thing to do and they may give you specific exercises if they find a weakness. If you can’t and the pain persists then get a GP appointment and they will most likely refer you anyway.

[Colcheia75 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Hi, thanks for your reply!

I don't have any swelling, nothing visible from outside... I'll pop in into my GP tomorrow so they can advise me. Thank you!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Colcheia75]

No worries, I’m just back on this after a knee injury, so don’t worry, you’ll soon be back on it.

[Colcheia75 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thank you for your kind words! I won't give up!

[Mashedpotato]

Hi Colcheia. I’m completely in the same boat. I got the motivation to get all the way to week 7 and then I went for a run with my dog and she pulled me and I tripped and injured my leg. I haven’t run for 2 weeks now waiting for it it to fully recover. It’s fully recovered but I’m quite nervous to start again now because it has been so long

But Don’t give up! I remember reading on here that the only way you can fail couch to 5k is to return to the couch and never go back.

Your injury isn’t a failure, just a set back. Keep icing it and resting that’s all you can do for now and definitely don’t push yourself to get back out there until your knee is fully healed

Hope you get better soon!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Mashedpotato]

Best way back is to test that knee is fully healed... short gentle jogs on flat, then find a small slope. If you can get through testing it you should be good to resume.

[Mashedpotato in reply to UnfitNoMore]

Thanks for the reply. Going to go out tonight and give it a test. Thanks for the advice, really excited but also nervous to start again

[Colcheia75 in reply to Mashedpotato]

Good luck Mashedpopatoe! I hope you can start running again today!

[Colcheia75 in reply to Mashedpotato]

Thank you so much for your kind and helpful words. I won't give up now that I started!

Thank you!

[Tasha99 Graduate]

Yes very normal. Ibuprofen an hour before running 👌🏽 It’ll go in a week or so.

[Battleborn]

Do you run outside? I found it sore on my knees and ankles when I ran on the path. I changed this and now run on grass which is much better. I also use to run.....like I walk..... heel to toe, but found that if you land more in the middle of your foot it is much better and softens the impact of your foot hitting the ground.

[theoldfellow in reply to Battleborn]

The foot is a spring-loaded arch. If you land with some weight on the toe-end the foot stores the energy for the push-off - it's a free launch! If you land on the heel alone all that energy turns into a big stress up the leg to the knee...

But we have been trained by our nice comfy shoes to walk on the heel, so some of us need to train ourselves back to the mid-foot.