Post-graduation Knee injury!

[Fatdad71]

So after exactly 3 weeks of post grad consolidation of 3x5k runs i thought I'd push a little bit further and go for 6k. I'd been hydrating well. eating and sleeping properly and being in hols was well rested. This also meant being away from the safety of my treadmill, but being a big boy graduate I thought it was time to cut the apron strings a bit and get out there. So encouraged by fellow C25k graduated I felt inspired and I got out there, pounding the tarmac, techno in my ears, even taking on gentle hills. Running into a stiff wind was a new experience and I certainly find being outside exhilarating. I got a bit of a rush from these fresh air and found my pace picking up possibly as a result of not knowing whether my pace was up to scratch or not. Anyway, I was churning out some good performances, reducing my times and feeling good on it and then it happened. I felt something go wrong in my left knee towards the end of my 6k run. It was like my knee cap had clicked out of place and my leg had straightened further than it ought. Anyway, next day it hurt like flip. Being on holiday I didn't have access to my gp so had to tough it out using ibuprofen and deep heat spray for over a week. It's been nearly 2 weeks to the days of the injury and today has been they first real day without pain. I've been doing exercises that I found on the internet on the American association of orthopedic surgeons website for strengthening knees post injury or operation recovery. Eventually managed to see a gp today so confirmed that I'm on the right track with this. At last it feels like I've started the road to recovery and while I'm mad keen to get back to the running I'll be walking gently and doing my exercises for the next few weeks atleast before I start thinking about running whether any distance at all. I'd be grateful to hear about other people's experiences on knee injury, recovery, frustrations, tips, or just general comments.

Also, without stating the obvious I thought this post should be a poignant reminder to and middle aged mid life crisis merchants out there to really take it easy and not underestimate the transition from treadmill to tarmac!!!

Hope to be back in my trainers again soon!

Kev

[LoungeLizaard Graduate]

Great points to note in there! As you know I had a similar experience 2.5 yrs ago which resulted in a long stay on the IC.

Keep up the good progress on recovery mate 👍👍 and loving the reference to mid life crisis! Sooooooo true!! 😂

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to LoungeLizaard]

Thanks Mitch. You're providing plenty encouragement that there are some miles left in me once I've recovered.

[Upagumtree Graduate]

Any chance of a link to those exercises? I’ve graduated from B210k, doing a10k and 2x5+k weekly, joined a running club and my blasted knee is hurting!

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to Upagumtree]

Great idea Upagumtree

google.com/url?sa=t&source=...

That's the knee exercises sheet, but there are other exercise regimes for other body parts too...

orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recov...

Good luck!!

[Alayneblue]

I hurt my knee couple of years ago. I run on a treadmill mainly to gauge my speed so I don't go too fast as you can do outside. My PT advised me to increase EITHER my speed OR my distance by 10% only in any one week. So, running for 30 mins increase by 3 minutes for one week, following week increase speed BUT reduce time and so on. He says that as running is high impact you have to give your bones time to strengthen and pushing too fast, too far too soon can result in shin splints, stress fractures etc. Take it steady and don't rush it. Hopefully you will be running for a long time and it's not a race.

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to Alayneblue]

Sounds like good advice! I'll be going more slowly in future!

[_SimonT_ Graduate]

Hi Fatdad! Hope you continue to feel better and can get back to it soon. My mid life crisis in full swing here! Damn phone still won’t pick up runs though. More fuel for the crisis 😤😤😂🤪

[Fatdad71 Graduate in reply to _SimonT_]

Am recovering! Keeping active in the garden and not in pain, so that's a start. Need to keep doing the exercises, while trying not to spill my beer!