Advice please

[Ajn66]

I’m due to start week 9 tomorrow, but after my last run, Saturday in pouring rain, I had a pain below my left knee probably from running across a muddy field, could hardly walk on it yesterday but feels much better today after ibuprofen for 48hrs. Should I rest for longer or try my run tomorrow? Just can’t decide 😐

[Sibennett]

It’s a difficult call (and as a newbie I’m no expert!), but I’ve just run tonight after a painful knee about a week and a half ago.

I set off thinking I was going to be back to square one when done. In fact, after my first short run I was convinced of it!

But I can’t believe how my knees feel now. Post run and no knee pain for the first time in over a week!

I don’t understand it, but a run seems to have helped. Maybe someone with more expertise than me could suggest why?

[Ajn66 in reply to Sibennett]

Thanks think I will give it a try

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Great job so far... just 3 runs to go.

I’ve lived with dodgy knees for a long time and the best advice I can give is to test that knee. You could do this just after a warm up if you like. I run fast and hard for a very short distance and if there’s no pain I go to an incline and repeat, both up and down, and if still pain free go really slow and gentle into the start of that run, be prepared to stop on pain, and even if its feeling great do not up the tempo, keep it gentle and get through that run. Then see how it is over your rest period.

[Ajn66 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

That sounds sensible I will give it a go, thanks 😊

[theoldfellow]

I got knee pain at the end of a long downhill. In the end I couldn't shake it, and admitted I needed help from a physio. She diagnosed it, and now I am back running, but not as far, as I run to the pain, and then walk until it eases.

It could be several things, if I understand it right, Below the knee on the inside or outside, might be a Bursitis - inflammation of the bursa (fluid sac under the kneecap), or tendonitis in one of the tendons there. The usual prescription then is Rest, Icepack, and Elevate, be careful with Ibuprophen as it can slow the repair. There are more serious injuries (tears to tendons and ligaments), but since it feels better they are not likely.

Good luck getting going again, and with Week 9. It will still be there if you have to rest a week.