W2R3 done ...knees

[melissaclarke]

I’ve been struggling with my knees over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been drinking lots of water and stretching to help. Today I took ibuprofen, wore knee supports and used insoles, followed by an Epsom salt bath...feeling a little improvement...still had some discomfort on impact but the after pain feels better 🤞

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate]

That sounds really uncomfortable. I would consider a extra rest day in between and work on strengthening your knees on those days.

Are you wearing good quality/ fitting shoes?

[melissaclarke Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

I bought some new trainers last week but don’t think they are right so have another pair coming tomorrow..although i think I would benefit from the gait check I’ve seen people mention.

I have been doing some knee stretches on my rest days too.

Really want to continue on the program but don’t want to do myself damage.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate in reply to melissaclarke]

No, you absolutely don't want to give yourself an actual injury. That will ultimately make it so much more difficult to progress.

Could you afford to see a physio asap to see whether there are any specific issues with your knees, either strength-wise or mechanically? They usually run at around £45 or so, and if you can find one locally that is more "sports physio" than rehabilitation physio they should be able to guide you in the right direction.

Shoes should fit well (but be bigger than your street shoes to allow your toes to splay) and be providing sufficient cushioning so as not to jar your joints. Most decent brand shoes should do this unless there are specific issues with the way you run.

Personally, if it were me, I would try extra rest days now, if no improvement in 2 weeks, physio.

Only you know how used to any kind of physical activity your body has been. Like any mechanical item, if it's not maintained, and used frequently, it can take some work to get everything working smoothly.

You could still do some walking on your rest days too which will help you to see if things are improving and help with overall fitness and strength. 👍🏻

[melissaclarke Graduate in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

Yes physio could be an option...I’ll do as you suggest and aim to take couple of rest days between runs to see if that helps. Thankyou!!

[Speedy60 Graduate]

I can't add anything to jo jo's fantastic advice. Just to say best wishes .

[Smelliepoo Graduate]

Gogo jojo has said it all! But I think I might add that buying shoes online is not necessarily the best way to get the right ones. I would recommend going to a proper runners shop and getting a pair recommended for the fit.

I have visited 3 shops on my shoe trials.

Sports direct - didn't buy anything, assistant didn't really know a lot

Runners need (chain shop) - good and knowledgeable staff and got my trail shoes there

Run venture (independent shop) - fantastic welcoming experience, got the best pair of most comfortable shoes and the advice went well past the 'which ones feel more comfortable'. Cannot praise them enough for both the experience and my road shoes.

You will spend a pretty penny on shoes from the last two, but you will not have to buy any other running shoes for a good long while and they will suit YOUR feet and help prevent injury.

If you keep having to buy different ones then you will only end up spending more in the long run (pun intended!) and may have more troubles pain/injury. It is definitely worth it.

I hope you manage to get it sorted out and that your pain goes! It's horrible having bad knees.

[melissaclarke Graduate]

My knees feel better today than they have in the last couple of weeks...I did more knee stretches this morning and also walked for 1 1/2 hours...I was previously a non excerciser so perhaps they just need to get used to the activity. Feeling positive.