Looking for advice

I was a regular runner until mid 2018. Then I had to prepare for a certification exam and as a result, I took a break from running and fitness. In 6 months I gained 16kgs. Running was never the same. I realised I couldn’t run as fast as I could before and I had to take it slow. Apple’s algorithm suggested me I try C25K. I felt like i found my way back to health. I started running and felt better week after week for 5 weeks. I fell sick for 2 weeks and couldn’t run that time. When I resumed, I repeated just one run of week 5 and moved on to week 6 (quick message to anyone reading this. Don’t do that. Never move to another week until you find yourself comfortable with completing the previous week’s run).

I was happy to push myself so I kept going even when I felt a mild pain in my left knee and ankle. I kept going until the pain got unbearable. Then the doctor said that when I stopped exercising for a long time, the muscles in my thighs had gone weak and since I got heavier, my knees took most of the impact while running. This happened in early 2019 and I still haven’t recovered.

I visit doctors now and then and they say the same thing. My thighs are week. I need to sit upright and lift my feet parallel to the ground so there’s tension in my thighs and that will build my thigh muscles. I even bought a resistance cable so i can speed up the process. So far it hasn’t helped. I keep repeating week 1 runs but the pain starts to show towards the end of the run. So I don’t move to week 2. It is terrible.

I want to know where I should go for assistance. Should I go to another doctor and try my luck? Should I go to a physiotherapist or a sports trainer?

[SandraY1 Graduate]

Sorry no one on the forum is medical trained to give advice like that. You need to seek medical advice from your doctor.

[Jell6 Graduate]

It won't do you any harm to see a sports physio when we return to normal.

I wouldn't advise running whilst you are still in pain, maybe combine a walking regime with a healthy diet plan, then see what the physio says.

Good luck 😊

[Fionamags Graduate]

I'm really sorry to hear about your injury - you sound so keen to get running again. It would be well worth seeing a physio when that becomes possible. In the mean time, if you look at the running advice in the pinned posts, there are links to various exercises. There are some specifically to deal with knee pain. Might be what you're doing already but worth checking? Good luck and hope ur back out there soon.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

A sports physio would be able to get to the bottom of your issue, I am sure.

[Hidden]

Thanks very much guys. I got in touch with a sports physio over whatsapp. Will also check out the pinned posts. Didn’t know that existed.