Pain on left knee

[TristanM]

Hi everyone, (me again!)

So I’ve got back to where I started effectively, after a small bout of illness (cough, cold) and had to take a week and a half off. As recommended on this thread, I took it back to the two first runs of W5, before doing W5R3 which I did today. That was hard! But.. I’ve done it before and it’s a mental game as much as it is a physical challenge.

Anyway, I’ve got back and I’ve got this pain on my left leg, right beside my knee-cap, and it feel quite inside sort of cartilage.. I’m ok walking up stairs, walking around and bending the leg, it’s just when it comes to walking down stairs, however slow into, that it feels like a joint or something is just not right. I’ve never had this during C25K before.

Going to sleep on and see if it’s better in the morning but I do do dynamic stretches beforehand and static stretches after. I have also been trying to strengthen each calf muscle with exercises on my rest days. I wouldn’t say I’m in agony.. but there’s something that’s not right.

Just looking for some advice please.. these niggly things are starting to put me off a bit now unfortunately. Which is a shame as I’ve got to the end of Week 7 in the past!

Thanks,

I’ve posted a picture pointing to the spot. And it’s only on the left knee, not the right.

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

Hi

We cannot diagnose your issue with any real certainty for a couple of reasons, the least of which is lack of qualifications. If the issue persists or worsens, please go get it checked out by someone who knows what they are doing, a (sports) physio if possible.

Assuming it doesn’t persist, strengthening work on and around the affected area is a good thing to be doing for it, as is more general strengthening work… problems can be caused by weaknesses elsewhere putting more stress on the area that then hurts. The Strength & Flex forum (and programme) on here is a good place to start. What you are experiencing is very common, running tends to expose weaknesses we have, especially in new runners.

Hope this helps.

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Hello, As already advised it is not possible for us to diagnose problems on the forum .

However, knee issues similar to this are not uncommon in the early weeks of running .

The first thing is do not run if you are in pain .

Take a couple of days rest and see if it improves, if not then a visit to a GP or ideally a sports physio would be advisable.

If if does ease then it is worth doing some knee strengthening exercises.

Here is a link to the ones referred to in the program guide .

nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/k...

Hope it helps

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

healthunlocked.com/couchto5... have popped this link on, which will direct you to the S and F forum for some ideas on keeping the knees in trim.

As the other replies indicate, we are not medically qualified, so a medical diagnosis is a great idea if the issue persists.

We do all, or many of us get niggles and twinges when we run, ( at whatever level) and we do as you say know when something isn't right.

I had a very similar twinge in exactly that spot, a few years back... but I did eventually go and seek out advice from my Sports Physio'... so, if this does carry on then do, please, go and get a diagnosis

[nowster Graduate]

My suggestion with these sorts of problems is always: if it doesn't get better after a few days' rest, you're best getting a physio to give it a prod. These folks can work near miracles.

[Maz1103 Graduate]

I had pain in a similar place on left knee. Have you had gait analysis?. I waited too long to have it by which time the damage was done. My new shoes have cured it but took a couple of months. Should have gone sooner!!

[mrrun Graduate]

Knees are complex but that pain may not be even related to it in your case. It could be IT Band as well which can cause a sharp pain on the outside of the knee, but the pain may travel down your leg or up toward the hip (in my case once). Although I thought the knee was hurting, the physio worked on my hip and thigh to fix it, and she did after a while. If the pain goes away, fine, but if it doesn't - go and see a physio or an osteopath. That's the only way to deal with that stuff.