Slight ouchy left knee

[PrimaryConsumer]

Anyone else notice a slight knee pain? I had it in both knees at the beginning around middle of week 2. It comes and goes. I'm on week 6 now and I only feel the slight twinge in my left knee. Weirdly it is not just when moving around. I notice it comes and goes when laying still. I'm not too concerned as it really is not a bad pain, about 1/10 if 10 is really bad. But I'm wondering if anyone else has had this? If so did it develope into anything worse or go away? I an currently wearing a knee support on it now just incase.

[Andy6659 Graduate]

I would say be careful as ihad the same issue after a run in week 3 but I finished couch to 5k but then had to have a month off as it was to sore to run and like u wen I rested it seemed worse. I do have arthritis which doesn't help the situation and just this week had a cortisone injection in it

[Flybe Graduate in reply to Andy6659]

Same here. Am putting off having a cortisone injection as had one in my foot. It was so painful and didn’t work. Damn arthritis!

[Andy6659 Graduate in reply to Flybe]

I tried to not have the injection but as I knew from other knee arthritis doesn't go away, I am on my feet all time at work so needed something to help and at mo it's working

[Instructor57 Graduate]

Knee pain is very common in new runners Often caused by the muscles around the knee not being strong enough to absorb the stresses imposed by running.

Have you read through our program guide which includes a link to some knee strengthening exercises and ways to lesson the impact which will often improve the situation. (It did for me in the early days)

healthunlocked.com/couchto5....

Your rest days, good hydration and good running shoes can also be factors .

But do not run with pain, if it continues or gets worse then maybe seek professional advice .

Take care

[PrimaryConsumer in reply to Instructor57]

Good advice thanks, I'll go check out knee strengthening 👍

[Oldfloss Administrator Graduate]

hello. Well done for running C25K an dgetting this far too. We do expect , even at this stage some nromal aches and pains. Not real deep seated pain... that is an issue.

Are you making sure that your warm ups are as they should be? The section on that in the essential guide to how to run C25K is very helpful. I am sure you read that before you began running, but maybe worth another peek.

If you pop onto the new Catch up Corner post for this week, there are some great links there which will be helpful to you,

healthunlocked.com/strength...

This is a post of mine from there and there is a section on knees ! Do take a look and let us know how you fare.

healthunlocked.com/strength......

Not sure if the knee support is necessary, but if you feel it is helping, then that is your choice

[PrimaryConsumer in reply to Oldfloss]

Thanks I will go have a look later after work... Knee support is more a belts and braces thing as I'm off hiking today with my job.

[CBDB Graduate]

I’ve had knee niggles in the first year of running, but I don’t anymore (I’m in my third year of running). Here is what I did to address my knee niggles: healthunlocked.com/strength...

Hope you find something that works for you. Also consider that it might be your shoes.

[PrimaryConsumer in reply to CBDB]

That's great thanks, shoes seem fine, I was fitted for them at a running shop and they seem to give me the support I need. I will go check out that info though. Thank you for replying.

[CBDB Graduate in reply to PrimaryConsumer]

👍🏽 Good luck!

[XenaZelda Graduate]

Be careful of slight niggly pain, I have had 3 bowts (spelling!) of knee pain/shin pain, first in my left knee when i started Week 1 on my treadmill (as too scared to start outside) with a lot of massage of the area it went completely and i then started the program outside, then i had a niggle in my right knee (again did a run on the treadmill when it was snow and ice in December 2022) but after rest it went in a week, then did 3 runs in a week for Week 5 leading up to christmas and OMG i experienced a very tight band all around the right knee to eventually not able to walk as too painful and also shin splint pain on top of that, so i was not able to run and barely walk for 5 weeks! i now ensure i do alot of leg and knee strengthening exercises (including the glutes) and i can't praise foam rolling enough as that has improved the shin pain in particular to the point of no more pain! it is a case of muscles and joints not used to the pounding of running, i am on recovery runs at the moment and i'm up to 13 minutes of continous running to get to to where i left off until i reach the 20 minute run for week 5 then continue with the program. I now do strength exercises and foam roll my leg muscles particularly the calf muscles 3-4 times a week 😀

[PrimaryConsumer in reply to XenaZelda]

Thanks for the advice, sounds like you've been through the mill. The knee strengthening excerises look like the way forward for me... That and take it easier on my runs... Thanks for replying.

[Yesletsgo Administrator Graduate]

If this is a new pain I'd strongly advise you to get it checked by a GP or physio. Knees are complicated, none of us knows what it is about your running that's set this pain off. If it isn't going away after 6 weeks you need to find out what the root cause is. It may be that a specific set of muscles needs strengthening, or maybe the first twinges of arthritis or maybe something else (I'm not a doctor, just a person with a bad knee lol).

Good luck!

[Scarrlet]

I am 51. I have ouchy knee (left and right) when lying in bed at night on run day. My pain in 1/10 too and gone by the morning. I think its just part of the getting fitter package. In my dim and dusty past I went to ballet class twice a week. I had alot of "growing pains" ( Mum's terminology)in my calves and thighs. I think it's the same pain.🙂 Just different places