Knee pain - please help!!

[happyharris]

I graduated a couple of weeks ago and started running outdoors and varying the distance I was running.

The day after quite an intensive riding lesson I tried to run and my knee was too painful to run on (well just underneath to one side of the kneecap)

Obviously I need to rest it but I am worried about letting my fitness go, can anyone please advise me about how they manage aches and pains and maintain fitness

[mattaitch Graduate]

Rest - I had 4 weeks off with no effect on my running

Ice - get one of those blue thingies, mine's a large Nexcare ColdHot comfort pack.

Compression - tubular bandages, you'll feel like a granny, but they work and can be combined with the ice pack

Elevation - put your feet up, if you've graduated you deserve it

I'd also recommend seeing a physio, but if you don't want to do that, search YouTube for knee strengthening exercises and try some of those.

[mattaitch Graduate]

also see

nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/...

[happyharris Graduate in reply to mattaitch]

thank you - its just so FRUSTRATING!!! but great advice x

[shelleymcb Graduate]

if knee is still sore then please dont run on it ~ I did & had to take a month out. have an extra day or two of recovery before your next run & if knee feels ok to walk on & you can manage stairs without any pain then have a go at running. but please take it slow & stop if it hurts. running through the pain will only make it better.

all of mattaitch's advice is good. I wore a stretchy granny bandage & that gave great support during the day (take it off for bed) & when I did go back to running I wore it for the first few runs.

good luck. x

[happyharris Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

thank you - guess I will have to get a bandage then!!

[Nevertoolate Graduate]

Sorry about your knee pain, its really frustrating, isn't it? Just after I graduated I pulled something in my calf straight afterwards. That was 3 and a half weeks ago. I did all the the things the others have suggested, elevate the leg, ice packs, ibuprofen, compression socks and it's taken until now to run without any pain. I didn't run at all for 2 and a half weeks then tried 10 minutes - okay but no more. I've done 15 minutes since then and 20 minutes today. My calf is better but I'm still being careful.

Now for fitness - that's the bit that was worrying me the most. Will I lose it straight away? Well the answer is - a bit. I ran the 20 minutes today and it was slightly more of a struggle than at the end of the C25K plan 30 minutes. I couldn't have gone on for much longer and above all I'm back to the beetroot look at the end!! Breathing was fine though and legs too. Basically, in 3 and half weeks I've lost a bit of fitness but I'm pretty sure it'll come back rapidly if I go back to running 3 times a week.

Hope this rather lengthy reply helps!

[happyharris Graduate in reply to Nevertoolate]

Sorry nevertoolate - I have no idea how I missed your message, I have been pain free for a bit now so planning to run again tomorrow - I hope you are going from strength to strength and I can't wait to crack on with it again now!!

[Hidden]

Sounds like ITB, which both me and the boyf are suffering from at the moment. Lots of ice and rest, there are also some good stretches you can do to help (have a google). You can also get a foam roller to roll along your leg to loosen the band - hurts like hell but really does work!!

[happyharris Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Pip pop - I have been pain free for a few days now and I plan to hit the treadmill tomorrow!! if it happens again I will definately bear your advice in mind x