When to run with a niggly knee and when to not run???

[Mitts]

Bashed knee on 21.10. Pain around knee cap.

Rested till 25.10 (and it was a LONG time) then ran 3K. Pain again.

Rested till 31.10, ran 3K, not bad.

2.11, ran 3K, okayish,

4.11, ran 3K, back to pain...

Haven't run since then and am doing new set of exercises + RICE recommended by physio. Pain is very much less but still niggles occasionally especially if I've been standing a long time.

When should I start with a nice, short, very gentle run??? I'm itching to get out there again but I'm scared it deteriorates again. When it's painful I feel should maybe stop completely till spring and then start at the beginning again...

Any words of wisdom would be gratefully received...

[shelleymcb Graduate]

I did my knee through overdoing it/confidence overdrive shortly after finishing c25k & then tried to keep running on it, thinking that maybe once it had warmed up it wouldnt hurt as much. big mistake. mine hurt when I went up/down stairs although wasnt too bad walking. I eventually had to take about a month out. I carried on using the cross-trainer at the gym & the exercise bike to try & keep up my cardio bit & then had to ease myself back into running, with getting from 20-30mins becoming a bit of a hurdle. went back to using laura & got there again.

my advice would be to rest up until you dont have any niggles during your daily activities. the rice thing is good but I was also advised by a nursey friend of mine to alternate ice packs with hot water bottles as the ice takes away the swelling & the hot water bottle helps the blood flow through the wound.

for me wearing one of those stretchy bandage things from mid-calf to mid-thigh helped support my knee while it was playing up & I also wore it for my first few runs back to help ease back in.

take things easy & Im sure that in next to no time you will be back out there running strong.

good luck

[Mitts Graduate in reply to shelleymcb]

Thanks Shelley, that sounds sensible tho you'll understand not what I really want to do! But I'll take your advice, and the cross trainer and bike at the gym sounds like a really good idea - I was going to join and treadmill over the winter anyway so I'll just do that now and at least I'll be able to do something while I'm waiting.

If anyone had told me before the end of July that I'd be pining to go out for a run I'd have laughed in their face...

[gdeann Graduate]

Mitts, I wondered how the knee was getting on. Sounds like you really injured it and its going to take awhile to heal. No helpful advice here, just a friendly virtual (((hug))) wishing you and sending you healing thoughts. Gayle

[Mitts Graduate in reply to gdeann]

Thanks Gayle. I thought at first I'd just bashed it but apparently the bash was coincidental and I've got Runner's Knee. Yuk. But it is getting better and I'm going to try very hard to follow Shelley's advice and NOT RUN till the pain's gone.

I just went out for a 3K brisk walk, not sure if that's allowed... we'll see how it feels tonight!

Hope you're still finding time to get out, must be more difficult to find a time-slot when there's two of you.

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Hi Mitts, you sound as though you've been in the wars. I am a bit of a knee expert as my right knee is well, prothesic I suppose. Not as bad as it sounds, mind you!

Right Mitts. You need either ice or heat -- doctors always say ice, but my knee sometimes tells me warmth please, so listen to your body! I also suggest you cycle, which is excellent knee therapy. I don't think you should stop moving although feet up is excellent medicine! Did that sound contradictory?

[Mitts Graduate in reply to DeliaItaly]

Hi Delia, I'll get my bike out tomorrow! (It's absolutely p***ing down here atm... I don't really run in the rain and I'm certainly not going to bike in the rain, wimpish I know but there you are. )

I've been icing with a cherry-stone bag - do you get these too? A wee bag with cherry-stones and you stick it in the freezer. Guaranteed drip-free.

I hope it gets better soon, I probably closed my eyes to the fact that I shouldn't be running on it for too long. Went for a brisk 3K walk in my woods yesterday with no adverse effects so here's hoping.

Good luck for W9, I'm looking forward to your graduation party

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Yes we do get those bags here too!

You're not wimpish at all Mitts... after Italy and running in the warm dunno whether I will manage a run here in Ulster! Greetings from cold and rainy, but oh so cheery Belfast xox delia

[Soozz Graduate]

I like the sound of the cherry stone bag! Fed up with drippy bags of ice from doing my shin splints.

No Idea about when you should start running again, but, like Gayle, just offering tea and sympathy. I'm still 'resting' too, (1week down, 3 to go on general advice) - it's driving me nuts but I am working out on the old exercise bike and doing swimming and core stability/Pilates in the hope that my fitness won't go totally out of the door.

I do hope your knee is OK soon. It's so frustrating, isn't it? But patience now will hopefully be rewarded!

[Mitts Graduate in reply to Soozz]

Hi Soozz! If you google 'cherry stone bag' you'll find loads of links where you can buy them in the UK too! I have a small one for the freezer and larger one for the microwave, for putting round my neck when it gets stiff.

Yesterday I bit the bullet and joined a gym. Spent some time on a cross-trainer and then a bike. I couldn't resist a wee go on a treadmill, too, first time ever - it was really good. I walked for five minutes and then speeded it up and had a very short jog just to try it, then realized the girl had disappeared and I didn't know how to stop the wretched machine! Ended up slowing it down and then jumping off. I'm a bit stiff today but not too bad, I think the cross-trainer especially will be an okay substitute till my knee's good enough to run on.

All the best to you too - fingers crossed we can jog into the New Year. That's my goal, anyway.

[Soozz Graduate in reply to Mitts]

Ha, ha, what a nightmare with the treadmill! I can well imagine the panicky feeling. I stupidly tried to do intervals once on a treadmill - never again! At one point I set it to go at 17 mph! Well done for joining the gym though. I hope there's a steam room or sauna to reward yourself with after exercising, fab on cold days.

I will certainly get myself sorted out with a cherry stone bag!

My husband graduated from C25k last Friday, he did really well and I am very proud of him. He did it with much less trauma than me, though not without moments of doubt, aches and pains. He's now talking about doing 10k run just before Christmas, don't think I will be signing up to that, much to my disappointment.

We will get back there, it's just a question of patience and time!