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Beginner Running

Megan H.
Megan H. Sendmail

What to do about knee pain? Have you experienced this?

asked 4 months ago | Report

About 4 days ago I may have over did my walk/runs. I'm somewhat of a beginner, but I have been going strong since the beginning of the month. I felt great on that day, because I almost hit my first short term goal. However, the pain began about a day after in my knee. It has always been kind of weak. The pain feels like a bruise (no visible swelling or bruising) below my knee cap and to the left little bit. If I press on the area there is excruciating pain. Is this "runner's knee" ? Stress fracture? I tried the test where I walked to see if it felt better (once all the blood rushed to it), but it didn't. It doesn't hurt to leisurely walk, but putting pressure on it to go up the stairs, for example, does.

Besides going to the doctor (which I will probably end up doing soon), I wanted to see if anyone else has experienced this? What helped? What did it turn out to be? Thanks for your help!

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7 answers

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  • Lamond V.
    Lamond V. Sendmail

    I've had pain from runners knee and IT band syndrome, but don't remember having excruciating pain when I pressed on the area. I mostly had discomfort walking up or down stairs, or when I lifted the leg. I'm interested in seeing some other comments.

    Can you clarify the location? Is it more toward the inside or outside of your knee cap?

    I periodically have troubles with my right knee. Sometimes I can hear clicking when I walk up stairs. My doctor didn't identify anything structurally wrong, so I just keep on running, although usually at 9 - 10 min/mi pace. I take it easy on hills, and try to maintain a steady comfortable pace. I'm probably not going to win any races, but at 48 yo my focus is to avoid injuries that would stop me from running.

    answered 4 months ago |Report

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  • Joe H.
    Joe H. Sendmail

    http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-241-624--6899-0,00.html

    answered 4 months ago |Report

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  • Kyle
    Kyle Sendmail

    I don't know the problem, but try kinesio taping it. I had terrible shin splints to wear I could not move my feet/legs. I taped them and pain free!

    answered 4 months ago |Report

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  • Shelagh D.
    Shelagh D. Sendmail

    After being warned by my doc that hiking and running put a lot of strain on joints, I defiantly went out and promptly hurt my knee! It felt spongy when running and hurt on the outside when hiking downhill. It also felt bruised when I pressed in the hollow on the outside of the knee. I went back and saw another doc who thought it might be cartilage. I took it easy, and took some prescribed anti-inflammatories and it's much better. Good luck! Let us know what it is when you get a diagnosis.

    answered 4 months ago |Report

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  • Justyn R.
    Justyn R. Sendmail

    ICE. There's plenty more you can do but this is never a bad place to start.

    answered 3 months ago |Report

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  • Tom S.
    Tom S. Sendmail

    My pain in about the same place was a stress fracture. It happned three straight years until I went barefoot. Pain-free for a year plus.

    answered 3 months ago |Report

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  • Andrew W.
    Andrew W. Sendmail

    Well, I had a similar situation many years ago when I was playing a lot of soccer. My knee only hurt going up and down stairs and had the "clicking" noise that Lamond had. Well, I knew it was time to go to the doctor when my mom, who was downstairs, could here me coming down the steps, not because I was being loud, but because she could physically hear my knee grinding. Long story short, I had bruised my cartilage and had to have arthroscopic surgery.

    My advice, don't mess with pain in the knee. It could just be bruised, but that's what I thought my issue was, and instead of being out for a week or two to heal, I was out for months while recovering from surgery.

    answered 3 months ago |Report

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