What have I done to my knee?

Hi All

Just starting to increase my training as i'm entered in the NY marathon in Nov. Done plenty of running before, although this spring I had to cut back a bit. I also swim (freestyle) at least 3 times a week.

 Had a bit of a niggle in my right knee earlier in the week. Unusual, for me - If I get problems at all, it's normally my left leg/foot which pronates more than the right side. Today I blithely went for a very slow 11mi plod. I was fine for an hour, then it started to flare up. I got pain in my knee every time I lifted my leg. It's localised to the bony lump on the inside of the knee - not sure whether that'd make it the bottom of the fibula, or top of the tibia.

I had to run/walk home very carefully. Stopped to massage it a few times- this didn't do a lot. Gentle stretching no help either. Massage only hurt if I pressed directly on the sore-spot, othewise the knee felt fine. Knee felt uncomfortable in walk, but very sore when running. Got home, iced it etc. Still sore though. I just walked to the shops, and it still hurts every time I lift it to step forward.

So,  whilst I hunt for a Cheltenham based physio.... and panic quietly about throwing so much at NY.... can anyone explain what I've done? Is it likely to be ligament/tendon damage. And what can I do about it?

Thank you!

Hello

 Had similar problems myself when increasing my training for the FLM this year.  i went from my usual 8-10 mls which i'd been doing for years up to 16 mls as my longest run which messe my knees up.  I think i made the jump to higher milage way to fast but my problems got worse when i did 22 miles.  i've come to the conclusion that it was just the sheer distance i was running and that really my knees are best suited to middle distances as i was doing before.  I tried everything - podiatrists, icing, inserts in my shoes etc but weirdly when it came to the marathon i had no pain whatsoever!!  Unfortunately for me shortly after the marathon i had to stop running due to a torn hamstring and had to do tonnes of xtraining, swimming and cycling but to be honest it was an omen as it gave my knee chance to recover.   i would say just go slow with the milage increase to give your knees chance to adjust and be careful, seeing the physio might be useful too.  I was very stubborn though and ran through the pain a lot of the time so i probably did some damage but there was no way i was pulling out of that marathon!!

 Good luck!

Laura  

Hi Laura

Well done on making it to the finish line - although i'm sorry to hear about the injuries that followed. This will be my 5th marathon, so my legs are pretty used to long distance. I guess I've been lucky in the past and never had any significant injuries. Still sat here with my ice pack, feeling sorry for myself!

Hoping that it's not a medial ligament injury, although given the location that seems likely. Will be phoning every physio in Cheltenham tomorow!

Good luck with your recovery,

J 

Hi,

I twisted  my lateral band a few months back , some of the symptoms were that of runners knee, but the pain was to the outside of my knee but through to the middle.  

I most felt the pain trying to walk but most of all anything to do with going down hill albeit walking or simply walking down stairs.

 I had to have weekly physo and ultra sound for 6 weeks and only managed a run into my eighth week of recovery.

def go and get it checked out, one thing you can do is press down on the area with your thumb and slowly do deep massage, altho its painful it should ease after about 10 mins then i'd ice it. Repeat daily.

 Hope its nothing as serious as that tho!

 Get some Ibubrufen gel on it too if you happen to have some in, if not the cheapest place for it is Aldi, something like 70p a tube.

B 

Hi Blimey Yeah, I have a sinking feeling it's MCL related - my mate did that last year, and this is very very similar. Got an appt with the NHS physio for Monday morning of next week. In the meantime, no running for me. I may swim - although I have a sneaky feeling that may also be aggravating it. With hindsight I think it's been coming on for a couple of weeks. I feel very silly for not twigging sooner...

Becca - thanks for tip of Aldi for Ibruprofen gel - I have already got some, but I will get it there in future. Bargainous!

Fingers  remain crossed!

No probs!

 Swimming was a no no unless i could swim Crawl (which i can't look like i'm drowning) as it would be moving against the injury making it worse.  Physio suggested leg raises whilst sat down to try to strengthen it in between my sessions of physio.

Really hope its nothing along those lines, cause if you're anything like me, i was a proper grumpy so and so not been able to run..........8 weeks seemed like a very long time and i had to pull out of the Chester, Sheffield and Wilmslow half......................was'nt best pleased about that!