knee pain, any advice?

Any running store should be able to analyze your run and recommend shoes. I really like Road Runner Sports if there is one in your area - they have you run on a treadmill barefoot and tape it and then they can show you what they are seeing and then suggest shoes. I have even gotten on the treadmill with the shoes.

I would google running stores in your area and see what comes up!

Where do I go for a fitting? What is the average cost?

It really does pay divends to have good shoes. I know they can be expensive but it really is worth it to protect your knees. I get fitted, then look on the discounted sports wear websites to find the same pair for less. I don't know which sites will be best for you as I am in the UK.

You should DEFINATELY go get fitted for shoes... that will help - but it will take some time to come back now that you have the pain.

Let us know how your fitting goes!!

I'm definitely a flat footed overpronater. I have never had a brand new pair of running shoes. I have only had 1 pair of 'good' hand-me-downs. Maybe I need to get me some.

Cheri, are you wearing support trainers. I get the same thing from overpronation. I usually know when to get new trainers because the pain starts again.

My knee hurts on some runs. It feels like it is deep behind the patella kind of on the outer side. Also when I am walking, it pops loud.

My hubby is trying to convince me that running will totally ruin my knees. I don't want to stop running. But, I don't want to do damage. It doesn't hurt every run, but it pops when walking all the time.

DS,

Since it's in the December 2009 issue, I don't know if it is on the website yet, but if you have access to a book store it would be well worth a trip. I am really going to focus on my hips, glutes, and core hoping it will help my ITB.

HAPPY SPARK RUNNING@
Nancy

thanks for the tips everyone! Nancy, I will see if I can find the article you mentioned on the running times website. I also saw that Coach Nicole has a hips and glutes workout video and will be incorporating this into my workout routine to see if it helps. Think I'll be sticking with the elliptical this week based on what everyone has been telling me

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I know Nancy!! It's a real bummer.... I laid off those excersizes the week before my half and I know that's why I had my knee stiffen up in the last 1/4 mile - it had not done that on my long training runs in months. Oh well, lesson learned!

I've been floundering a little since my half 2 weeks ago - this week I have to get serious again. My aches are going and it's time to step up the workouts again!!!

Tami,

I am right with you...I am going to use the next few months really strengthening my glutes and hips!

I hope it helps with my ITB issue!

Nancy

I have found that it's my hips that cause my knee pain... the hip flexor excerizes are what have helped me and I notice a difference when I fail to do those for multiple days in a row.

Now that I am not training for a particular race, my goal is going to be on strengthening so that when I begin my next training session my legs and hips are much stronger....

Hang in there - it will get better :)

You might want to give your knee more rest before you start running again. I injured my knee not long after starting my running "career". I never went to the doctor - no insurance - and self diagnosed instead. Everyone kept telling me I'd probably torn my ACL based on my description of what had happened, but the symptoms weren't exactly right and besides, I couldn't have done something that required surgery since I had no insurance. LOL So, based on what I'd read on Runner's World and the suggestions of the trainers at the gym, I stopped running completely for 4 weeks and also cut out all exercise that involved "stepping." No walking, no running, no stair climber... nothing that involved picking up my feet and putting them back down. The first couple of weeks, I pretty much did nothing but sit around with ice on my knee. After that, I biked, rowed & did the elliptical machine. After 4 weeks, I VERY slowly began running again - running 1 minute, walking 5... and very slowly built back up from there. i also did WAY more stretching after workouts than I'd ever done before. It's been 4 or 5 months since and I haven't had any pain since. Phew! Thank goodness!!

Another thought - in doing my research to self diagnose myself, I learned that women who run slowly are more likely to injure their knees. I can't remember why that was now, but it stuck in my mind. When I returned to running, I ran for shorter times & distances, but tried to run faster. Now, when I run super slow, I notice that lots of body parts ache.

DS,

There is a great article in the December issue of Running Times Magazine regarding injuries and I was quite surprised that many of the running injuries one may experience actually originate at the hips and glutes. They mentioned when one strengthens the hips (abductors and adductors) as well as the glutes many issues can be resolved.

One thing I will say, if you are still experiencing pain, I would NOT run or try to push yourself through. I would actually try a cross training activity until you no longer have any discomfort for a good week and then slowly see how it goes.

I am still recovering from an ITB issue that I developed 3 weeks ago during my marathon and lots of foam rolling is helping but I am taking things VERY SLOWLY.

I wish you a SPEEDY RECOVERY!

Nancy

Edited by: CD318156 at: 11/1/2009 (10:42)

Hi, I'm fairly new to running-I started the couch to 5k program back in June and by late August was running 3 miles on the treadmill 3-4x a week.

In early October I began to experience pain in my left knee while running. At first I just pushed through the pain which was a mistake because I began to have the pain at rest too. I saw my MD a little over a week ago and was diagnosed with iliotibial band syndrome. I was told to use ibuprofen, ice, rest, and was given a list of exercises to do to stretch and strengthen my iliotibial band. Also was told I should ease back into running slowly.

I've been following my MD's recommendations and no longer have pain at rest. However, when I'm jogging at the painfully slow pace of 4.5mph I still experience knee pain anywhere from 10-15 min into my workout. When the pain occurs I slow down and walk the remainder of my workout.

I'm just wondering if anyone else has had a similar type of injury and if so, what did you do that helped? I really have grown to love running/jogging and I'm starting to get discouraged here. Any advice at all would be appreciated!

I will also mention that I have a bunion on my left foot and my MD thought that this could be related if I am coming down on my foot the wrong way. I will be seeing a podiatrist next week.