Half marathon 6th January - knee injury!

bxboards · 4 January 2019 at 10:11AM

trailingspouse wrote: »

Well done - tough decision, but better than the alternative.

And - go to the doctor. Pretty please?

Thanks - I've had it checked out. Next step is an MRI scan. The knee is quite stable which is one of the major indicators they use for serious damage.

I did another run yesterday at pace I'd expect / hope to finish it (1 hour 45-ish) if I ran, and that was pain free during, and I've woken up mobile and can go downstairs.

So resting it for the last few weeks has probably been beneficial, but this half I think is too soon - thanks for the common sense doze :beer:

teachergirl · 4 January 2019 at 11:17AM

Just a thought google IT band. I also run and have pain in the knee however the Physio suggested it is from the IT band. Typically the pain is felt in the knee when going up or down hills but not strictly speaking a knee injury. I am doing exercises to help and this seems to be allowing me to run. Obviously don't think you should run a half marathon tomorrow but if you do the exercises for an IT band and it helps you have lost nothing and may be able to run much sooner than you think

bxboards · 4 January 2019 at 12:37PM

teachergirl wrote: »

Just a thought google IT band. I also run and have pain in the knee however the Physio suggested it is from the IT band. Typically the pain is felt in the knee when going up or down hills but not strictly speaking a knee injury. I am doing exercises to help and this seems to be allowing me to run. Obviously don't think you should run a half marathon tomorrow but if you do the exercises for an IT band and it helps you have lost nothing and may be able to run much sooner than you think

Thanks for that - I had a bit of Google and I don't think it's that. Doc didn't suggest that either, although I guess need the MRI to be sure. This IT band pain is on the outside of the knee from reading, whereas my pain (when i get it) feels quite central underneath and behind the kneecap.

I've been doing a few knee exercises for the past few weeks I googled, hard to say for sure but I think they are helping. Do you have a link to the exercises you do - I tend to do knee raises, heel raises, sitting down then raising a leg with a weight on the ankle etc etc

Rosemary7391 · 4 January 2019 at 2:43PM

Bear in mind that there are two sorts of fitness relevant to running - one is the way your heart/lungs deliver oxygen to the muscles, which you've obviously got sorted via cycling. The other is the strength of your various joints and their ability to cope with the repeated impacts. That you've not touched in a month, and you're recovering from an injury, and you weren't running that much beforehand... I'd be very wary indeed, especially as if you damage it you might not notice until the next morning. Seriously, ease back into it gently, no matter how frustrating it is to feel that you could go further/faster...

I'm currently easing back into running after an ankle injury so I feel your pain... and I didn't realise I'd injured my ankle until I got out of bed the morning after ('twas a ceilidh...).

teachergirl · 4 January 2019 at 9:48PM

Hi there boxboards I don't really have any links. I did buy resistant bands and stuff but I am afraid my routine is a bit hit and miss:o Especially as I have had my husbands man flu for the last couple of weeks. I find leg lifts to the side help.
I had never heard of the IT band but went to a sports massage lady who goes to my running club as my knee hurt. She asked lots of questions and then did some massage. All I know is when she put her knuckles into the side of my thigh it REALLY hurt. So for weeks afterwards I was really good with exercise and it helped.
Hope you get it sorted

bxboards · 5 January 2019 at 12:47PM

Rosemary7391 wrote: »

I'd be very wary indeed, especially as if you damage it you might not notice until the next morning. Seriously, ease back into it gently, no matter how frustrating it is to feel that you could go further/faster...

I'm currently easing back into running after an ankle injury so I feel your pain... and I didn't realise I'd injured my ankle until I got out of bed the morning after ('twas a ceilidh...).

Thanks, yes it's the next day (and after!) I feel it. So back in November I did an 8 mile run, usually I do 3 to 4 miles, no more than twice a week. Ran the 8 miles in about an hour, and felt fine during - but next day I had pain behind the knee. I rested elevated it for a few days, than about 10 days later I did 10 miles - first 6 miles all uphill felt great, but as soon as I started the descent I could feel the knee problem again, and coming downstairs or walking down hills.

This latest month layoff seems to have sorted it, but you are right, while the last couple of short 'test' runs have gone OK, I don't have many miles under my legs, and I won't know until the next day if it's 'gone' again.

I'm confident my fitness from a stamina point of view is fine, but not so confident in the knee. To some extend, the knee is probably more in the mind than reality now - I don't trust it at the mo, so you feel every niggle that 9/10 you'd ignore or not even think about usually.

bxboards · 6 January 2019 at 1:53PM

So...to wrap this up, I didn't run it - I was SOoooo tempted to head over at 9am and get my number but commonsense and the good advice on this thread prevailed.

I am supposed to be doing the half marathon in Keswick in May so hopefully things will have mended nicely by then!

BananaRepublic · 25 January 2019 at 8:10PM

I gave up running due to bad knees, which I assume was cartilage damage. Low impact exercise will strengthen the muscles and protect the knees. And landing on the balls of the feet rather than the heels helps. I guess you could,see how it goes, and do it if the knees are okay.

bxboards · 7 February 2019 at 12:20PM

BananaRepublic wrote: »

I gave up running due to bad knees, which I assume was cartilage damage.

I thought it could have been that as well, but the MRI scan showed no cartilage damage or meniscus damage.

Turns out to be the medial ligament, which I guess is probably best case, as it should with luck get better on its own.

Since the post here, I've been able to do 1 reasonable pace park run and a couple of short 4.5 mile trail runs and generally am pretty comfortable,although 24 hours later can still be 'iffy'

Sibz · 7 February 2019 at 9:15PM

bxboards wrote: »

I thought it could have been that as well, but the MRI scan showed no cartilage damage or meniscus damage.

Turns out to be the medial ligament, which I guess is probably best case, as it should with luck get better on its own.

Since the post here, I've been able to do 1 reasonable pace park run and a couple of short 4.5 mile trail runs and generally am pretty comfortable,although 24 hours later can still be 'iffy'

Ligaments do NOT get better on their own. A clean break of your femur or tibia would have been better than ligament damage as those can heal and 'knit' back together - ligaments don't. This isn't something that's just going to go away with a bit of 'luck'.

That said, it can be managed (fairly simply) with exercises to strengthen the muscles around the knee - increased muscle in that area can take some of the load/work off the ligament. Were you offered physio?

Step ups with your raised foot planted firmly will help. Balance work using spongey pads/BOSU/balance boards etc will help too. Doing these routinely will help in allowing you to train for events. Not doing these things routinely will leave you feeling 'iffy' more and more.

Half marathon 6th January - knee injury!

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