Knee injury question

[jeffh11]

HELP! Please!

So, I don't do much working out besides running, which I do pretty often. I try to at least 4-5 times a week, I usually run about 3.1 miles.(5k) I would like to start running in these regularly. Anyways, all that is beside the point.

Two weeks ago, while running, the outside of my knee, more toward the rear outside than the front, my knee started killing me. Felt like it could give out a couple times when it landed, hurt when it would bent, etc. It hurt for a couple days, and went away. I played a little friendly game of football with some younger kids on the third day after injury, so I didn't do too much running, I was quartberack, but did a little bit. No pain. Knee didn't hurt the next day either. Or anymore that week. I didn't do any running that week, to give my knee rest.

Today, after 7 days of no running I decided to test it out. Well by the time I got to the end of my street, about a quarter of a mile, exact same pain was back. I kept running to see if it would go away and it didn't. As soon as I stopped however, to walk back home, the pain was was less significant, almost gone even.

Now, sitting here it doesn't hurt at all, not when I bend it either. Also, I load trucks at night, so I am up and down off a forklift stacking product on pallets all night pretty much, and I had zero pain at work.

What is this? Please help! lol


Thanks in advance!

[jeffh11]

Also, I am sitting here trying to make it uncomfortable so I can better explain where the pain is, and it is actually almost more higher up on my leg than my knee.. still right side though, and closer to rear than front.

[LeafUF]

How old are your shoes? Sometimes worn out running shoes can lead to pain. And if you are wearing down the outside of your shoe that might explain the specific pain scenarios.

Might get better info from a running store or forum.

[jeffh11]

Bought the shoes like 3 weeks ago.. lol so thats not it.

[LeafUF]

Shoes too new? Im not a runner so im just spitballing here.

[Jyork]

Could be a meniscal injury. Very common especially with your job description. If not better after a month you might want to get an MRI

[jeffh11]

But it doesnt hurt at all when I am at work Jyork? It is in the area of the meniscus however, I have never been hurt in my life as far as sports/athletic injuries besides a sprained ankle in basketball, I have been very lucky! Lol. But when I am running, this pain is very, very bad... unfortunately I can't compare it to any other pain though! I really do not want to pay for an MRI/X-ray!!!

[fbgator27]

It could definitely be the new shoes. Especially if that's the only thing you can think of that has changed since your pain started. I would rest it some more, ice the area a few times a day, and try running in the old shoes to see if that's the problem. Wouldn't stretch it or exercise it too much as that may just aggravate.

You also said you are thinking if running some races. Have you started trying to run faster or longer recently?

It sounds like you are talking about your IT band as far as pain location. Very common painful area in runners. Especially if you had no specific injury to relate the pain to. There are lots of reasons this would bother you. I would test the shoes and if not better go see someone who has experience evaluating runners. A gait lab, physical therapist, etc.. Do your research no matter what profession and find someone with experience treating runners. They can evaluate you in one visit and tell you what you need to work on.

Meniscus would likely be painful with deep knee bending (sounds like you do that at your job). I wouldn't jump straight to an MRI until you have exhausted your cheaper options and considering surgery.

[jeffh11]

From what I have researched it sounds most similar to the IT band in my opinion as well. Also, it did not hurt the first 2 or 3 weeks I ran in the shoes, and they are Asics, pretty good running shoes right?

[your_perfect_enemy]

Originally Posted by jeffh11

From what I have researched it sounds most similar to the IT band in my opinion as well. Also, it did not hurt the first 2 or 3 weeks I ran in the shoes, and they are Asics, pretty good running shoes right?

Ive had a similar problem with new running shoes (Asics as well) where they were fine the first couple of weeks and then my legs/knees/shins start really hurting. I found it was actually the shoe style for myself, switched from ridiculously constrictive/cushioned shoes to a pair of the minimalist-type shoes and havent had hardly any running related pain in 1.5+ years.

[Dreamliner]

True story: just yesterday my neighbor proudly announced to me that she'd 'gotten off the couch' and started running. But she's completely flummoxed about the shin pain she's experiencing after a week of jogging.

Key observations: she's mid-thirties, obese, has not jogged since she was a teenager ... and appeared to be running in multi-purpose sneakers.

This is a true story.

[Chirogator]

Probably a little late for a response but it definitely sounds like IT band friction syndrome to me. Due to the repeated limited range of motion that your joints go through during jogging strides, a muscle called the Tensor Fascia Latae in the front of the hip can tighten up while the gluteus max in the back of the hip gets lengthened out and weak. Both these muscles insert into your IT band which runs down the outside of the thigh and attaches just below the knee joint, and if their pull is unequal it can cause the IT band to track poorly over the knee and rub over a little bump in the femur called the lateral epicondyle where it ends up getting irritated and inflamed. Just in case you wanted to know (not that you probably care lol).

What I would advocate to help you with this:

1. Ice the area a few times/day for about 15 minutes.
2. Foam roll or get deep tissue work to free up the IT band from surrounding structures as well as on the Tensor Fascia Latae muscle which attaches directly into the IT band. Youtube "foam roll IT band" for directions.
3. Start doing some glute recruitment exercises to start getting the glute to pull it's share of the load. Good exercises for this include (see YouTube) Glute bridges, Cook Hip lift, band monster walks, etc.

Hope this helps!

[EvenParGator]

Jeff I don't know your age, but at 55 after decades of hard athletic activity/competition, I experienced a very similar pain on the outside of my left knee. It turned out, after multiple scans, to be an ongoing deterioration of the cartilage leaving me with a bone on bone scenario. Get it scanned and find out.

[holloffamer]

Might be the shoes? Just get it checked to be sure.