Okay, seriously, how do I get rid of runner's knee?

I'm willing to rest if it means it'll go away. It comes on just short of a mile every time I try to run. Then it is fine the next morning (and usually throughout the rest of the day after the run). I'd prefer to be able to cross-train: if it doesn't hurt while cross-training, that means I'm not damaging it (and letting it heal), right?

Prefer to go the non-medicine route. Stretch, strength train, ice?

I'm seriously starting to worry that I won't be able to train for Boston.

Do you have a pool available at school? I know that Schuey trained for (Boston I think) a marathon basically in the pool the whole time. Sounds sort of like mind torture, but he did it successfully. Worth a try maybe?

I could be wrong as English is just my 2nd language, but it seems to get ride of runner in grammar?

John - No pool here.
Jerry - Was that really-really-longhand for "stop running"?

Mike, if your concerned about being able to train for Boston, than you have roughly 8 weeks to get this taken care of. I'm not sure why you're apprehensive to go the medical route, but this has now been lingering for several weeks, and if I'm reading correctly, may be getting worse. My recommendation would be to get it looked at by a good orthopedist. Self-diagnosis, or relying on folks on the forum to try and come with a solution is a risky way of taking care of yourself. It may be a case where a little rest and perhaps a course of anti-inflammatories is all you'll need, but if I were in your position (which unfortunately I have been many times), I'd try to get an actual diagnosis. Good luck.

I had runner's knee years ago, and what helped me and what has helped ever since is Quad strenghtening. I also had to have my orthotics rebuilt and I've kept up with them and new shoes ever since. (I often only get 200-250 miles from a pair of shoes as when the knee begins to hurt, and I switch shoes, it goes away.)

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:I had runner's knee years ago, and what helped me and what has helped ever since is Quad strenghtening. I also had to have my orthotics rebuilt and I've kept up with them and new shoes ever since. (I often only get 200-250 miles from a pair of shoes as when the knee begins to hurt, and I switch shoes, it goes away.)

+1 - I agree with the quad strengthening. I had this issue several years ago and I cut back my miles and worked on strengthening my quads. If I remember correctly it went away in 2-3 weeks. It was brought on by overtraining.

New shoes will happen when I get back to southern California (2 weeks). Until then, I'm not running.

My anti-doctor thing is based on the silly rule I set for myself when I started running that if I ever got hurt badly enough to need a doctor to fix it, I was done. Since it doesn't hurt if I don't exercise, I'm not at that point. I know, stubborn.

I'm wondering how much "discomfort" I should tolerate during cross-training. My gut tells me none - if it's bothering me, it's getting inflamed, and it's not healing, right? I ask because during a bike ride today it started to... "say hello" about 40 minutes in, so I turned around. It only once got any worse than "saying hello," and that was when I was going up a very steep gradient and was really straining to turn the pedals. I think on flat ground, it wouldn't bother me, and might not even "say hello." If that's the case, does that mean I'm not doing any more damage to it?

Mike MacLellan wrote:New shoes will happen when I get back to southern California (2 weeks). Until then, I'm not running.
My anti-doctor thing is based on the silly rule I set for myself when I started running that if I ever got hurt badly enough to need a doctor to fix it, I was done. Since it doesn't hurt if I don't exercise, I'm not at that point. I know, stubborn.

I'm wondering how much "discomfort" I should tolerate during cross-training. My gut tells me none - if it's bothering me, it's getting inflamed, and it's not healing, right? I ask because during a bike ride today it started to... "say hello" about 40 minutes in, so I turned around. It only once got any worse than "saying hello," and that was when I was going up a very steep gradient and was really straining to turn the pedals. I think on flat ground, it wouldn't bother me, and might not even "say hello." If that's the case, does that mean I'm not doing any more damage to it?

I'm very wary of medication. I think there is a terrible amount prescribed unnecessarily, even harmfully. But orthopaedics is another matter. It's an orthopaedist's job to get you up and running. A vist to one isn't some kind of last rite for a running career. Follow the example of almost every professional or champion athlete. If you don't like or don't trust the diagnosis, get a second opinion.

You'll be told, quite rightly, that quad strength is essential. Regarding cross training, hill climbing or hard riding on a bike is not a good idea. Unless an expert tells you otherwise, keep it moderate.

Ditto to what Chris said about the medication and pushing the xtraining. I was your age, Mike, when I first had a runner's knee issue and I did finally go to a sports med doctor, but he only prescribed what I suggested above. Xtrain to the point that it doesn't hurt, but do not go beyond.

Not to keep beating the dead horse, but I guess it's just hard for me to accept that either 1) my body wasn't set up to run or 2) I can't figure out how to run properly on my own. I seem to always want to heal issues through rethinking my training and focusing on my weaknesses rather than applying a band-aid...

But, if after the holidays this is still an issue, I will do as suggested.

Going to test the flat roads near school on Monday (on the bike).

Thanks to all of you for being patient with my stubborn self

You know Mike, that there is a 5 time(1980) Olympic Gold medalist and sports orthopedist around the corner from you in Sacramento, if you need some advice. Eric Heiden.

Meanwhile, Partial or full single leg squats 2 sets of 10 and wall slides-- holding each one for 20-30 seconds are useful.

Using a single step, step forward, backward, and to the side without touching the unaffected foot on the floor-- 2 sets of 10 each direction--great for hip and quad strengthening. Stay away from downhills for awhile and ice every day.

No meds.

Mike MacLellan wrote:Not to keep beating the dead horse, but I guess it's just hard for me to accept that either 1) my body wasn't set up to run or 2) I can't figure out how to run properly on my own. I seem to always want to heal issues through rethinking my training and focusing on my weaknesses rather than applying a band-aid...

But, if after the holidays this is still an issue, I will do as suggested.

Going to test the flat roads near school on Monday (on the bike).

Thanks to all of you for being patient with my stubborn self

Here's the thing: Running actually causes imbalances because of certain muscles getting overdeveloped with all the miles we put in. I just got diagnosed with an overuse/imbalance issue. It happens. Figure out what the problem is so it a) doesn't get worse and b) you can get it fixed so it doesn't become a nagging thing.

Mike another thing you might want to get checkout is your leg length. I went through 2 seasons of track and 3 years of H.S. football until my 3rd season of Track was just starting and I developed some pretty painful knee pain in my left knee. I was prepared for the worst that I had done some cartilage damage and thought for sure I was going to have to have it scoped and cleaned up.

Well lucky for me my knee pain was being caused by left leg being shorter then my right. And with running the long aerobic training runs at the start of track it caused the knee to swell and become very painful when I ran. Since that day I have a lift in my shoe and knock on wood have not had any issue with that knee since then which was back in the Spring of 1990.

Hope get things figured out and can get recovered so you can get back to the roads and trails.

Ok, seriously, Michele is obvious right.

Just watched this video, very interesting.

Schuey and Jim both have great points as well, Mike. I found out that I have scoliosis when I visited a sports med doc back in the day when I had developed some over use injuries.

Diego wrote:
Using a single step, step forward, backward, and to the side without touching the unaffected foot on the floor-- 2 sets of 10 each direction--great for hip and quad strengthening. Stay away from downhills for awhile and ice every day.

Can you explain this a little more? I'm supposed to step but not put my foot down? Is this part of the single-leg squat?

Thanks for the name. I will be sure to look him up if I'm still hurting when I get back.

Mike - are you simply too young to know who Eric Heiden is????????? Damn, I know I can be your Mom, but that just aged me, and 50 is supposed to be the new 29, right?

Too young and admittedly not a good follower of professional running. I watch cycling

Mike MacLellan wrote:Too young and admittedly not a good follower of professional running. I watch cycling

He was an Olympic speed skater who won several gold medals and cyclist.

Then just too young

Has this issue been resolved? If not, I suggest the solution to everything - duct tape.

healdgator wrote:Has this issue been resolved? If not, I suggest the solution to everything - duct tape.

+1

Jerry wrote:
Just watched this video, very interesting.

Great info in that video!

Michele "1L" Keane wrote:He was an Olympic speed skater who won several gold medals and cyclist.

Yep, US cycling champion as well as the 5 Gold Medals in speed skating. I don't think people truly appreciate how amazing his Olympic accomplishment really is. He won everything from the 500m up to the 10,000m.