2011: The Year of the Knee Injury

Well, 2011 has been the year of many a left knee disaster. It started in January while training for my first marathon. I was skiing and fell onto my knee. It subsequently swelled up a bit and was painful on the kneecap, but mainly just prevented me from bending the knee. The result was the skiing holiday was over, but it wasn't too bad as it was my last day.After coming back, i gave it a couple of days to recover (which it did) before getting back into training. 2 miles in to a 6 miler, the unmistakeable pain that comes with ITBS (although i didn't know what it was at the time). I cut short the run and had a few days off and tried another run, with the same result. Visits to the physio followed, with all the ITBS straps and foam rolling i could shake a stick at. Despite this, i just couldn't get beyond 10 miles and thought the best thign to do was to pull out of the London Marathon in early March. Cue much heartache.Then went on a stag do a couple of weeks later and an unidentified drinking injury left me with a massively swollen knee, which was just impossible to bend. I went to hospital, who advised me i'd spraned my cruciate ligament (i still don't know how). So, left it a few weeks to calm down, aided by ice, heat, ibuprofen and the like. Slow progress with this continued to the point where i was able to do some cycling. Just about getting back into it when i had a fall and landed on the same knee (that's 4 different injuries in 4 months!), albeit above the knee on the inside of centre. THis was about 2 weeks ago, and now the swelling has pretty much completely gone and there's no more heat being kicked out of the joint.The issue now is one of just a dull ache in the centre of the knee. It's not painful as such, but just feels tired and weak more than anything.The question is, what to do with this ache to make it go away and so i can get running again (i won't be rushing it)? Get back on the cycling (perhaps in the gym this time)? Weights in the gym? Rowing?Advice appreciated!

Comments

  • Find a four leaf clover and get some blooming luck.
    Sorry not much use but squats and slow one legged squats 10 reps x3 will help I had runners knee and saw physio he recommended this to me it worked for me.
    Again good luck
  • A good luck message from a red is worth 10 of any other!

     I'm easing back into the leg exercises in the gym, so hope it helps over the next few months. Cheers.

  • I've got ITBS (which lead to a hellish final 20 miles, yes miles, at the london marathon) and have been having physio (its typically a 4-6 recovery time for the injury), foam roller, acupuncture, drugs, kinesio tape, googling every stretch there is to google and Im still not able to run a mile without pain, I can however cycle. The bupa physio tells me whilst I have to ease back into the running, after 2 weeks after the trauma I caused I could cycle as much as I like. So ive been using the excersie bike (£100 fold up one with hrm from argos) in front of the telly which has allowed me to keep my cardio up and keep burning calories (20km bike = 10km run calorie wise). So I'd say if you can pedal, pedal away.

    The other thing she told me you have to slowly start loading the knee as its recovering with small walks/runs and loads of stretching. For example it would be bad to do nothing for a month and then try to run again as the area would be so tight it would strain again. Sounds like your knee area has been so tight since you injured it, that the slightest trauma to the area is causing a strain. Are you stretching? I set an alarm on my phone so I had a 5 minute leg  stretching session every couple of hours during the day. 

  • Well at least you now know what it is and seem to have the right info on rehab. I wish you all the best on recovery this is one injury I have not had yet? Best wishes. Ynwa
  • I need to be doing more stretching. I'm just getting lazy with it so not doing as much as i know i should. Slowly getting better though, so will introduce a bit of the bike and see how we go. Cheers all.
  • To be honest after that many injuries and problems I would suggest getting your knee scanned!- MRI will help find out exactly whats going on, and ensure you are following the right course.
    My biggest concern would be your last fall, as a dull central ache can be linked to damage to your tibial plateau- the top of the Tibia, and as this is the main weight bearing surface damage here that is untreated can lead to BIG problems.
    My rather daft mother tripped at a party, and fell landing on her knee, she ignored the pain for a while, had a load of physio before finally getting an X-ray to discover a small fracture, because she hadn't rested it this had damaged the joint surface and after a long period of pain she now has a shiny metal knee replacement. She had seen her GP and had lots of Physio on his advice. (I was not impressed as kept telling her that I thought she needed an X-ray!)
    If you are not keen on the medical profession keep resting, until there is no pain, and when you do start doing any exercise take it slow. But remember to stop if it tells you too!

    Good luck!
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