General Discussion Triathlon Talk » A Knee Issue - What would you do? Rss Feed  
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2014-04-21 9:52 PM

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Subject: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
I've been training for a HM, and the race is May 4th. I've been increasing my mileage only 1-1.5 miles a week, and just ended up doing 11 miles 2 weeks ago, and ran 13 miles this last weekend. I was going to start tapering downward here this week and into next week. My question is - my knee has been tender the last 2 days. I am about 1.5 years removed from ACL reconstruction and last month was my 1 year anniversary to be able to start slowly jogging. So, I've been back to running for about a year now. Everything has felt pretty good up until this last weekend. I ran 13 miles on Good Friday, then rested on Saturday & Sunday. I ran 2 miles this morning after some strength training and was going to run another 3 tonight, but decided to take it easy.

I'm currently sitting here with an ice pack on my knee, and getting ready to heat it up, then ice, then heat again.

My question is - what would YOU do, or even what should I do?

Get it checked out? Quit being a baby? RICE?

My ACL recon is solid - it's good, but just sore and tender. Not painful, but I can tell it's just not right.

Thanks!


2014-04-21 10:04 PM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
what and where is the pain? when did it start? anymore details on the nature of it? what was the pain level on 1 to 10 scale for your 13 miles run? what about tonight on a scale of 1 to 10?

more info needed to give you some kind of advice
2014-04-21 10:29 PM
in reply to: jonnyo

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
It's on my left knee, on the inside - right on the joint (maybe a titch below the joint). On a scale of 1-10 on Friday - maybe a 1. Today, Maybe a 3. It's not really pain - more like discomfort. I'm not sure if its where they attached the new ligament with a screw or not.
2014-04-21 10:41 PM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
good on you for been on top of this. At a pain level 1 or 3, it s very minor but it does mean something isnt right.

i would start tapering early, run ever second or third day and kept the volume low. you have very little gain possible fitness wise by now. it s what you did in the past few months that count now. so be peace and simply rest it more until race day

After the race, it might be time to adress the issue. find the cause or see if it s simply a issue with running form or the reconstruction you had..

for knee issue...tracking of the patella and proper firing on all the muscle is essential. I like to prescribe hill repeat where the person run uphill at a good quick pace and walk down. This insure a minimum of stress on the knee, low impact but force you to have almost perfect running form. Good strengthening exercises...

2014-04-21 10:57 PM
in reply to: jonnyo

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
AWESOME! Thank you for the advice. I figured it's not "major" - but I'm more in tune with what is right or wrong in my body. Rehab is long and it sucks, I don't want to have to do it again.

On my run I ran about 2 miles on cement, 6 miles on blacktop, and the rest on sand. Maybe that had something to do with it too. I don't know. I'm going to heed your advice and take it easy and see what happens.

Thanks for the help!
2014-04-22 8:01 AM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?

You mentioned that you do strength training work -- is this the stuff that your physical therapist had you doing after your surgery?  If so, keep at it....if not, consider starting that stuff again.

Are you doing any other "maintenance" work?  I've dealt with knee issues in the past and I find that if I'm not foam rolling regularly, my knee will start to bother me again.  Also, when things do come up that I can't work out on my own, I see a chiropractor who specializes in ART, which has helped tremendously.



2014-04-22 5:35 PM
in reply to: ligersandtions

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
Yes, I still continue to do strength training. I do 3 days a week from fall through the winter, but knock it back late winter / early spring to just 1-2 days a week. I usually do 2 sets of 10 reps for upper and lower body. I do everything individually (R/L) on lower body except for squats.

I didn't even thing about foam rolling (& I have two of them). I'll give that a whirl tonight as well.

It's just weird feeling - and hard to explain. It just feels tender. I'm also going to contact the doctor who performed the surgery to get his opinion. Last I had it checked I had gained about 75% of my strength back in it. The PT doc who tested me said I was doing great with what I was doing. I basically followed everything the doc had told me to, but I did 100% of the rehab on my own.

Maybe I just tweaked it stepping off into the ditch when traffic wouldn't move over for me too. I don't know. It's all speculation right now - I just want to be able to do the half marathon I've been training for.
2014-04-23 2:38 PM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
Have you considered a good brace? It could be that your knee is a little wobbly. I am nearing 1 year since my surgery and the brace my doctor prescribed for me is dynamite. it has 2 round plastic disks that rest firmly on either side of my knee cap and holds it steady. it straps around my thigh, above the knee, below the knee and around my calf. It reduced the swelling a lot when i started using it more. I tried to attach a picture of it. I also pop an Aleve before every run and that helps.



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2014-04-23 2:52 PM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
10 days to go. You do have some decisions to make. Did you have any hard or long workout left in your plan?

I don't think you are going to lose any significant fitness if you taper hard from here on.

Also evaluate, if the pain/discomfort where anywhere else on your body and to this degree would it limit your training? Are you being super careful just because it is your knee?
2014-04-23 3:24 PM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?

I'd agree with the suggestion to go ahead and start your taper now.  You also might want to try running on some softer surfaces between now and the race to help rest your knee.

I've got chronic patella tendinosis in my right knee and have had to adopt a Galloway run/walk strategy to get through a half marathon.  I found through trial and error that if I stick to a 4:1 run/walk it gave my knee enough recovery time to make the distance.

Re-evaluate your knee as you get closer to your race.  Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.  You don't want to screw your knee up worse just for one race.

Good luck.

Mark

 

2014-04-23 5:29 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette


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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
run on grass, don't run on road or sand and ice it for up to 2 days after you experience pain. I use frozen peas, 3 bags, that get alternated. I wouldn't be applying heat. Do you strap your knee for support?


2014-04-23 9:57 PM
in reply to: zedzded

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
I do not wear a knee brace, even after my acl reconstruction - the doctor never gave me a knee brace. He didn't want me to become reliant on it, and said the swelling acts as a "brace".

Basically I ran on Good Friday - I ran from cement to blacktop - to sand - to blacktop. It didn't bother me Fri. - Sun. Monday, I ran 2 miles on a .10 m. indoor track at my gym. So roughly 20-22 laps. It's making a lot of corners in that time. I don't know if I might have done it then, or when I lifted weights, or maybe when I constantly had to step off into the ditch when vehicles wouldn't move over.

I tried to go for a run last night - made it about 1.3 miles before it got to be to much. I slowed way down and got home. I've been using ice packs, heat packs, and a tens unit on the affected area. It is tender to the touch. I tried foam rolling and that didn't feel good at all.

I contacted the PA that helped with the surgery. She didn't seem to concerned because there were no abnormalities in the medial side of my knee. She said that she thinks I just over worked it and it's sore. She recommended not doing anymore long runs until race day. I'm resting it today and tomorrow and I'll see what Friday, Saturday, and Sunday bring. If it's still tender by Saturday - I'm going to have to figure something out. I just don't know what. I already spent $50 to race, and then the training. I'm a little nervous that I won't be able to race.

I was thinking about contacting a PT who runs, see what he says. I don't know - I just wish I knew if it was going to get better.
2014-04-23 10:06 PM
in reply to: badmo77a

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
At my last evaluation on my knee strength - I was back up to 70%+ strength. That was this last fall. So through the winter and strength training and running - it hasn't bothered me one bit. I'm cautious about how I move, but once I got my gait back - I haven't been overly worried about anything. I was wanting to get like a 10m. run in and taper from there, but that's not looking like an option at this point. This is the first sign of any discomfort with running since I was able to start about a year ago. My knee would get tight after hard runs, but I expected that. It's been pretty good through all of the training. I never increased more than 1- 1.5 miles through all of my training (except for last Friday) when I went from 11 miles to 13. Maybe I did just over use it on my way to preparing.
2014-04-24 1:45 AM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?
If the strength training strains your knee, and I assume it does, I would scale back or drop it alltogether until after the race. Just focus on the running these last couple of weeks. And adjust the running according to the pain.
2014-04-24 7:43 AM
in reply to: jayhawk_sean

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Subject: RE: A Knee Issue - What would you do?

Between now and the race, you could consider aquajogging to keep your fitness up throughout your taper (probably better than just stopping altogether for 7-10 days) without dealing with the weight-impact of running.  AJ is mental torture, but can be quite useful.

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