Knee (Runner's Knee....maybe?)

cgfw201

So this year I have done a lot of cycling (500hrs/12,000km) and quite a lot of running (450km or so).

I had a big event at the start of September, after which I did no running until last week, but carried on cycling around 250km per week.

Through all this (and indeed the last 5 years) I haven't had any injury issues at all, soft tissue or bones.

However last weekend (10 days ago) I went for a slow 5k jog as didn't have the bike with me on holiday and thought it was about time I got the legs moving again.

Anyway, haven't been able to walk up stairs since, or ride my bike properly or do a squat due to significant pain in my left knee brought on by any of the activities listed.

Google suggests I have all the symptoms of Runners Knee/Patellar Tendonitis.

All makes sense other than the fact this seems to be a chronic condition whilst for me it has come on after 25 mins of jogging.

Sorting out physio via BUPA at the moment but will be a few days til that is booked in, just wanted to see if anyone had any experience of anything similar to what I am talking about?

My TrainingPeaks CTL is plummeting and I'm not liking it!

napoleond

Have a look at the Kinetic Revolutions website. Some fantastic info and exercises on there.

buckmulligan

I hate the term "Runner's Knee"; it's often used to describe about 3 or 4 very different conditions all of which have different symptoms and underlying causes, they all just happen to be common in runners and/or brought on by running.

Patellar Tendonitis can be caused equally as often by acute injury as it is a chronic or "overuse" condition. I'd have a look at the muscles/physiology involved in the knee joint and see how it might apply to you. As NapD says, the Kinetic Revolutions website is a good place to start, amongst others out there.

If you can describe your symptoms in more depth (e.g. where the pain is, what kind of pain, is it constant, any particular movements that exacerbate it?) then we can perhaps offer some more in-depth advice!

diy

If you've been training a lot and then suddenly train a lot less - all the muscles shrink back, this means that when you call on them they put extra strain on the tendons. When I suddenly stopped cycling after injuring my back, I was walking like a T-rex after a week as all my muscles tightened. It took me ages to stretch them back to normal.

cgfw201

BuckMulligan wrote:

I hate the term "Runner's Knee"; it's often used to describe about 3 or 4 very different conditions all of which have different symptoms and underlying causes, they all just happen to be common in runners and/or brought on by running.

Patellar Tendonitis can be caused equally as often by acute injury as it is a chronic or "overuse" condition. I'd have a look at the muscles/physiology involved in the knee joint and see how it might apply to you. As NapD says, the Kinetic Revolutions website is a good place to start, amongst others out there.

If you can describe your symptoms in more depth (e.g. where the pain is, what kind of pain, is it constant, any particular movements that exacerbate it?) then we can perhaps offer some more in-depth advice!

Pain is round lower and inside quarter of the kneecap.
It comes on primarily when walking up stairs. Can also be replicated by resisting extension of the knee.
Also a bit sore walking down stairs.

Good news is in last 36h it has started to improve noticeably, hopefully that continues and should be back to normal soon enough.

Lesson primarily being not to do too much too soon and be more stretchy.