Posting only from my own limited experience -- I'm sure others with longer histories will share.

I gave myself an overuse injury on my left knee when I first started running. I had "manageable" pain for a while, but then I did my first 10 mile race, and limped the last mile because of the pain. Well, that did it for me. I tried to run for a few weeks after that, but it got to the point where I simply couldn't walk down stairs. To the doctor I went.

Here's what she said: Because my muscles weren't aligning my kneecap correctly while I ran, the kneecap was rubbing against the cartilage between the kneecap and the bone, which got inflammed. The condition is called Chondramalacia Patella (which I'm sure I just mis-spelled). Anyway, the doctor scared the bejesus out of me by telling me that when I ran I was scraping away the inflammed cartilage and doing permanent damage to my knee. I'm not sure whether she was exaggerating or what, but that's when I started focusing on my swimming!

It took me four months to get back to the point where I could run at all. It took almost 8 months, with a combination of stretching, strength training, and rest, to be able to run with no pain. However, I was able to cycle much sooner than that with no pain, so don't give up hope. The reason many people are triathletes is so you have plenty of things to work on while you recover from various injuries. You should be able to work on your swimming at least, which will help you keep up your aerobic base. Cycling might or might not be a problem. Weight training can also work, provided you don't stress your knees too much. And it's amazing how much time you can spend stretching if you really want to.

Good luck, and remember: Don't try to run through the pain!!

Lee

I had some knee problems post Ironman Florida, similar to Lee. It was a combination of runner's knee and also ITB. The trigger point therapy is very good at managing the pain, especially for ITB, but it was only with a combination of this with extensive strength training under the watchful eye of a PT that I got better. And it took several months of this. I had pain almost every day for quite some time. It takes a lot of patience. Seek out expert advice, trying to heal these things on your own is like shooting in the dark, going to a good sports medicine clinic at least gives you a flashlight. Good luck,



Jack

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"What the mind can conceive and believe, the mind and body can achieve; and those who stay will be champions."

I had IT band syndrome and I couldn't run for a year. It can turn into some serious downtime if you try to train through it. I could cycle and took up bike racing and found a new thrill. Best to get it evaled by someone competent in sports med, get a referral to a PT and nip it in the bud.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
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