The short story: I have pain 2-3 cm beneath and behind my knee – top of the calf, more or less - and radiating down the inside of the calf. It started small, increased to the point of painful while running and is unresolved by a cortisone shot and a month of PT (no running since early August). Today, there's no pain in walking around, climbing stairs. BUT, within 5 footstrikes of running – or running stairs – the pain returns in the same locations. Knee MR yielded no insight. Any advice/suggestions? Thanks for the help!
Long story: Late May I noticed that my right knee/calf was a tiny bit sore the day after a run. This progressed to more prolonged and intense soreness, then pain after running through mid-June. Although my knee felt involved, the initial pain was at the top of the calf, behind the knee, maybe a 2-3 cm down from the center of the knee. No change in intensity or volume during this period. During this period, I was at 12-20 mpw.
By late June my knee/calf hurt while I was running. You would think that I'd stop running and get it looked at, right? Well, I had two duathlons scheduled, one in late July and one in early August. And I'd be on family vacation the first two weeks of July – so I decided not to run for those two weeks, get better and race on 18 July. My knee/calf did feel ok during vacation (lots of city walking), so I raced the sprint du on the 18th. The first run was OK, the 2nd run was painful, but I finished. I could not climb (or descend) the stairs the next day, my knee/leg was so painful. So, I see a sports med MD highly recommended by my local running community. No particular diagnosis – maybe a Baker's cyst that had broken during the du (that would be the approximately correct location of the pain near the top of the calf) – maybe 'runner's knee'. So, I go home with some hip strengthening exercises and a patella strap. Of course, I mention my next du, scheduled 08 August. Doc says – if it doesn't feel great and you want to race, I'll give you a shot on the Wednesday before and you'll be good to go that Saturday. So, it doesn't feel great, I get the shot. Could not finish the 1st run (5k) without limping/walking the last mile or so. Cycling has never seem to aggravate the problem, so I did the bike portion (40k). Then I pulled off my chip in T2, found an official and was a DNF for the first time ever.
So, I'm a 54 y/o male – and I get a knee MR. Nothing remarkable, no meniscal tear, nothing out of the ordinary. So, physical therapy and rehab for the last month – I'm still in the same place, pain-wise. Here's the detailed issue now...no pain walking. But, running up the stairs or just plain running – even the first 5 steps – causes a pain behind my knee, same spot as before and radiating down the inside of my calf. Also, with manipulation of my lower leg, that spot behind the knee is super sore and the soreness/nerve pain extends down my calf on the inside of the leg. No running since early August and lots of PT, both on hip and calf. Still exactly the same as July. Any advice/suggestions?
Long story: Late May I noticed that my right knee/calf was a tiny bit sore the day after a run. This progressed to more prolonged and intense soreness, then pain after running through mid-June. Although my knee felt involved, the initial pain was at the top of the calf, behind the knee, maybe a 2-3 cm down from the center of the knee. No change in intensity or volume during this period. During this period, I was at 12-20 mpw.
By late June my knee/calf hurt while I was running. You would think that I'd stop running and get it looked at, right? Well, I had two duathlons scheduled, one in late July and one in early August. And I'd be on family vacation the first two weeks of July – so I decided not to run for those two weeks, get better and race on 18 July. My knee/calf did feel ok during vacation (lots of city walking), so I raced the sprint du on the 18th. The first run was OK, the 2nd run was painful, but I finished. I could not climb (or descend) the stairs the next day, my knee/leg was so painful. So, I see a sports med MD highly recommended by my local running community. No particular diagnosis – maybe a Baker's cyst that had broken during the du (that would be the approximately correct location of the pain near the top of the calf) – maybe 'runner's knee'. So, I go home with some hip strengthening exercises and a patella strap. Of course, I mention my next du, scheduled 08 August. Doc says – if it doesn't feel great and you want to race, I'll give you a shot on the Wednesday before and you'll be good to go that Saturday. So, it doesn't feel great, I get the shot. Could not finish the 1st run (5k) without limping/walking the last mile or so. Cycling has never seem to aggravate the problem, so I did the bike portion (40k). Then I pulled off my chip in T2, found an official and was a DNF for the first time ever.
So, I'm a 54 y/o male – and I get a knee MR. Nothing remarkable, no meniscal tear, nothing out of the ordinary. So, physical therapy and rehab for the last month – I'm still in the same place, pain-wise. Here's the detailed issue now...no pain walking. But, running up the stairs or just plain running – even the first 5 steps – causes a pain behind my knee, same spot as before and radiating down the inside of my calf. Also, with manipulation of my lower leg, that spot behind the knee is super sore and the soreness/nerve pain extends down my calf on the inside of the leg. No running since early August and lots of PT, both on hip and calf. Still exactly the same as July. Any advice/suggestions?