So I have been having some very irritating knee pain the last 3 weeks that really hasn’t gone away too much. I’ve been doing some running with it during my taper and its something where it gets to a certain pain level and then just kind of stays there. I went in to get it checked out today and the Dr. said it was from where and tear. He said something about some pad that had worn out or whatever. He did say running on it won’t do anymore damage but the pain might get pretty bad about mile 13. Since I’m on warfrin I cannot take any anti inflamatory. Therefore, he said about the only thing he could do is a localized cortozone shot with like a mild steroid. He says 1 of 3 things will happen. First, it will make it feel much better, 2nd it could take too long too help and I won’t feel anything for a few weeks, or 3rd it would cause more discomfort with the 3rd option the least likely.
Does anyone else have any experience with this? If so what would you recommend? My only other option is a crap load of Tylenol in my special needs bag or to just deal with the pain which is the way I’m leaning at this point.
I have had some very low dosage cortisone injections in my knee and it takes a couple of days for me to feel okay with bending and using the knee. The biggest issues being a giant needle being stuck in my knee and filling up the joint space with cortisone, lidocaine and something else.
I think other side effects could include swelling, infection, tenderness, etc.
I can’t guide you either way but it’s quite a gamble to take a needle right before an event. Of course, don’t NFL players do that on a regular basis?
Yes, this is my first IM. I have done a bunch of sprints, Olympics and 1 half IM (Lake Stevens). I did a 5:22 last year at Lake Stevens. I’m much more fit and about 10 lbs lighter this year. My goal time is around 12 hours. 1:15 swim, 5 min T1, 6:00 bike, 5 min t2, 4:30 run… I’m 6’1, 190 lbs and I was a soccer player by trade through college. Then I drank, smoked and ate for a living until I started getting back into shape about 4 years ago. My longest run ever was 18 miles @ 8:50 pace in zone 3a/3b during my peak week of training. All my long runs have been around 8:40 to 9:00 minute miles @ a HR of 145 or so with my my HR at 188. My VO2 max run test was 54 with my VO2 max power at 425. I just did the swim and bike at Lake Steven’s and did a 35 min. swim and averaged 20.4 for the first loop of the bike before I shut it down and coasted the 2nd lap. I’ve never had a knee injury before and never have had an injection or shot into my knee. At my peak I was about 260 lbs. My resting metabolic rate is about 2350 with no activity.
Any other info. you would need? Just thought I would throw it all out there.
Yes, In my experience relief begins the next morning and continues to improve for a few days. You will get benefit from it.
I’m trusting your doctor’s assessment that running won’t damage your knee further and therefore recommend you go for that treatment option.
Ok, let me get this straight, You can differentiate between zone 3a and 3b, have a collegiate level athletic background, have obviously trained your but off for an IM and walk out of the doctor’s office with “wear and tear” and “a pad is worn out or whatever”???
As an orthopedic surgeon, if you were my patient i would feel that I’ve let you down horribly. Three weeks of pain that occurs at a certain point during running can be a myriad of things. A cortisone shot is not a good idea prior to any athletic event, even if you were a pro.
You need a real diagnosis. A stress fracture/stress reaction is not something to run on. Ditto for a meniscus tear. There are alot of pains you can run through but without a clear diagnosis you are taking a real risk. I know time is short but a second opinion with a sports oriented physician would be prudent.
RCOPE, he did X-Rays and some other stuff. I just don’t remember all the technical jargain he went through. I have a crap load of things going through my brain right now. My Dr. is an accomplished triathlete himself whom knows me and my body well for he has been seeing me for quite awhile. He did look at both of those things you spoke about and neither were the cause of the issue. He also looked at all my tendons and those were in good working order. Sorry for not being more technical here for you. I’m a little ADD and didn’t really listen to all the technical stuff too much. I trust my Dr. enough that he wouldn’t lead me astray.
i had the same done before a marathon, it provided no benefit to me. I will say though it could just be me, it takes ~5x the normal amount of anesthesia at the dentist to numb my tooth.
Yeah, if we were two or three weeks out I would definitely go for it but I just don’t know how much good it will do this close to race day. I’m thinking a crap load of icing with some Tylenol at mile 13 of the run is all I’m going to do. It doesn’t hurt at all on the bike or in the swim so I’m good there.
Then I apologize for the (gentle) berating. IMO, a cortisone shot before a race is a bad idea. Ask your triathlete/doctor if he would consider an injection for himself prior to a race. I know that I wouldn’t. Even if the diagnosis was mild arthritis (which is the only diagnosis that matches your work-up and description). Stress fractures and meniscal pathology pretty much require an MRI for diagnosis. But a good physical exam and history may give your a doctor a low suspicion for those.
Have you tested the knee out at the same pace you plan to run the marathon at? Honestly if this is your first IM you prob won’t be doing much more than the IM shuffle at mile 13. My guess is that the overall pains of the day, adrenaline, etc will allow you soldier on with or without the knee pain.
Sounds like the right course to me. An earlier poster commented on possible injections into NFL athletes and my first thought was of the differential between his salary and what the typical age grouper “makes” from triathlon. Since you obviously trust your physician, as RCope noted, as a triathlete himself - who knows your exam and findings better than we internet wanna bes - what would his plan for race day be if your knee was his knee?
2001 a week before my first IM I had a cortozone shot in the knee for ITB. I was pain free for the event. 10 years later I haven’t had ITB again or knee issues (knock knock on wood).
I had a cortozone shot in the cartilage that attaches my rib to my sternum and it took about a week and a half to experience absolutely no pain when running. Best feeling ever! But ya, it took that long. I would say get the shot over ODing on tylenol or aleve. Oh you Americans are so lucky to have aleve!!