Looking for some advice. I’ve developed a knee pain on the inside of my left knee that seems to be bothering me every time i run. Most articles i have read online about knee pain (for runners) have something to do with IT band. Anybody have any experience with this type of pain on the inside of the knee? I’ve been too scared to go to the doctor in fear of what they might say which is “QUIT RUNNING!”. I’m currently signed up for IM AZ in 2 weeks and am wondering to push thru the pain and run the next 2 weeks, or stay off the knee (by biking instead) until race day! I’m afraid of losing my running base! Please help!
I suffered from knee pain when running, then took a year off the bike and discovered my “running” knee pain went away when I wasn’t biking. Maybe something to consider.
see a docter, if they tell you to stop running there is a reason behind it! don’t risk a injury that may not only put you out of a race but also prevent you from enojying a active lifestyle in the future.
My guess is depending on your base at 2 weeks out you could allmost completly cut out longer runs and not effect your race in an negative way. Frequency is still important just cut back on quantity.
Are you sure its running thats hurting your knee, I’ve had a similar pain and though it hurt on the run portion of bricks it was a badly positioned cleat that was causing the initial pain. (well that and doing a 1/2 on a whim after only training for oly distance that season).
hopefully is not your situation… but I had pain in inside knee and ortho initially thought it was meniscus but MRI showed stress fracture in knee. Result, no running for 8 weeks. You should get it checked out. Mine was due to running only.
I’ve also had inner knee pain from running before. New shoes helped as did orthotics plus taking a little break from running. It still flares up from time to time but never gets really bad and I can run through it.
I agree with a previous poster that you won’t lose much by cutting back on your running mileage since you’re in taper. At this point, I would concentrate on the biking and swimming with only the occasional run.
Yeah go to an orthopedic doctor and have him take an xray to rule out a stress fracture, but “inside” or medial knee pain will not be from the IT Band as this is on the outside of the knee. Don’t run and don’t race if it is a stress fracture, follow his orders. Chances are it is pes anserine bursitis which responds well to ice as an antiinflam. Use a Ziploc full of ice, put it directly on the skin for 10-15 minutes 5 times/day. Wrap it on with an ACE wrap if you have to stand and do stuff. Get a PT referral for a visit or two prior to the race if you can Ultrasound/Electric Stim etc. to help speed healing. Don’t worry about running mileage. Get an aqua jogger overnited to you from Keifer (Google search it online) and run in the pool 30 minutes for each scheduled run and focus on the swim and bike. Test the knee the week before the race on the pavement. If it is ok you will be fine to start the race. Stop the race or walk the run if the knee is killing you during it. Don’t overpush yourself during the race to take you out of the game for the rest of the season…in that case better to DNF. Really do go to the ortho doc, a stress fracture that you keep running on can become a career ending injury!
I’m in a very similar situation. I developed pain on my right knee, medial aspect, near the tibial head during the last 2 miles of an 18 miler 2 weeks ago in prep for IMAZ. I took a few days off and tried it out but pain came back after a few miles. It only flairs up when running, but I did notice it trying to push a big gear up a hill on the bike.
Went to the ortho Doc. this week and had x-rays done. Nothing obvious on x-ray, MRI is scheduled for Monday. I’ve been doing the elliptical trainer in the gym the last week and will continue until I hear back on the MRI. I really don’t like the prospect of DNF’ing at IMAZ or walking a marathon. I am hoping for good news when I go back to the Doc. on Thursday.
Long story short, go find an ortho Doc., preferably a sports med guy and see if they can see you quickly. Explain to the front desk people that you are a triathlete and have a big race coming up in 2 weeks and need to get in right away if possible. Luckily for me one of the guys I train with is PA for a knee Doc. at a big ortho office and he was able to get me right in. Good luck, see in 2 weeks, hopefully we willboth be racing.