Me and my DODGY knees

I am FAT and I RUN so it’s hardly surprising that I have knee pain right? Cos everyone knows that running seriously takes its toll on the knee joints particularly if you are overweight, have bad form or crap trainers. So considering my weight and the amount of running I have done over the past 10 years it’s quite surprising I have any cartilage left all.

Back in my twenties I used my dodgy knees as an excuse for not running all together, but I would happily spend hours at the weekend doing the running man, the shuffle and the two step around my handbag in the nightclubs of East London with no such trouble.

In fact I think during my drinking days I put my knees, and my body more generally through 10x more stress and strain than any created through my running. In fact on one occasion whilst drinking I slipped on a crisp wrapper whilst following (ie dancing behind) a float at Notting Hill Carnival, twisting my knee as I went, I got back up no problem, laughed it off and carried on partying, but the problem was the alcohol numbed the pain and it wasn’t until the next day that I realised I couldn’t walk…AT ALL.

A trip to A&E revealed I had torn all of the ligaments in my right knee. I had no movement up and down and twisting caused the most excruciating pain. What followed was 6 weeks on crutches and a further 6 months of physiotherapy and ultra sound to repair the damage, and get this…no swimming, which at that time was the only exercise I did.

About a year (and 3 stone) later a lady I worked with suggested I gave running a go to aid my weightloss, but I told her about my knees expecting her to give up and agree with me that running wouldn’t be wise, but instead she said that running if done correctly would strengthen my knees…and I never looked back.

In the 10 years of running that followed I have never once encountered knee pain…until now that is. So hundreds of 5ks, about fifty 10ks, 10 half marathons and a full marathon without so much as a twinge.

So why now??? I’m not even at my heaviest anymore.

Let me describe the pain. It’s only in my right knee although my left knee doesn’t feel to steady either. It’s been there for about 8 to 10 weeks now. It didn’t hurt to run on at first, and I mainly felt it when getting up and down from the sofa…so when the joint bends. But yesterday when I went for my long run I could feel the pain slightly and I am sure the pain is getting worse.

For the first time ever I am a little worried about my capacity to run another long distance run. I mean you only have one pair of knees. You can’t replace them like you can your hips or your toenails.

So what’s the verdict? Should I stop running until I find out what it is…and who should I go to, my GP or a sports injury professional? Anyone else have problems with their knees?

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