Giving up on running and triathlon because I can't run

have you tried glucosamine and chondroitin? after my first daughter was born, i had knee pain from having carried so much extra weight (not just her, a lot of extra me too). it really seemed to help. i've been taking it since i started running since after the first few runs i had some knee pain. since i started taking it, and also doing some strength postures in yoga that are good for the knees, my knee pain has gone away. best of luck to you.

I saw your log. You said that you gained 2 kg (~4-5 pounds) during these weeks. It may sound like litle, but this extra weigth can make the impact on your knees higher. Also, in two weeks withou any running, you weaken your legs, inclunding the bones and joints. If you could run before and nothing really serious happened(it was only a bad flu), there is no reason to believe that you will not go back to at least the state you were one month ago.

Don't give up!!!!! Try the glucocamine as suggested earlier; I'm not sure if it works but I take one every once in awhile just to be on the safe side. Hey! it might help and at best...it can't hurt! You might also try a tensor knee brace to keep the knee aligned; these can be bought at your local pharmacy for ten dollars or so. Whatever you do, don't give up. Walk if you have to and jog ever so slightly when you can, but don't give up! You might even try a bit of fast-walking which is much easier on the knees; one foot always remains on the ground. My own jogging gait is an extended fast walk. And do not think that it is goofy or slow; while doing speed work on the local track a few years ago I was pased by a female fast walker as if I were standing still! :-O

DON'T GIVE UP! Try going to PT. Where does the knee hurt? Could be an old injury, or IT band problem. If you can't go to PT, try doing some quad strengthening.

Stay with us! You can do it! ;-)

Are you wearing the proper shoe? Do you have motion in your foot when it strikes the ground? I just went to a podiatrist yesterday and he told me that the slightest motion in the foot can affect knee. I suggest going to a sport podiatrist and have him watch you walk and run and he can tell you whether or not you need an orthotic. If I run without the orthotic my knees hurt so bad that I am useless the rest of the day. With the orthotics in the shoe I can do anything.

Mike

I agree with Nancy.  Last year I went to a race in Florida and there was a guy there that looked as fit as could be.  He told everyone that he would do fine in the swim and bike but he would get passed on the run.  When asked why, he told everyone that he had two knee replacements and two hip replacements and that he probably had no reason to be out there, but he loved the sport.  He race walked the run, and finished the race with a smile on his face.  I say that even if you have to walk because of your knee, and you still have the urge to tri do it.  You will still finish amoung friends.

Steven, don't give up just yet. I horked up my knees pretty good, while in the Army. Running on pavement, 12M road marches with 65lb rucksacks, jumping out of airplanes, etc. Since I got out of the Army, I've strengthened my quads and hamstrings, I take glucosamine chondroitin daily, taken up skiing, and I love to hike. Before the glucosamine, my knees would 'pop' (with resulting pain) just walking up steps. Now, they're fine: I just ran 4 miles the other day for the first time since leaving the Army!

See a doctor/PT, look into the glucosamine, and DON'T allow a temporary setback to get the better of you! Worst case scenario: you can do relay tris, where you'd swim and/or bike and have a friend to the run.

Triathlons aren't the goal, fitness is the goal. Triathlons are the means to the goal.

Knee pain can be a common, although irritating condition. I urge you to see a sports medicine physician who has experience with such things. An x-ray should be done initially as this can help show if you have arthritis or not, or any other mechanical deficiences. A sports medicine physician can help decide if you have soft tissue injury such as a torn meniscus, ligament, etc. or a condition called chondromalacia which is a softening of the tissue under the kneecap that causes pain, especially with running.
I played soccer for 14 years and volleyball for 15 and tore my posterior cruciate ligament playing volleyball my freshmen year in college. I went on to make a full recovery and played for a national championship team on a full scholarship. More recently, I underwent knee surgery in Dec. 2002 for a suspected torn meniscus. Turns out I just had scar tissue that needed cleaning out (prior to surgery I could barely walk and any type of exercise was out of the question). After rehab and PT I've returned to full activities and have NO knee pain whatsoever with running. My physician also said I have chondromalacia at that time.
I am now training for an olympic distance tri in June and hope to complete a half-ironman in Sept.
The moral of the story is...see a sports physician, research your options, and don't give up until you've gotten a good medical opinion.

to echo other sentiments already posted.....

TELL your doctor to order an MRI. If he won't, find another doctor who will, preferably a sports medicine dr who is also an athlete. The MRI will give you a much better picture of what is going on and help decide what your course of action should be.

As everyone here knows all too well, I had some knee pain a few months ago and could barely walk from my car to class, never mind run. With the correct diagnosis and proper treatment, I am now running again and training for a half dozen races this summer.

Don't throw in the towel just yet, just be your own best advocate for good health care.

don't give up. you run!!!! 55 min of 10k after 1.5k swim is a great result !!!!!
you were sick ,and your body requires certain amount of the time to recover.
take all the rest you need inorder to get back on track.
good luck.

Orthopedic sport opinion- absolutely - and bring your running shoes with you ! If you look back over posts and in any running journal- knees hurting ONLY when you run points to a mechanical problem-with your gait or shoes- if you can cycle, walk swim, painfree- it is worth the effort to determine the source of your pain. Not that long ago I was having knee issues- changed shoes and evaluated how quickly I was trying to increase time & distance- voila- MUCH better !
Take a minute to read a few posts - those who have overcome MUCH in the way of injury/ pain/ etc- and they are "still tri'ing"- You can too !!!

There is a lot of good advice here! I agree with going to see a sports medicine specialist and a physiotherapist. Often, sports clinics operate with several disciplines involved so that you get the right medicine (if needed), tests and therapy. Check out one if you can. I had terrible knee problems a few years ago, and now am doing well.
Don't give up something that you love without a fight!!
Jen

There is another option too. If you can still bike or swim, consider trying to hook up in team events, that way you won't have to endure the pounding of the running. And you still get to compete in the triathlons!

Max

Edited by max 2004-04-10 7:14 PM

Hey Steve - hang in - you might thinka bout race or power walking during rehab or even to do the tri. My coach's dad power walks the run part of the tri. Would you believe that the work record for men in race walking is 5:38 This guy does about a mile and 3/4 in the time it takes me to run a mile! Anyway - here's a link to a good article on the topic of power walking at the Univ. of Pitt. sports medicine center - lots of good links there too.
http://sportsmedicine.upmc.com/MySportWalking.htm

Thanks for all the advice and encouragement. Walking is not my cup of tea.
Will see how things go with my legs.....will start going for swim training with local tri club tomorrow and seek further medical advice if problem still persists after few weeks.

I am a overpronator(low arch feet) after getting a free consultation by a podiatrist.
I wear running shoes such as Brooks Beast and now New Balance 855.Have been wearing the New Balance 855 since last december with no problems.

Same shoes since last December? How far do you typically run? Maybe your knee pain is a result of wearing out your shoes. The tread on the bottom may be fine, but have you trashed the heels? Still, see a doctor or PT, but you may want to check your shoes.

Place the shoes on a flat surface, and look at the heels. If they are worn to one side or the other, it's definitely time to replace them.

Also, have you considered aqua-running until you figure out what's up with your knees? 'Running' in the pool will take a large portion of stress off your knees.

The common diagnosis is "runner's knee." What you may want to consider (not that I'm against taking any and all supplements before fixing the problem internally) is a good long session with a massage therapist. Typically, your iliotibial band tightens up too much, causing you to feel pain in your knee.

I had that problem after my marathon, and also during my ironman. Proper deep tissue massage (even self massage with one of those massage balls that you can roll on the outside of your thigh up to your butt) can alleviate and properly stretch out the muscles.

Once you've tried that, before every run that you do, warm up by walking for about 5 minutes, instead of jumping out the door and breaking into a sprint. Knee flexion stretches, hip stretches....critical for avid runners to prevent injury. Your knee hurting does not only mean there's a problem with the knee per se, but with the mechanics of the leg. Proper running shoes also can alleviate the problem by fixing your running gait. Also, make sure your running nearly upright, shoulders relaxed, hands relaxed in a slightly closed fist. An easy way to envision it is, standing straight up, narrow your eyes down a few feet in front of you, and lean slightly. Keep your core muscles relaxed but moderately tightened, and run from the hip, forward. And, instead of clogging your feet as you run, envision yourself running as lightly as a feather. You shouldn't clonk your feet in such a way, that the person half a mile ahead of you hears you coming. That person should barely know you're there. If you're clonking, you've got the wrong shoe, and your running is not as efficient as it could be.

Also, when you're running, decrease the amount of time that your feet touch the ground. High turnover rate with your legs keep lactic acid from building up, and from your muscles (i.e., those that work together with your knee!) tightening too much. It also allows you to feel as if you're running faster (you actually may start getting faster).

So, to conclude my long lecture, work with your legs... 1. get a massage 2. stretch and warm up prior to beginning your run or bike 3. be sure to ingest the proper nutritrients like electrolytes, magnesium, potassium, sodium, antioxidants, etc... 4. practice good form before thinking about practicing speed.

There, I've done it. My first lecture.

Good luck!

Regarding Glucosamine and Chondroitin:

If you do decide to venture into this line of nutrition, consider taking glucosamine 500mg +MSM. I won't go into the chemical aspects as much as I'd like to, being a chemist, but, as a nutritionist, this is the farthest I'd like to recommend. Essentially, Glucosamine will help with your cartilage; Chondroitin pretty much reverts into glucosamine in a series of steps, but almost works to rebuild lost cartilage. MSM is a sulfa product which works like a cushion, alleviating some joint pain.

NSAIDs are another issue. You don't want to start popping pills every time you feel pain. So, remember some of my suggestions on my previous post, regarding physical repair rather than "pill" repair.

A little suggestion for all the beginners: invest in some body glide "heat." Rubbing this product (comes in a dispenser that looks like deodorant) can loosen up your muscles. Adding a little massage once you've applied the product makes it even better.

Happy Training, folks! And remember: Balance, consistency, and moderation!

Try avacados! I was having joint pain and a buddy told me about how avacados have this natural joint lube in them.  I've been putting them in my salads and sandwichs.  I've noticed that my joints feel 100% better.  Hang in there!

Wow - fantasdtic thread. I’m in awe.

I’m checking out some of this stuff as I have knee “issues” and want to avoid the knife if possible.


Thanks everyone!


Edited by mikenhe 2004-04-12 8:49 AM