Fitness gurus, help please!

[WelshDragon]

Hello! This is a bit long, sorry in advance!

I have been running (only 30 minutes a day) for some time but had to stop just over 3 weeks ago when I had a minor foot operation. A few days before I stopped running, I started getting a pain on the outer side of my knee and the last day I ran I ended up barely being able to walk. It was really painful going up and down stairs. I had a few days off and my knee stopped hurting. After my little op I carried on exercising using a cycle trainer, although I am a bit lazier at cycling than running! Again just 30 minutes a day.

I thought my knee was sorted but having been back out for a run today, the pain is back. I can barely walk at times, yet there are spells where there is no evidence of an issue. Going up and down stairs is excruciating!

I have googled (who wouldn’t) and to my untrained eye it looks as if I have illiotibial band syndrome. The doubt I have in my mind is that as I only do 30 minutes aerobic exercise a day 5 days a week (I do also walk for around an hour and half every day), I can’t see how this could be deemed to be excessive. Oh I’m pushing on mid 50s age wise, although in my head I’m still 18.

Anyone had any experience of this and can share ideas of what I can do? It’s not exactly easy at the moment to sort any treatment! My gut instinct is that I am going to have to ‘give it a rest’ for a while.

Any thoughts gratefully received.

[weeksy]

Just my 2p

Running is proper hard on knees, find just about anything else instead

[WelshDragon]

Just my 2p

Running is proper hard on knees, find just about anything else instead

Yeah. I have avoided it for most of my life TBH but apparently when a lady (I class myself as one of those ) reaches a certain age, running is good for maintaining bone density, so I started about 5 years ago. Never had this problem before. It’s a right bummer!

[hilldweller]

Running is proper hard on knees, find just about anything else instead

I have long noticed, observing runners from my bicycle/bike/car they never look happy.

So I don't.

Normal women in particular were not built for it, all their bits go flying off in different directions as if their shock absorbers are not up to the job.

[Skub]

I have long noticed, observing runners from my bicycle/bike/car they never look happy.

So I don't.

Normal women in particular were not built for it, all their bits go flying off in different directions as if their shock absorbers are not up to the job.

Funny,I've never minded watching that part/parts.

For myself,I enjoy walking,so I walk. If you do it hard enough it's all the cardio you'll need to be fit for life.

[singlesman]

Hi WelshDragon, as a fellow senior runner I feel your pain!!!
Started running in my mid forties and remember at the time it felt like I was running from one injury to the next, really frustrating but eventually figured out you can’t run through proper injuries, you just have to rest and start again carefully, when properly recovered.
You really should get a diagnosis from a sports physio as well if poss, the best ones I’ve dealt with have unfailingly been the free NHS ones, not the £60 for 10 minutes charlatans though they might be a bit busy at the moment.
Approaching sixty now and although any running speed is fast disappearing I can happily run 10/15 miles at a reasonable pace and can’t remember the last time an injury stopped me going out. So stick with it, you will get stronger and less injury prone, but it is quite a high impact sport so maybe start out running every other day, or every couple of days and build from there.
Good luck, Paul.

[singlesman]

Is it possible/probable the knee issue was caused by running on a damaged foot?

[Buckaroo]

ITB stress or inflammation can be helped by post exercise stretching and using a roller. Its often a sign of over doing it, such as grinding gears up steep hills rather than pedal a lower gear at higher cadence.
I'd ease off a tad and Google ITB stretching exercise.
Good luck and stay with it, the pay back is worth it

[WelshDragon]

Hi WelshDragon, as a fellow senior runner I feel your pain!!!
Started running in my mid forties and remember at the time it felt like I was running from one injury to the next, really frustrating but eventually figured out you can’t run through proper injuries, you just have to rest and start again carefully, when properly recovered.
You really should get a diagnosis from a sports physio as well if poss, the best ones I’ve dealt with have unfailingly been the free NHS ones, not the £60 for 10 minutes charlatans though they might be a bit busy at the moment.
Approaching sixty now and although any running speed is fast disappearing I can happily run 10/15 miles at a reasonable pace and can’t remember the last time an injury stopped me going out. So stick with it, you will get stronger and less injury prone, but it is quite a high impact sport so maybe start out running every other day, or every couple of days and build from there.
Good luck, Paul.

Thank you for both the encouragement and advice. It’s funny but you’re right, having been sensible and built up time running gradually I had no issues initially but then a couple of years in I started getting soreness in my heal, diagnosed as plantar fasciitis!! That came out of nowhere. I went back to cycling after that for a bit but that causes me numbness in my feet, even with a really skinny cycle seat, hence the move back to running. Trouble is I’m my own worse enemy, stubborn and so don’t like to ‘give in’ as I see it. ‘Discretion is the better part of valour’ I think applies here!

[WelshDragon]

Is it possible/probable the knee issue was caused by running on a damaged foot?

I wish I could attribute it to that but the foot issue was a small biopsy with 1 stitch on a potential Basel cell carcinoma (thankfully found not to be this time) so not related.

[WelshDragon]

ITB stress or inflammation can be helped by post exercise stretching and using a roller. Its often a sign of over doing it, such as grinding gears up steep hills rather than pedal a lower gear at higher cadence.
I'd ease off a tad and Google ITB stretching exercise.
Good luck and stay with it, the pay back is worth it

This stubborn old mule is gonna have to listen to peeps who know best and rest up for a while! I certainly never listen to my husband. Maybe time to start my Pilates exercises up again!

[Dodgy69]

Don't run, too much shock. Even walking can cause issues depending on ailments. I get Metatarsalgia, inflammation of metatarsal heads, just behind toes and causes pain when walking any distance.

I had Dodgy knees a couple of years ago, all sorted now. Cycling was my cure. No shock but plenty of movement. If you find cycling difficult, maybe too many hills, seriously consider an ebike. My wife is loving hers. She's an unfit 52, but getting fitter by the day.

My dread of old age is without doubt, losing my mobility. We all need to look after ourselves and cycling outdoors is great for mind and body.

[Nordboy]

As been said, running is horrendous on the body, well some bodies, it's very unforgiving. After my partial achillies tear about 3.5 yrs ago, and subsequent issues fixing that which eventually involved medical intervention, I haven't run at all.

My ebike has been an absolute god send, getting me out and keeping me active even though during my injury period I put on a load of weight. I'm still pretty unfit but yesterday managed a 2 hour ride, just over 25 miles, mostly off road, and apart from a sore arse, no lasting issues. It was an expensive purchase but I think it's been worth every penny, and I love getting up into the hills, in the middle of nowhere (that's what it feels like) so the mental health aspect is great as well, especially at the moment.

[WelshDragon]

As been said, running is horrendous on the body, well some bodies, it's very unforgiving. After my partial achillies tear about 3.5 yrs ago, and subsequent issues fixing that which eventually involved medical intervention, I haven't run at all.

My ebike has been an absolute god send, getting me out and keeping me active even though during my injury period I put on a load of weight. I'm still pretty unfit but yesterday managed a 2 hour ride, just over 25 miles, mostly off road, and apart from a sore arse, no lasting issues. It was an expensive purchase but I think it's been worth every penny, and I love getting up into the hills, in the middle of nowhere (that's what it feels like) so the mental health aspect is great as well, especially at the moment.

Thanks Nordboy. Sorry to hear of your injury. Sounds a lot worse than mine! 2 hours on a bike when your bum isn’t used to the saddle will have a few after effects but in my experience your bum hardens to it fairly quickly. Getting on a bike the next day was always a wince moment for me! It always amazes me how quickly one becomes unfit but how long it takes to get fit again or is that just how it feels!!

Gentle walking for me at the moment me thinks just to keep moving but no over doing it! Doesn’t stop me doing Pop Master (badly) though.

[bob_summers]

I concur, it's a brutal sport although I'm coming from a fell running perspective. I keep a monthly physio appointment open whether I need it or not. Chances are, I've a niggle when the appointment comes around. Problem is, if I did all the strengthening exercises she sets me, I wouldn't have time to run. Before COVID I was recovering from a nasty ankle sprain, so have barely run this year.

That said, plenty of people do run problem free. Try the C25K program for a gradual build-up. Or just walk everywhere! I've done that to recover injuries - takes me 2h to walk to work and it's cross-country so I do that 2 or 3 times a week (train home or vice versa) building up to trotting and eventually running.

[WelshDragon]

Good morning all!

Thanks to everyone for your advice, tips, warnings and encouragement! I have always tried to keep reasonably fit, including cycling or walking to and from work every day but as the years have progressed so the niggles have become more prominent! Don’t they say age is all in the mind. That’s true but sadly in my mind my age is 18 not the mid 50s that I am and so I always expect to do as well, be as fast, do as much as I have always done!

The knee issue, which is also causing a few ‘pulling’ issues at my hip, is probably my wake up call. I don’t want to end up with a knock on effect of not being able to ride pillion (these days) on our motorbike. My problem is taking advice and not pushing too hard to keep going!

I cannot for love nor money sit on my bum all day so at the moment I have resorted to gentle walks and cycling on the trainer in the garage. The length of the waiting list to see our physio is not encouraging but TBH as the excruciating pain of putting one foot in front of the other, particularly bending the knee to go down stairs, has eased then I certainly don’t warrant an expedited appointment.

Again big thanks for your input!

[PitaNaanRoti]

Avoid road/pavement running at all costs - ESPECIALLY in the supposed comfort/shock-absorbing trainers they sell.
Trail run, grass, etc work because they cause you to fire stabilising muscles.
Road running pretty much always causes you you heel strike thus the pain and injury.
Take your shoes off and see if you land on your heels.......
The bodies natural gait will mean you mid to fore-foot strike which then allows your calves to work how they should - as shock-absorbers in line with your other muscles.