Beginner runner - knee pain!!

I’d do it but a slow jog, and not far. Just build up. I’d also order a knee support. Something like this,

www.amazon.co.uk/PowerLix-Compression-Knee-Sleeve-Basketball/dp/B07B3RXKGB/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=FD490OZVAOFQ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2LvFnocNGwMT6KyLX0kL1d3pWOlnHvR1IqFUxfIoubUJNANLY1QWp7KbsEYzfKZ7eWaUUAYcuGZ7zmIULVIL5EI2utBlWJKTK2uvjLCCxmilt6yN75giYLKvfqGLAlLLIue-pLY3eZ651lh01w8riFRkNRUcRw1fy-zvvbC_XajY7tXYTVgVYqhaT3RViWqh8COMKu_49_9j_3bsPrWV1sIgD0E6LOz1YxyWlmbD49tRgHcFP7Z3-lqFPo-b2uKC9gEmx7vs_GFUGNvZHB-Rtj8QrGmJxPAwShfkgMrWNTM.1jd9wTCQxC9CcFdqSx1ETzP-A4R81k2qc3xQe3wuVQQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=knew%2Bsupport%2Bfor%2Bwomen&qid=1778328719&sprefix=Knew%2B%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-2-spons&aref=cCHJJB36KS&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1&psc=1

I’m not sure this will solve your issue either, it will resolve in time.

ok so when I started running it was my ankles. I broke one years ago and after a few runs even waking was painful, I had a couple of days break, did something else, ie rowing, then moved to walking fast on a steep incline ( treadmill) as my ankles didn’t hurt doing this . The ankles strengthened. I prob didn’t run for a week or two. I then bought ankle straps, to hold my ankles in place as I ran, and the issue never came back, I don’t run without them now .

i also started got pain on my inner legs, by the knees, and at the same time as my ankles hurt, this wasn’t as bad, and was clearly muscular. I bought knee brace things, you know those leg sleeves things you wear, but found I didn’t really need them, my legs strengthened on their own and the pain stopped.

now I run pain free, but always always wear the ankle straps to do so.

so I’d focus on strengthening the muscles in your legs, get knee braces for running, thay hold the knee cap in place, and ensure you warm up, run only on flat surfaces, and don’t over do it, give yourself recovery time

i recall a thread on here several weeks ago, and someone wrote running is fun when it stops hurting, and that’s very true.

it maybe the pain stops and it co incides with your new shoes, but it is really more likely your muscles were not strong enough to do whay you were trying.

You won’t regret it!

File this advice with "weights make you bulky", "don't eat more than two eggs per week" "bread crusts will make your hair go curly" and "women over 40 shouldn't have long hair"

Being new to running or significant changes in running habit (terrain, distance, speed) can throw up underlying weaknesses and imbalances, but with careful training, recovery, strength work and good shoes these are normally managed relatively easily and long term you end up stronger. The impact is good for bone density (along with weights) and also the action of decompression along with the compression is good for softer tissues such as cartilage. The higher blood flow is also good for tissue such as ligaments that have a poorer blood flow such as muscles.

Long term people with knee issues are over represented by non-runners than runners. While excessive training at a professional level can be a long term issue, that's a tiny minority of runners.

DM loves to announce that runners have bad knees... as a dedicated non-runner, her knees have been screwed for decades since her mid-60s anyway. My knees are a hell of a lot happier since I took up running in my 30s than they were when I was a teen/ 20s. I might have lousy arthritis prone genes too... but at least I've done my best to optimise my bone density and delay the declines.

Walking is a great activity (I do a lot of that too), but it's much harder to maintain long term progression and has different benefits, especially once you're fit, especially if you don't have a lot of time or steep hills at your disposal.

Totally agree as I can't run in cushioned shoes as they hurt my knees.
I do underpronate but I'm natural heel to toe runner, so for me the flatter the shoe the better.
I don't get any knee pain & in fact running has taken away the creaking in my knees.
I strongly agree with everyone that says get gait analysis done!

The right shoe will stop your knees from hurting & strengthen them as running is great for your bones.
Although doing weights is the most beneficial for your bones the older you get.

running is the WORST thing to do for your joints and especially knees and if you want to permanently disable yourself and end up with lifelong issues carry on running but if not stop now! Power walking is great for working everything and doesn’t have the knock on effect to your knees running does

That's really interesting @Imbrocator, I'd be keen to see that study! Not sure I'd dare try it, but imagine it was the miracle cure?! Cheaper than trying several expensive pairs of shoes (I've gone through all the nike carbon "flys" in pursuit of a good race shoe- each one caused a different type of agony and expense!) Do you use plimsolls?

And @daisychain124 - someone upthread mentioned ITB - I was going to say the same. I had bad knee pain post-marathon last year, to the point where even sitting was painful, and it was my ITB in the end. Glute strengthening exercises help.

Also, welcome, you'll see home much runners love talking about their injuries!!

I’m going to give you what a lot of people will consider a controversial opinion, but the best way to prevent knee pain is to run in a thin soled, zero drop shoe.

A typical running trainer tends to raise you up at the heel. Conversely, this also tends to encourage a heel strike. The way our bodies are built means that the Achilles tendon compresses when we perform a mid or forefoot strike, contracting like an elastic band as it absorbs the force and redistributing it into forward motion.

Running with a heel strike disrupts this, because instead of the force being absorbed by our tendon it’s instead sent straight up the knee, where it causes damage. Thick, cushioned shoes soften that impact for heel strikers, but all that does is make it harder to notice that you’re doing yourself damage.

The reason I recommend a thin, flat soled shoe like a plimsole is because it’s physically impossible to run with bad form - it’s literally agony. You have to run properly or you’ll be crawling home. It makes you very conscious of what you’re getting wrong and you get immediate physical feedback about it. You should never push through the pain with a thin soled shoe, but it can really help you figure out what you’re doing wrong if you don’t have someone to spot you all the time.

If you’ve injured yourself the best thing is rest (it can take up to six weeks to heal!) and gentle strengthening exercises, but it’s something to consider for future. You can buy all manner of fancy (and expensive) “barefoot” shoes but you can get a pair of cheap plimsoles for next to nothing and they’ll do you just fine.

I’m struggling to dig out the link, but one study famously found that the only correlation between injuries caused and price was that the more you pay for your shoe, the more likely you are to suffer injuries. At best, even the fancy running brands fail to conclusively prove that their shoes prevent injuries. The best possible way to prevent it is by having really good running form.

Good luck, and hope you manage to get back out there again soon!

I used to run trail marathons and had knee issues. This is what worked for me:

1. Body-weight squats regularly to increase knee muscles

1. Shorten stride length and increase running step cadence.

I wear Asics and go for the GT1000 or GT2000 because they are suitable if you over pronate. With horses it is essential to have good foot balance, a farrier can see how a horse in front of him moves and any deviation in correct movement or landing pattern needs correction to the shape of the foot or type of shoe. Same for humans. If your foot is out of balance it will have a knock on effect in your limbs as your body over compensates.

Gait analysis is the way forward. My partner who has had both knees replaced has the most dreadful pair of trainers. Thin soles and so weak round the toe box, no support to his feet, they actually make them over pronate dreadfully! He wonders why his knees ache. If I nip out to the garden in them to put the bin out or hang the washing on the line I ache for the rest of the day as my limbs are all thrown out of balance. Its so important to get foot balance right.

Clam shells

Get a foot assessment and maybe orthotics

I got knee pain from running loads in Covid . I went to physio who could find anything wrong ie damaged. It was only by luck I started stretching and found my inner thigh muscles were really tight. When I’d loosened them up the knee pain went. Long story short, I got some custom insoles in my running shoes as it was the foot instability that was aggravating the thigh muscles and tightening everything up. If I run without insoles the knee issue comes back.

knee pain (often) comes from the hip
look up strength exercises that target hips & hip mobility.

wrt shoes - not everone get on with 'supershoes'. I find them really uncomfortable and too bouncy.
go to a shop tgat sells several different brands and try out a few different brands and styles.

A running shop local to me let's you take trainers back for a refund, within a certain period if you run and dont get on with them!
You do often pay more than deals online but its worth it if trying something new.
Having said that I bought a pair of trainers today, in a running shop that does gait analysis, for £90, which is a pretty good price

Gait analysis is definitely worth it. And even just one physio session to get prescribed the right exercises.
How many times a week are you running? Runna plans can up distance quite aggressively. I got injured recently doing a Runna marathon plan and from further googling it looks like a common issue!

Agree with getting gait analysis and professionally fitted shoes suitable for your running style. Expect to spend about an hour + and £100+.

They’ll ask you to run on a treadmill and watch how your feet land as you run, and then advise on shoes suited to this, and your foot shape. They may advise on insoles to optimise your foot position. It will be time and money well spent.

Well my advice are the two things you’ve ruled out: checking your trainers, and physiotherapy.

You do need to strengthen the glute and quad muscles. But it’s tricky to advise if you don’t know the cause of the pain.

You could try slow split squats or lunges, and squats. But you really need professional advice.

Make sure you warm up properly, that makes a real difference. It will likely be a weakness in your tendons rather than joints. Look up IT band syndrome, this is very common and there are exercises that can help you strengthen this. In the meantime, I found running with these helped me. https://amzn.eu/d/07Ea1Fyr

I had so much shin, knee, ankle etc pain, and ended up getting custom orthotics, which cost a lot, but made a big difference. I used Ennertor, which also do off-the-shelf ones that would be worth a try to start with - even those ones made some difference to me.

I also had to wear a knee support on each knee - the Bauerfiend ones are highly rated, but also highly expensive, but I found that the cheap copy ones from amazon seemed to do just as good a job once my original expensive ones wore out. (this kind of thing: knee brace)