anyone have an idea what I did to my knee?
OKay here is the story with a little background, bare with me please. I used to get some knee pain from running when I first started. I thought maybe it was due to excess weight. I have since lost 30lbs and worked on strengthening the muscles in my legs for hopefully more support for my knees or at least to take some of the load off of them. My knees had been fine for about a year. Then about 5-6 months ago I was changing up my workout and running more sprints, more challenging squats, lunges, jumping type exercises like burpees and jump squats. Well I think I must have over did it because one day I went to run and my left knee just gave out, I could not run. It was NOT really painfull like I had tore anything but my knee just wouldn't support my body to run, I would just limp. I quit running for 2 weeks and just rode the stationary bikes. Then I attempted the treadmill and everything seemed fine, but the next day my knee was quite sore, especially going up and down stairs. So I quit running again but kept up with the bike and weights. I added squats back into my routine but those made my knee very sore afterwards, again it was mainly when going up or especially down stairs. So for about 4 months I did no running, no squats, no lunges, just bike, upper body weights, pushups, things like that. I slowly added running back and have been fine. Then I slowly added squats back and as long as I keep good form and dont do to many (I used to do 100 no problem, now I stop at 50) I am good after that but if I do just a few lunges I will hurt later. But the pain isn't there during the lunges only after and mainly only when on stairs, it is only that bending motion and putting my weight on that leg alone when stepping down the stairs. Also if I put the treadmill on an incline my kneed will hurt later. And I never noticed this before but now since all of this when I do squats or the few times I attempted lunges I can feel a weird popping sensation in my knee. The "popping" and pain all feel to be in the center of my knee behind my knee cap (patella?) So I just don't do things that make my knee hurt but sometimes I will overdo it at the gym and my knee will be a little sore. I don't know if I didn't give whatever happened in the beginning enough time to heal and should take another longer break from running/squats or if I damaged something and I just have to change my workouts so that I don't cause further damage and pain. I am 17lbs away from my final goal weight so I will be in the range of what is recommended for my height. so I don't feel the problem should be weight related anymore. Any thoughts? I have been told a little bit about knee pain from your IT band and stretching that out with a foam roller but I dont know that a tight IT band would do what I am describing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Carrie
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