Knee pain on the inner area of the knee
I apologize in advance for the long story but just try and bare with me. I will explain the details of how I injured my knee and then describe where the pain occurs.
I am 21 and I have been actively running for about three years, not long distance or anything, but a few times a week just to be fit. About a year and a half ago I started running more frequently and with more intensity, i.e. faster. That all went fine, I got faster and all was well. In January of this year I tapered into a running program with boots and a twenty pound weight vest. I purposely tapered into it so that I wouldn't injure myself. I began running about a mile in the boots and weight vest. Eventually I made good progress and I worked up to about three miles at a pretty fast pace in the boots and weight vest. I also increased the frequency of the runs; right before the injury I was running four days a week in boots and a weight vest (Mon: three miles Tue: Two miles Wed: One mile: Thurs: two miles) and Fridays a five mile run in just shoes, Saturdays I hiked about 14 miles roundtrip up the local mountain in shoes and shorts. This went very well until late February when I injured myself.
I was running three miles in the boots and weight vest at a fast pace and near the end of my run there's a long (three quarters of a mile) stretch down a street that was slightly down hill. The sides of the road were sloped like most city streets and I was running on the left side when I felt a slight pain intensifying in my left knee, no pop or click, just a pain beginning to form in my knee. I normally have weird pains like that during my runs that just come and go, so I slowed my pace for a few steps and noticed that the pain didn't become unbearable or anything so I just pushed through it and finished the run. I took everything off and drove home and when I got out of the car I noticed that it hurt to walk. I took it easy and went to bed (I've had pain in my knees before and usually the next day they feel better) and the next day it no longer hurt to walk. I decided to go on a two mile run in the boots weight vest like normal. I made it about half a mile before pain began to manifest in my knee enough to make me stop running. I walked back and went home (it still didn't hurt to walk like the day before). So I struggled through three more days of trying to run on it; consistently I would make it about a half mile before pain began to stop me from running. I decided to take a week off and taper into running with just shoes. That worked well for me and the next week I began running in just shoes. I started with a mile and worked up from there.
I eventually progressed well and I worked up into running six days a week with just running shoes on at a faster pace than I ever was running before. Until last Saturday when I ran three miles for time at a very fast pace. I completed the run and had to go to work afterwards and stand for many hours. While standing I noticed my knee was becoming sore. All weekend my knee was sore, no real pain, but sore, and it felt irritated or something.
I've run Monday through yesterday(Friday) for distances of 1-3 miles with no significant problems besides discomfort when beginning the run, but going away after I've warmed up.
Now I'll explain where the pain is located and what inflicts it
I am certain that the injury, whatever it is, was caused by running in boots and a weight vest. The pain was located on the INNER/INBOARD side of my knee right on the innermost area of the knee (not INSIDE the knee, but on the innermost side of the knee). The pain began as an intense, warm, feeling pain. When I ran the week after I injured myself, I would make it about half a mile before I would feel minor pain in the knee every few steps which progressed into intense sharp pain every few steps that caused me to stop running. After I took a week off there was no pain, but it felt weird in the same area where it had previously hurt at certain times.
After I took the week off and began running again, my was feeling alright, still maybe minor pangs of minor discomfort (not pain, just weird a weird sensation) running through the same area that it originally hurt in the first few steps of a run, after that it felt as if the proper muscles were supporting my weight in the knee and I never would feel any discomfort in the knee during the run.
This past Saturday it didn't hurt during or after the run at all until maybe three or four hours later while standing. It didn't really hurt, but my knee felt warm and sore. This past week I have felt discomfort in the same area that I originally injured it, no pain near where it was when I first injured it, but discomfort, and more frequently.
The only physical symptoms I notice is that ever since I originally injured the knee, back in February, when I squat down, right around when my shins and thighs create a 90 degree angle there is a pop in the OPPOSITE side of the knee where I originally would experience pain/discomfort, and something shifts. There has never been pain where the shifting occurs, only on the opposite side where I described the pain/discomfort originally. I have been told this is the patella not tracking correctly. This is the only mechanical symptom I notice from when I first injured my knee.
Other than that, the area the experienced pain/discomfort usually feels strange during the first few steps of a run and when turning a corner and the leg isn't moving directly frontwards and backwards.
I really want this problem fixed. Thanks in advance for baring with me and for any advice given. Ask any questions pertaining to pain or symptoms.
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