Forums >Running 101>Knee injury - help me diagnose
Yes, I will go to a doctor, but help me understand whether anybody has felt what I feel.
At the end of April, I tried a new sport. I started trail riding. I bought the shoes and the bike, and rode a few rides within a couple weeks. I fell often due to the steep inclines around the blind corners. On one of my falls, I fell to my left and banged the outside of my left knee on some clay while riding about 1 mph (slow) up a steep incline after losing momentum. The inside of my left knee hurt immediately, but I brushed it off due to the "man I am" as my riding partner was able to get up the hill with enough momentum. I thought / thnk the frame of the bike had impact on the inside of my knee, but I had no physical bruising or abrasion or redness.
I was in training mode to run a Ragnar Trail Relay later this year, and was able to run for the next 30 days without pain while running, but I had pain after the run with long recovery time. The pain post run was maybe a 5 on a 10 point scale.
On a normal day without activity, I'm ok.
Weeks ago, when I went from a sit position to a stand position, it hurt bad and was "scary".
When I stand up straight, I'm ok.
When I go into a squat (still today), the intensity of the pain is about an 7 on a 10 point scale, but weeks ago, it was maybe a 8 or 9 on a 10 point scale.
I decided to shut down running at the end of May, and have occasionally tried to test it out over the past 2 months.
My last run was mid July after taking a full 3 weeks off.
I can swim without pain.
I can ride my ROAD bike without pain.
I choose not to ride my bloody pain causing trail bike ... (by the way, it's for sale for the right price)
I cannot run.
I will not run the Ragnar Trail Relay, and have basically shut down all racing for the next few months.
Anybody with similar experience or pain?
Anybody think it might be MCL?
Life Goals:
#1: Do what I can do
#2: Enjoy life
The pain on the inside is along the "outside" of the joint where the MCL runs or it is more "inside"? That this incident, as you have described it, could cause significant structural damage to ligaments or cartilage, is a bit hard to fathom, but OTOH when I was in PT for ACL reconstruction a few years ago I was in there with a dude who tore his ACL running "funny" with a pizza at a wedding. I think my (true) basketball story was much better. :-)
Were it I, and oh it has been, I would not waste one more minute and get thee to an orthopod and firmly but nicely demand an MRI.
Very sorry to hear about this setback.
- Joe
We are fragile creatures on collision with our judgment day.
justrundan
Agree with joescott. Hopefully then a referral to PT to get you on the mend.
Dan
Update:
Over the past couple weeks, I've met with the doctor and had an MRI.
Today, the doctor gave me the results of the MRI.
Torn meniscus (medial) on the left knee.
Next step is surgery.
I likely sprained my MCL that day in April, but that had healed over the past 3 months prior to my visit to the doctor earlier this month. I have the MCL stability now.
Surgery could have been next week, but work schedule will move it back to mid-September.
Cheers,Brian
not bad for mile 25
Ugh, sorry you have to go under the knife. Best wishes for a successful surgery and recovery!
Surgery was this morning. Recovering now.
Hopefully, I'll be back to the stuff I enjoy in a couple weeks.