OUCH! My running is starting to hurt..

Hey everybody! Little bit of bio info... Started losing weight last August, gone from about 260 lbs to now 187 lbs (weighed today). I've been playing around between 185 and 190 lbs for several months now, so I think maybe that's where my body wants to be (even though I've still got some fat to shed in my midsection and lovehandles).

I started running last winter, probably in November, gradually increasing from running just a mile to doing 5Ks. I worked on getting my breathing down and increasing cardio stamina, and eventually I was running 8 to 10 miles and sustaining my breathing and feeling good (April, May).

Now, I'm lucky to make it 3 or 4 miles withought feeling rather intense pain. Depending on the day, I'll feel it behind either my left or right knee (usually one or the other), and today I didn't have it behind either knee, it was in my left groin area. It's frustrating because my breathing is perfect (I feel like I could go on for miles and miles if my legs would keep up with me...)

So I'm trying to get at the root of my problem. It could be any number of the following things:

1) My form. I highly doubt this though because I've only recently run into this problem and I've been successfully running without any leg pains for nearly a year.

2) Not enough recuperative time. Again, I doubt it. At one point, I was probably pushing it too far (running 6-7 miles four to five times a week), but especially now that I'm feeling pain, I give it at least 3 days between runs.

3) My shoes. My running buddy insists that this is the problem, and it's kinda congruent with when I started feeling the pains. I *was* running in Nike Shox from Winter all the way up until early May. One day I got a wild hair and went to Dick's Sporting Goods and picked out a pair of New Balance shoes and I've been running in those ever since. I have given them a lot of use... and my friend seems to think they're not giving me proper support and that I am making a mistake by not only running in them, but wearing them as my every day shoes.

Here are my questions to any of you expert runners who may/may not have run into this sort of problem:

1) How likely is it that improper shoes are causing soreness in the area behind my knees or in my groin?

2) Should I have a pair of shoes dedicated strictly to running so as to not wear down the soles from everyday activity?

Any help is greatly appreciated, believe me. I had planned on running a half marathon in October and if I can't do it because of my knees, I might just have to cry.

Thanks!

Justin

Hey jdroller -

I have to agree with your running buddy.  When you run that kind of distance yours shoes can break down a lot faster and the shape (form), soles, and resistence can impact the way your body feels from it.  Your knees take most of the brunt of the impact as your foot meets the cement. 

Here are a couple of great websites to check out:
http://running.about.com/   and   http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/tipsandtri cks/a/replaceshoes.htm

Based on how often you run and how far, it will determine when you need to change your shoes.  I started carrying a pedometer with me and adding up my steps at the end of my run to keep track of when I change my shoes.  The website says to change every 350-550 miles.  I only run 1-2 miles a day and 3 days a week.  I change my shoes every 400 miles.

 

Best of luck to you.

Uneeqme

My guess is that it's a simple matter of doing too much, too soon, too fast. Beginner's injury.

You have not been running nearly a year.... there are still several months until November. You've been running 3/4's of a year. And competing in 5k's and training for a half marathon. That is the definition of too much, too soon. Especially if you started from a position of total inactivity.

I may get heck for this but... no beginner should run anything more than *perhaps* a 5k competively during the first year. You are doing way more than that, and it hasn't even been a year. This is the perfect set up for injury. Just classic!!

Your muscles and ligaments take a lot longer to get conditioned than your aerobic system. This is why beginners get injured: their hearts and lungs say "I could run for miles and miles" but their muscles and ligaments are a few steps behind.

The first year should be about running for pleasure and habit, not about distance or speed. (I say that, while also knowing perfectly well how hard it is to slow yourself down and pace yourself... trust me!!!! I have a loooonnnnngggg history of "beginner's running injuries" so I know what I'm talking about here... heh.).

Listen to your body. Right now it's screaming: stop running, I'm in pain. Do some cross training while you heal (biking is a good x-training exercise - you will not lose your aerobic capacity, and it will train your muscles in similar ways).

Tell yourself: "I want to run the rest of my life" not just "I want to run the half-marathon this year." It makes a huge difference in how you train. Look at the big picture.

And don't cry..... if you are still running in 2015 - whether you ever compete in a half marathon or not - you'll be more of a runner than most people are.

(((hugs and ice))))

i must agree....its your shoes! It sounds like your legs seem to have adjusted to absorbing the impact the nike shox provided for. when you changed shoes it also changed how your legs absorbed the impact, unfortunately if you continue to use your New balance shoes to run in~your knees will eventually get worse. Your stride and running style has been "fine tuned" in the nike shox not the new balances so your legs built strength and endurance according to the type of impact your shoes were allowing for. new balance shoes are much heavier in padding in certain areas then nike shoes so there is more likely to have a greater spring back in them than the nike shox. Believe me I've had to learn the hard way I've been a runner off and on for the past 13 years. My stride and running style are adjusted to Newbalances I ran in the same type of new balances since highschool and I've tried running in some different brands to find that they tore up my knees and ankles so I just stick to what my body is fine with (new balance).... Running, I love it, but it can kill your knees if you aren't careful, and staying with a shoe that is hurting your limbs and joints will keep you from your marathon, so switch back. FYI: when you do go back to your nike shox you will feel some discomfort at first like a stretching feeling mixed with pain but as you start to warm up your body will readjust and your stride will straighten back out. The sooner you switch back the better your chances are at being able to run your marathon stress free.

Hmm I'm glad you posted this - the last couple of times i've done long walks I've noticed a pain in my left groin area.  As my left leg swung forward I got a sharp pain.  Last time I walked 5 miles I almost didn't make the last half mile or so.

Reading your post, I realize it started right around the time I got new shoes.  I'm not running, it's just walking, but it is for a fair distance.  My shoes are hiking shoes, not walking or running shoes - could that be a problem, even just for walking?

I, too, feel like I could walk forever, stamina-wise, if it weren't for the pain in my leg.

Original Post by jenmcc:


I may get heck for this but... no beginner should run anything more than *perhaps* a 5k competively during the first year. You are doing way more than that, and it hasn't even been a year. This is the perfect set up for injury. Just classic!!

I agree completely. Shoes might be the "final straw," but these kinds of injuries are a long time in the making. You need to stop for a long time--months, in fact--and let the injuries heal. Deep tissue injuries are nearly always overuse/overtraining injuries unless you have had a really severe, precipitating event (like a really bad fall/sprain, etc.)

Get thee to a physical therapist for an evaluation and some good advice on healing, stretching, and gentle strengthening. Then give it TIME. Find a non-impact/non-weight bearing set of activities (swimming and biking come to mind) and bite the bullet. You will do significantly more damage in the long run if you don't take care of injuries right away.

Not what you want to hear, I'm sure, but I've BTDT and have seen and heard from too many runners about the long-term impact.

One other suggestion: when you are finally back, rebuilding SLOWLY, think about trail running if you haven't already done it. Roads are really, really hard on your body and again, over the long haul, when good options are available (if they are), why not extend your running career?

Good luck. Let us know how it goes!!

It's your shoes.  Actually I'm suprised that you haven't had any lower back problems yet....

1) How likely is it that improper shoes are causing soreness in the area behind my knees or in my groin?

It's very likely that your shoes are giving you problems - you indicate 8-10 mile runs down to 3-4 mile runs all coupled with pain and the only difference is going to another shoe?  It's the SHOE!  Shoes only have about 300-500 miles in them before the manufactuer recommends having them replaced.  I myself follow that guideline and tend to avoid pain.  Also at 187 you need a shoe with good cushining, just due to the forces at foot strike.  Finally your knee pain is most likely from pronation (under or over) at the point of foot strike.  Unknowingly your old shoes were most likely a good match for you while the NB ones are more likely bad.  It's had to tell with seeing the shoe wear pattern and your stride.  Finally the groin pain is most likely caused by you running/walking weird from the knee pain.  You got to get out of those shoes......  Go get fitted.  If's you're throwing down $170.00 for a pair of Nike Shox then you can get fitted properly.  Or do the research on-line - you know the shoe (make and model) that works and a shoe (Make and model) that is more than likely giving you problems.  It shouldn't be too difficult finding another pair that works.  You'll see runners "stocking" up on shoes being discontinued by the manufactuer just because it's that important.  Once I find a model I stick with it until I can get it anymore.....

2) Should I have a pair of shoes dedicated strictly to running so as to not wear down the soles from everyday activity?

Yes, it's ok to wear them around but you're going to wear them out faster than if you only use them for running.  Plus you're shelling out big money for shoes (I never spend over $50 for a pair) so use them for running only. At 30 approx miles per week you'll be switching them out around every 4 months.

 

Notes:

After 8-10 miles runs (I'm making the assumption you are doing roughly 30 miles a week) you really should be icing after every run.  You're beginning to run 4-5 days a week with that mileage and you need to give your body a fighting chance to recover.  (I'm 38 now and even after a 2 mile run I ice.)

In regards to running form - I have been told by several coaches and milers that running is a natural motion, don't put too much thought into it otherwise you tend to overcompensate of things and that will screw you up.

Warm-up properly

Keep a log that includes your aches and pains - then look back to see what's working and what's not.  Pain can usually be tracked back to a single event.  Shoes, a misstep, illness etc...  This is usually easy to notice when you write it down.

Finally - if after you switch out the shoes the pain doesn't go away go see a Dr.

 

Good Luck!

 

 

Sobering advice, jenmcc, but it hasn't fallen on deaf ears, believe me. I want to be running marathons in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond. I've really gotten so addicted to it that I wouldn't dare sabotage myself this early in the game.

I'm not going to enter into the marathon. I'll stick to ellipticals and bike machines for a while. What do you think that "while" is, though?

A month? Two?

My to-do list looks like this:

1) Cross-training for the next couple months

2) Visit a specialty running store (Fleet Feet); this will be my first time doing that. Stupid, I know.

3) See my doctor. Evaluate and ensure I don't need anything major like an MRI.

I appreciate your input. You may have saved my knees. Thanks a million.

Justin

Go to a really good running shoe store, and I mean really good.  Go somewhere where the people who work there run.  For example, Luke's Locker in Dallas, TX, on Oak Lawn Dr. is a place very Everybody runs.  If you have access to somewhere like this, go there!  If not, call Luke's.  Duncan is the Manager, and he is awesome.  Tell him about your problems, and he can give you advice.

See a good Orthopedic Doctor.

New Balance sucks!  Asics and Adidas are good support shoes.  Everything depends on your biomechanics, too. Nike's run really narrow, so you may be in the wrong size.

DO NOT BY SHOES FROM A GENERAL, GENERIC STORE WHERE THE SALES PEOPLE DON'T KNOW JACK CRAP!

The older I get, the more running hurts.  The key is also to space out your workouts, and stretch like a MF.  Try yoga to get more flexible, as well.

Peace