Do You Have Problematic Knees?

Do you have knee pain and think that it will never go away? I felt exactly the same after my meniscus surgery and being allowed to return to running too soon.

I'm not a physiotherapist but I wanted to share my experience with my recovery, just in case it helps you to find a new path to a pain free life (if that is possible for you).

I wrote back in 2021 about my drama post surgery. 

 My Post Surgery Recovery 

It's been over a year since my last update and a lot has happened, some tough times but right now I am finally having more pain free days :)

2022 Update

So, since my last update I've had a corticosteroid injection into my knee, which sadly did not reduce the inflammation to the point of making me pain free.

My original consultant referred me to another consultant in case I needed a partial knee replacement. The thought of a more invasive surgery was not appealing BUT being pain free was so if it was necessary then that's the path I would take.

Then in January 2022 the new consultant thought it would be worth trying a Hyaluronic Acid Injection, which again did not settle the inflammation.

We waited a few months to see if the knee would settle of it's own accord and I continued my leg strength work and all the other forms of exercise I could do without increasing my level of pain.

In April the Consultant felt that he couldn't do any more for me. He also suggested I give up running!!!! I was in floods of tears but he was very supportive and understood how much this meant to me.

I left feeling like returning to running was still unfinished business. I felt like me last port of call would be an excellent running specific physiotherapist called Tom Goom

I've followed Tom on social media for years, he puts out the most brilliant content for runners and physiotherapists and people like me involved with helping people to be active.

My appointment took 6 weeks to come. I was extremely nervous because I really did feel that if Tom couldn't fix me then it really and truly was probably time to stop! 

Rehab With Tom Goom

In my first appointment Tom asked me lots of questions about where I was with my knee pain and what I was hoping to be able to do in terms of my running. My initial goal is to be able to run 5k three times a week, he agreed that was a sensible goal to build towards.

He then tested my leg and glute strength and the good news was that a lack of leg strength was not the reason I was not able to return to running pain free. My 18 months of strength training paid massive dividends here, I doubt I would have been ready to start his rehab protocol without this work having been done first. 

His assessment was it was a lack of tolerance to impact.

I started with 30 Seconds of Jogging on the Spot and 30 Seconds of Hopping. That was it, 1 minute of impact three times a week.

With regular contact with Tom I progressed and at my next appointment I was ready to start his return to run protocol (which is much less running that Couch to 5k, very interesting!!)

I had a shaky start with a bit of a set back in the first couple of weeks and had to regress the running, under Tom's guidance. Then my knee started to feel okay and I've progressed ever since.

I'm now in Week 6 of my rehab and my knee has started to settle on a daily basis. So walking around I am starting to have days where there is no sensation in my knee at all and I've had a couple of runs where I haven't felt my knee at all. I can't tell you how euphoric that felt!

It would have been easy to do as Tom suggested and progress forward a week but honestly I just want to follow his prescription exactly for confidence really. It would be VERY easy to jump ahead but then I had a couple of runs where I could feel my knee so I know I still need to be patient! Not easy :) 

Next week is a very big week where I try to run for 10 minutes but with only 2 short breaks. The following is the end goal of 10 minutes continuous with no pain and no walking.

I'm just very excited for each run but I am still quite nervous as I never really know how my knee is going to be. I can always contact Tom if I am concerned about anything which is always reassuring that I don't have to guess what to do.

I will update you in a couple of weeks to see if things went to plan and I have achieved the first major milestone in my return to running.

Find A Therapist To Support You

If you don't have a physiotherapist who can support you then maybe try Tom. He works in Brighton but it is 100% worth the travel if running is something you dream of returning to.

Try a different physiotherapist in your local area if you have had an unsuccessful return to running in the past. You will be in a different mental and physical place through this journey and you might meet the right person to help you at the right time.

Strength Work

I cannot stress enough how beneficial strengthening my legs has been. Aside from the fact that Tom said my legs are strong enough to run, it just feels good to know I have built legs that are strong enough to run and it made me feel really confident about trying a return to running.

If you don't know where to start. The main muscles to strengthen are Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Glutes & Calves. You can google all the muscles and find an exercise that will work them, initially it doesn't matter what you do, your muscles will get a new stimulus and you're starting to strengthen them.

At Home

Try

Bodyweight Squats 3x15 with 30 Seconds Rest between each set

Bodyweight Isometric Hamstring Hold Build up to 2x1 Minute with 30 Seconds Rest

Bodyweight Single Leg Hip Thrusts  3x10 each leg with 1 Minute Rest

Bodyweight Single Leg Calf Raises - Off A Step/Stairs -  2x Max Reps each leg 1 Minute Rest

If you go to the gym you can add weight to all these exercises IF you have no knee pain during the bodyweight exercises.

Always the guide is no pain during or within 24 hours, if it's painful during, please stop. If it settles after 24 hours and you have no pain then you are probably okay to repeat a few days later.

If you are unsure at all, please message me and I can advise whether I think you need to see a physiotherapist to get you started.

My Advice To You

• Be Patient. I know it's not easy waiting to see small improvements but honestly it's good to practice not expecting instant gratification in life.

• Be Hopeful. No one will actually know whether the interventions you follow will work but I think it's really important to go into each new scenario with cautious optimism. If you do nothing about your knee pain, it really can't improve, you just don't know what is going to work.

• Be A Good Patient. Do exactly what your therapist tells you to do, TO THE LETTER! Make it your mission to do your rehab 100% to the best of your ability. Don't let your ego or impatience get in the way of doing things the way you have been advised. It's the only way your therapist can understand what's working and what isn't.

• Exercise. Find as many types of exercise that you can do that you enjoy and do not increase your pain. I have managed to still ride my bike, swim and do tons of strength work which didn't aggravate my knee at all. There is a lot more you can do that you think and if you don't know, message me and I'll help you

• Setbacks. Expect setbacks, your knee is probably not going to be 100% all the time, if you expect setbacks you won't be so disappointed if they happen. The rehab process is rarely linear and if you start out with that expectation it's a really pleasant surprise if it goes very well!

• Be Compassionate To Yourself. Being in pain is a very unpleasant business, especially when it affects you just moving around in day to day life. Try to be kind to yourself when your body is in pain. Listen to the messages your body is trying to tell you. This is where having a strong support group around you is invaluable. Talk to the people who care about you that you are having a more painful day, let them help you x

My last message to you is that my knee was always much less grumpy when I had been doing some strength work. It can seem counterintuitive to put your knee under some load when it is painful. Our knees need to be supported by strong ligaments, tendons and muscles so making your legs stronger can in fact reduce the amount of pain you have day to day. You just need find exercises and a range of movement initially that your knee can tolerate.

I hope this helps you and if you are struggling with knee pain (or any joint pain) please get in touch and I will help if I can x