Knee Pain After Aerobic Workout — Looking For Advice

jutadawg

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Been doing more walking with my wife 30-60 minutes most days plus some aerobic exercise stuff on my Apple fitness app. Been enjoying it a lot and I don’t want to stop. But I’m getting twingy little knee pain after that lasts the rest of the evening (usually better next day). When I described it to my health/PE teacher coworker, she said it was a little patellar tendinitis.

I’m feeling good about the exercising and don’t want to stop. But I don’t want to be dumb and fuck up my knee.

Any suggestions?
 

ocellarus

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health/PE teacher coworker, she said it was a little patellar tendinitis.

I'm not a health professional, but I'm inclined to agree with your coworker. Most tendonitis is going to stem from overuse, so your desire to not to stop going might need to get tempered a bit. That being said, if you absolutely will not take a break, or ease into your schedule more (cutting back on duration), here are a few ideas:

  1. Check your footwear. You're probably wearing old-ish athletic shoes that aren't designed for walking. If we weren't in a pandemic I'd say go to a store & get fitted, but we are so you're gonna need to make do otherwise. Measure your feet as best you can and think about adding a half size if you choose to get a new pair. Your toes need room to wiggle while you're walking and shoes that are too tight prevent that.
  2. Think about good walking form. Maybe seems like a no brainer, but keeping good posture, swinging your arms and moving your foot heel to toe are important.
  3. Start with a warmup. Even walking for a whole hour is actually fairly taxing, so consider doing some light exercise: lunge squats, arm rotations, etc.
  4. Finally, and this could be most beneficial to you: stretch afterwards! Especially after a really long walk. And no bouncing while you're doing it, take a position, hold it, then move on to next one. You can also try ice
 
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deleted8751791

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I run a lot. I found two things to be effective. First, ice packs on your knees and on the areas immediately below and above your knee cap after exercise. Second , leg strength exercises - specifically leg extensions. If you have access to a leg machine, alternate between legs to avoid the dominant leg compensating for the weaker one. In about three weeks of alternating exercise, it should be better. Just my experience - I'm not a professional so take it with a grain of salt.
 

Scarletbegonia

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Been doing more walking with my wife 30-60 minutes most days plus some aerobic exercise stuff on my Apple fitness app. Been enjoying it a lot and I don’t want to stop. But I’m getting twingy little knee pain after that lasts the rest of the evening (usually better next day). When I described it to my health/PE teacher coworker, she said it was a little patellar tendinitis.

I’m feeling good about the exercising and don’t want to stop. But I don’t want to be dumb and fuck up my knee.

Any suggestions?

if you imagine your kneecap as a clock face, and someone is looking at it, where is the pain?
What’s the quality of the pain?
What helps it? What makes it worse?
 
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jutadawg

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if you imagine your kneecap as a clock face, and someone is looking at it, where is the pain?
What’s the quality of the pain?
What helps it? What makes it worse?


Okay, clock face, someone looking at it.

So it would be a bit of pain at 1 or 2 o’clock. That pain is like a mild ache. Sometimes twinge-y.

Sometimes some tear-y pain (like it feels like there a tiny bit of tearing happening) behind the knee, toward the inside of the leg.

Walking up hills seems to bring it on (and I definitely injured this knees bout ten years ago walking way too far to work one time, mostly uphill).

I’ve taken the advice of folks here and a coach and a trainer at my school. I’ve been stretching after a workout or walk (head down to knee for 30 seconds, hold and pull ankle up to my butt for 30 seconds), then icing the top of the knee for 10-15 minutes after. That seems to be helping, I think?

Would be happy to hear your perspective.
 

Scarletbegonia

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My guess, and I’m not giving medical advice, is vastus medialis and it’s tendon and or the patellar tendon. Since it’s mild, try rolling it out, alternating hot and cold (I’m fond of 20 min on each).
Also strengthen them and v. Lateralis.
I get similar from long standing and limited stretching chances in a day.
 

halcyondays

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Sounds like you've recently increased the amount of aerobic activity you do so maybe slow the rate of increase and pace yourself.

I don't know how old you are but when I reached forty I had my knees x-rayed for osteoarthritis and a blood test for rheumatic arthritis at the behest of my GP. Both were negative. I just needed to stop pushing like I was still twenty. Easing up worked though I still get twinges if I push too hard.

Wisdom of the body. :sun: