Knee pain

The grisly details and tales of the road back

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nomad
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Location: Winnipeg

Knee pain

Postby nomad » Mon Jun 09, 2014 9:41 pm

Hi all, I'm glad I found this forum. Quick intro - I moved to Canada (Winnipeg) in March and in mid-April started a return to running after a 3-yr hiatus. Prior to the hiatus (that had a lot of excuses but few reasons) I'd had knee pain for a while but hadn't been somewhere with easy medical access. This past weekend the pain started up again, most likely due to ramping up to running 4x a week & stupidly doing 3 of those runs on consecutive days.

The pain is mostly when walking - feels like a "clicking" when my leg straightens. It doesn't hurt as much as just feel uncomfortable & unnerving, but previous experience says it'll get worse. Does that sounds like runner's knee, or something that might be fixed with better shoes, icing, strength exercises...?

Bonus question: I have yet to figure out the Canadian health system, to get this checked out do I go to a walk-in clinic or is there a faster way to get to see a sports specialist?

ps loving the Winnipeg summer, wasn't quite so impressed with the winter-that-lasts-until-May!

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Habs4ever
Kevin Sullivan
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Re: Knee pain

Postby Habs4ever » Mon Jun 09, 2014 10:23 pm

First off, welcome to Running Mania, and Canada.
Ex-Winnipeger here. Not sure what area of Winnipeg you are in, or how well you know Winnipeg. Pan Am Sports Medical Clinic has walk-ins. It's on Poseidon Bay, by the Pan Am Pool, between Grant Ave and Taylor Ave. I'm sure there are more around the city, but that one has a good reputation.

I can't really help you with the knee pain problem, but going too far too quickly can result in aggravating weak spots.
If you google knee pain, or patella femoral pain syndrome I'm sure you will find lots of tips and ideas to help.

It might be worth your while to invest some time and money to make sure you have the proper shoes. Three places come to mind that could help you out, City Park Runners (Portage Ave), Stride Ahead sports (Grant Park Shopping center), or Running Room (various locations across the city).

Way to stick out one of the worst winters in Winnipeg!
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Jwolf
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Knee pain

Postby Jwolf » Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:31 pm

Just to add- I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "haven't figured out the Canadian medical system" :) but you will have to get specific advice for how to enrol in Manitoba (the systems are administered individually by the provinces). Here in BC it's not automatic- you do have to enrol. There might be a waiting time after you move to the province. Either way, you don't necessarily need to see a sports medicine doctor unless you need surgery- you might be able to see a physiotherapist (generally outside the medical system).

Good luck. And welcome.
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turd ferguson
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Re: Knee pain

Postby turd ferguson » Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:42 pm

Welcome to Winnipeg.

There are only two seasons in Winnipeg: winter and Blue Bomber Sadness. You've learned about the former and you're about to learn about the latter.

The marathon is this weekend. I obviously don't know what kind of shape you're in, but there's still time to register if you want a complete tour of the city. I had plans to run it this year but life got in the way.

I haven't lived there since 1998 but I miss it every day.
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nomad
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Location: Winnipeg

Re: Knee pain

Postby nomad » Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:09 am

Thanks for the welcome!

Turd Ferguson: I assume the blue bombers are mosquitoes; talk to me in a month but for now, after a few years in malarial Africa I'm just glad they aren't trying to kill me! I'm nowhere near marathon shape, nor even plan to be, but I'm signed up for the 2.6 mile "super run" on Sunday as my first foray back into racing. Not that I really race but I love the atmosphere & energy of races and its one of the things that keeps me motivated to train.

Jwolf - I just got my card so I think I'm good to go. In the UK you have to register with a GP and can only see a sports med dr with a referral, in the US you don't need referrals, and so far my feel in MB is that I don't register with anyone just use walk-ins. That's the figuring out I needed so the info provided is really helpful, thanks.

Habs4ever - I'm downtown so although not close, Poseidon Bay is an easy bus ride away, and the Pam Am clinic looks like it's a good place to start as it's open on weekends. I'll head down there on Saturday. I'm wearing Adrenalines which were selected from gait analysis years ago but I guess it's possible hiatus, age & additional poundage might've altered my gait, or *shock* Brooks might've changed the shoe enough to cause me issues. I think City Park Runners have a treadmill so maybe time to get my gait relooked at.

Thanks all - it's great to have some local knowledge :D

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grimskot
Bill Crothers
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Re: Knee pain

Postby grimskot » Tue Jun 10, 2014 9:33 am

Current Wpg'r here. If you're going to Pan Am Clinic on weekend, plan to get there before it opens. They can be quite busy on weekends, and only accept patients up to a daily max. Last time I went there on a Saturday, I was turned away only 2 hours after opening. OTOH, if you do get in, they will allow you to leave &tell you when to return, so you don't spend the whole day sitting there. BTW, if you're heading that way by bus, you'll pass right by Grant Park Shopping Centre, where Stride Ahead Sports is located. (Also McNally Robinson, if you're into books. :) )

Turd forgot to mention the one other season we have: construction season. :lol:
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kab
Bruce Kidd
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Re: Knee pain

Postby kab » Tue Jun 10, 2014 7:45 pm

Pothole season?
Welcome to Winnipeg.
During the week when I get to PanAm to set up the OR's at 0630 there are people sitting at the door waiting to get in so great advice to get there early!
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nomad
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Location: Winnipeg

Re: Knee pain

Postby nomad » Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:22 pm

Thanks to all for the advice. I got in at the Pan Am clinic yesterday - and indeed I arrived 30 mins early and was still no. 20 in the queue :shock: But I also missed the downpour while I was on the bus, so I was ok with the dry wait as tradeoff!

Very positive news, mostly because I now know what the issue is and have a plan to resolve it. As expected, it's bog standard runner's knee, but the good news is that it's not related to any osteoarthritis which I understand it can be in those of us of a 'certain age' and I have significant family history in that area. So I feel like I got 2 diagnoses at the same time; yes to chondromalacia and no to arthritis (yet). I'm now sporting a knee brace which I wore while walking today but will save to try out running for when I'm on the TM so I can easily remove it if it chafes. I also have a direction to get physio so I'm going to call a few places in downtown to get that set up this week...I'll take any & all recommendations there as well though?

Best news: no concerns with me continuing to run...which I did with my first return-to-running race at the MB Marathon Super Run this morning :D

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Spirit Unleashed
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Re: Knee pain

Postby Spirit Unleashed » Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:28 pm

The only time I got runner's knee was from stability shoes.
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nomad
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Location: Winnipeg

Re: Knee pain

Postby nomad » Sun Jun 15, 2014 7:54 pm

Spirit - I did ask the dr about shoes. He took a look at me walking with & without (I was wearing my running shoes) and, acknowledging the surgery wasn't a great location, felt they were right for me. I've had video gait analysis done a couple of times over the last 13 years in different places & always ended up in Adrenalines. I'll probably look to find somewhere to get re-analysed next time I need shoes but for now I'm happy that's not the issue. I'm sure it's a question of strengthening quads etc. and being more sensible in my mileage ramp up aka no more 3-days-in-a-row


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