Sports Injury Info

Both knees developed pain simultaneously.

by Pete
(Minneapolis, MN)

I have developed, simultaneously, severe pain medially in both knees. No contact injury. I run 20 - 30 miles per week (road work). I have very good cushioning shoes (New Balance 1024). No pronation issues.

The pain while running is better up hill, worse down hill. When not running, there is substantial tenderness pain along the medial joint line (no other place). I can't kneel (feels like swollen pressure/pain in the joint).

After a run, if I sit for awhile, the pain/stiffness upon standing is substantial, but subsides. Some runs produce no pain, but when it returns, it's in both knees, exact medial joint line location.

I'll be 50 next year, perfect weight. Overall health, excellent. No meds.

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Both knees developed pain simultaneously.

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Jun 23, 2008
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starstarstarstarstar 		could be coming from the hips...
by: Bart - SII

It doesn't sound like a meniscal injury, because you don't have any type of mechanism...and the pain isn't in the right spot for patella femoral syndrome...so, that leads me to think that this may be an overuse type of condition. The fact that you run more than 20 miles a week, mostly on hard surfaces adds to this gut instinct. (please understand these are just guesses without actually being able to evaluate you)

I would bet that you have some mobility/flexibility issues in your hips and low back that are causing an increased amount of motion at the knee joint. When you have restrictions in the hips (rotation especailly) and in the low back (sideways bending) this restricts how much the pelvis can adjust as you walk and run.

This leads to extra movement at the knee joint - usually side to side to compensate for the pelvis not moving. So you get extra stress along the joint lines and soft tissues in the knees.

I always recommend seeing your doctor for a good evaluation to make sure there isn't anything going on with the ligaments or cartilage. Aside from that, you might try some of the hip and lower extremity stretches (scroll about half way down) and see if you can make a difference in your mobility - that could help your knee pain.

Hope this helps - comment back if you have other questions.

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