Any runners, etc. out there?

Hi!

I'm hoping for some feedback from someone with more experience with knee pain than I have ... I ran quite a bit before I had my twins - not marathons or anything, but 25+ miles a week. I ran throughout my entire first and second pregnancy (like until the day I delivered at term). No problems after. My OB immediately had me cease all exercise when I found out I was pregnant with the twins at 8 weeks. Nothing. I asked for nothing to be defined several times - could I sit on a bike in a spin class and chat? Nope. I know that's not what every OB recommends, but I did choose to follow his instructions.

I began going back to the gym the day the babies turned three months old - the magic age to check them into the nursery. I have not run much at all in the last year - I mostly participate in interval classes - so I maybe put in a mile or so a day. I do spin some, but not a ton. I take a kettlebell class once a week and have noticed that my left knee is sore afterward - I've spoken to the instructor and changed my foot position, which has helped somewhat. I went skiing for the first time in six years a couple of weeks ago and a had very achy left knee - pretty painful at times while riding lifts. Not sore at all the morning after ski days.

So this week I have added a regular (it's only Tuesday, so I've only been twice) spin class to my daily routine and I feel like my left knee is swollen. It doesn't look swollen. I haven't heard a pop and it doesn't feel loosey-goosey or anything. Just pretty sore on the inner (I think MCL) side.

I'm wondering now - after someone planted this idea in my head - if the weight of carrying the twins when I was pregnant (they were not huge, but right around 12 lbs. combined) wreaked havoc on my left knee ... has anyone else been diagnosed with such a problem?

Thanks, in advance, for your advice!

 

I never had an specific area like yours but I found that it took about 10 months after birth for all my joints to stop hurting. I constantly ached, especially my feet. I know that the hormone that gets released to make all the joints loosen can change things permanently in some areas of the body. My knuckles are larger than before but I weigh less so I know its not extra weight that caused me to have to size up my wedding band. I'd get the Dr. to check out your knee. You definately don't want to aggravate it more or you wont beable to chase after your boys

 

I've had two knee surgeries on my left knee...acl with chip bone and meniscus repair, and then just recently another meniscus surgery and I am currently training for my second half marathon, so putting in a ton of miles on my knee. My twins never caused me to have any problems with my knee and I was extremely active before I found out I was pregnant. My OB also had me stop all activity. If I were you, here is a couple of things you could try...if it is hot or warm to the touch, it is swollen even though it may not look like it. As soon as you finish any workout, ice it down for about 20 minutes or longer if you can stand it. Is the inside of your knee tender when you press it? That tenderness usually indicates some cartilage damage. Does it pop when you bend, or do you fell popping with normal movement? Not popping that hurts, but just a popping sensation? This, too, indicates weakened cartilage. Does it feel kind of tight...it will bend, but it just feels tight when you walk? This, too, indicates swollen even if it doesn't look like it from the outside. It is possible to hurt your knee (especially the meniscus) and it will never feel loose (especially since it's the ligaments that hold everything together tightly). With running that much in the past, it is possible to have damaged your meniscus then and it not cause you a lot of pain until now. Could be something that you hurt before you got pregnant, and the weight of the pregnancy caused it to get worse. I have done a ton of research on this and spoken fairly extensively with my ortho. doc, just because of my recent surgery, and from what I understand it is possible to have meniscus damage for years and it just get progressively worse and you not even realize you damaged it until later. For example, I simply turned to hit a volleyball and tore my meniscus (didn't fall, didn't get bumped by someone, just planted my foot). I had been running lots of mileage in the months that led up to that volleyball game, and more than likely I had damaged it running, and the game was the straw that broke the camel's back (so to speak). 25+ miles a week is a lot of mileage to put on knees, and if I were a betting woman, I would say you have something going on from that.

IMO, and I'm definitely not a doc, but I would suggest icing after exercise and see if that helps. If you are still having problems and the pain won't go away, you really need to see a doc about it and an orthopeadic doc at that. They will really be the only ones that can tell you for sure if you have damage. X-rays won't pick up that sort of stuff either. Orthopeadic docs will consult you and tell you if it is something that requires a MRI or if it is something that will only require physical therapy or a change of activity. Depending on your insurance, seeing them could just be a copay visit (as it is for me).

It also could be possible that all you have done is just aggravated it somehow and after icing and taking it easy it will be fine. I'm just saying that if it doesn't go away, just be safe and see a doc.

 

Thanks so much for your very helpful replies! It gives me a direction, and I really appreciate it!

 

The pain - along the inner side of the knee right? Is it one area or a few inches up and down? If it is one area it is likely the joint line which is cartilage or meniscus area. If it extends probably MCL.

Not being sore after skiing is really good news! Agree with the ice. Advil may help (must keep taking it regularly for a few weeks to really effect the inflammation). Is it time for new shoes? It is worth going to a good running store for a proper fit regarding arch position.

With the spinning, need to make sure your seat adjustment is proper and your knee is aligned with your foot (doesn't tilt in or out).

Hopefully you will feel better soon.

 

Could be bursitis, rather than a structural problem. The fact that it doesn't hurt all the time (just hurts during and immediately following activity) kinda leads me to lean that way, but you'll need to see an ortho to be sure. It may or may not be related to your pregnancy. Honestly, you'll probably never know that for sure.

 

Have you also looked at your shoes? When I run with old shoes, I feel it!

I also agree with pp that ice after excerise and proper alignment during spin can make a huge difference. The kettle ball class: is there such a thing as possibly going down a size in weight? You might be using too heavy too soon. I was told I could excercise, but couldn't get my heartrate past 150 bpm, problem was: that would happen just walking up stairs! It took me a long time to recover from the pregnancy/c-section. I was definetly not able to do anything at the 3 month marker! kudos to you!

 

I have had three knee surgeries. ACL reconstruction on both and cartiledge repair. I have had no problems withmy knees for years. Then about three or four motnhs after having the twins I noticed that my right knee cracked and popped everytime I went from a sitting or kneeling position to standing. I immediately went to an ortho and he said that I had eaither re-torn or stretched out my ACL during the pregnancy. I ended up doing about two months of rehab and that helped with some of the problem. Sadly the only thing that is gonna fix this is another surgery. But with 22 month old twins, a 14 week old, and no one that lives closer than an hour away I don't really have that option. If I were you I would defintiely go to an ortho. I agree with pp that said if you have been runner for a long time you may have damaged your knee long ago and not realized it until the weight and stress of being pregnant with twins. It can't hurt to have it checked out. Good Luck and Kudos for finding the time and energy to exercise!!!

 

Another consideration is a knee brace for activities. The only problem is they are a bit cumbersome. Go see an ortho or sports physio. I am a physio and knee problems are pretty easily diagnosed with a simple examination. The advice you have received from pp is good but you should find out what is going on before you do any further damage. Good luck