Discussion: Frig! I don't like red highlighting on text...

So sorry to hear... Fingers crossed... Maybe when you return to running, initially only run with people who are slower than you ?? (Just a thought)... Really hope the return to running does not take as long as it did this last time...

maybe I just need to be more careful about how long / how often I run... its just odd, I cannot figure out exactly what makes it worse. Also, knees scare me, I am so afraid it will end up being something long term that makes it so I can never really run...

oh no, hope you sort it out soon...

My advice, it doesnt seem like you are giving yourself enough time. I browsed through your log for a few months back, and it seems like you only took 2 weeks off from running before returning to it, and then setting off on some long runs quite early (my experience is that long runs are in the end the killers, since you are banging your knees on the ground for a long time). When i was injured in September 2010, it took me untill new years to train properly again, and even then I was taking any signs seriously. Thomas' injury over the summer took 5 months, and these injuries were not as serious as knees.

you should do what thomas and I did when returning to running. such as 5*3mins on and off every second day, and then increasing it when things feel okay. Consistensy is key. I would also continue to do more strength, even though it can be quite boring. Last thing: check if there is any support you can wear while running. my solution over the summer was to have 3 cushion soles on my right shoes, and that helped a bunch. Hope these advices were in some help.

Sorry to hear this. Did it get worse overnight? The Nipen brother has a point there. My knees took quite a time to heal up after our last long run together. I had never been injured before ever so I got really worried and depressed thinking I would never be able to run again. On the good side of things I have skier friends who have wrecked their knees in rather bad ways and most of them do get back, but it takes time. Another good thing is that you live in a world class area for different kinds of biking and skiing.

What exactly is the injury? Do you have a diagnose?

Generic patelafemoral pain syndrome...
I hate not being able to run whenever I want, and for how long I want ;(

Sure, half the battle with injuries is the tricks they play with your mind. In the midst of the frustration it's easy to start to dream up doomsday scenarios about permanent damage, never being able to run again etc etc. I have been through it myself several times... it happens to everyone.

In this case, it's basically a matter of an inflammation/irritation around the knee cap. I would not worry about permanent damage, but be aware that inflammations around tendons/cartilage/joints generally take a long time to heal. And if they're not completely healed out, they tend to come right back. I agree with Mathias, 2 weeks of rest isn't even close. I've had really bad inflammations in the knees myself (patella & IT band) and it always took many months of staying off running. In the meantime, working on stretching, strengthening of muscle groups to balance the joint, alternative training etc. Then when starting to run again it has to be a very controlled process. First run is literally 5 min long, if that's good then the next run is 10 min long and so on.

Yeah, not being able to run and train sucks, but constant pain and depressing thoughts suck much more than getting on a proper recovery plan.

It was 3 weeks.... ;(