Clicking knee and calf pain

[taureancloud]

Hi,
Don't know i this is too trivial a question but thought I may as well ask. I had a long term illness (M.E) and have now pretty much recovered and partly to aid recovery have been gradually been building up exercise. I overdid it jogging one day and my right knee really hurt, around the top and inside. I stopped exercise immediately and the pain is now gone but it clicks loudly all the time when walking or moving. It's been about three weeks now and there's no change. It doesn't hurt any more and I have been doing other exercise and its been fine. I haven't tried to run again yet because when I did a week after the pain had gone it immediately started hurting again. Is clicking a problem if it doesn't hurt? What could this be caused by?

The other thing, which I thought could be related is after walking for, say an hour, I sometimes get these weird leg pains ,mainly in my calves but sometimes my thighs as well. I don't know quite how to describe them, they feel like they are right inside the leg, sort of a deep ache. I always thought it was just an M.E thing, as you get a whole load of random symptoms but my friend who also has M.E just found out that her leg pains were caused by one of her legs being shorter than the other. She has now been proscribed special insoles.

Now that I am finally recovering after 15 years I am desperate to carry on exercising and get my body stronger. I particularly like running, even though I know its hard on the joints - its free and easy to motivate myself to do- so would really like to go back to it soon if possible.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this - Any thoughts?

[Canuck Physio]

Originally Posted by taureancloud

Hi,
Don't know i this is too trivial a question but thought I may as well ask.
Nothing is too trivial here, asking questions here actually helps a lot of individuals who are students, or even those who are not

I had a long term illness (M.E) and have now pretty much recovered and partly to aid recovery have been gradually been building up exercise.
Exercise is useful, however it should be monitored and progressed slowly

I overdid it jogging one day and my right knee really hurt, around the top and inside. I stopped exercise immediately and the pain is now gone but it clicks loudly all the time when walking or moving. It's been about three weeks now and there's no change. It doesn't hurt any more and I have been doing other exercise and its been fine.
What 'other' exercise are you doing exactly?

I haven't tried to run again yet because when I did a week after the pain had gone it immediately started hurting again. Is clicking a problem if it doesn't hurt? What could this be caused by?
Try to avoid running at the moment there are lower impact activities that can help you maintain your exercise but allow you to manage this current problem. One thing that even I am prey to sometimes is overtraining, and training on an injury, but experience has made me realize that 'an ounce of prevention, is worth a lb of cure'

The other thing, which I thought could be related is after walking for, say an hour, I sometimes get these weird leg pains ,mainly in my calves but sometimes my thighs as well.
Is that both legs?
I don't know quite how to describe them, they feel like they are right inside the leg, sort of a deep ache. I always thought it was just an M.E thing, as you get a whole load of random symptoms but my friend who also has M.E just found out that her leg pains were caused by one of her legs being shorter than the other. She has now been proscribed special insoles.
It is normal to have a slight leg length discrepency, however, is there anything that eases the pain once it comes on? A physiotherapist can measure a True leg length discrepancy easily. However, it could also be muscular fatigue which may be increased, and it could well be a nutrient imbalance.

Now that I am finally recovering after 15 years I am desperate to carry on exercising and get my body stronger. I particularly like running, even though I know its hard on the joints - its free and easy to motivate myself to do- so would really like to go back to it soon if possible.
Great to hear, nothing better than a motivated individual willing to work hard to see results. That's what physiotherapy offers, results. What does a physiotherapist do? Give you results in the shortest time possible, and optimizing whatever current condition is limiting a person

Thanks for taking the time to read all this - Any thoughts?

Some feedback as above, regards

[taureancloud]

"Try to avoid running at the moment there are lower impact activities that can help you maintain your exercise but allow you to manage this current problem."

I thought you would say that! I know, I just like running but I am being sensible, haven't done any since I hurt my knee. The other exercise I have been doing has been at the gym -use of the cross trainer and exercise bike and also some strength training with weights. But it is all very gentle, nothing too strenuous. The clicking gets worse with exercise but doesn't actually hurt.

In answer to your question, the pain is in both legs when it comes. Rest is what solves it, though massaging them relieves the pain.

I went to the doctors yesterday for something else but asked about the clicking and he said it probably wasn't anything to worry about if it didn't hurt and there was no swelling so I guess it will probably just go of its own accord. I also asked about the pain in my legs and he said it was probably just muscles pain related to M.E. He did measure my legs (while i was standing in my trainers! Can you make an accurate measurement like that?) and said all was fine. Thats kind of what i expected. I think I may just be being a bit of a hypochondriac after talking to my friend. I think because I really want to get fit and healthy I don't want to miss anything that could cause a set back. But maybe I just need to chill!

Thank you for your advice!

[Canuck Physio]

Originally Posted by taureancloud

"Try to avoid running at the moment there are lower impact activities that can help you maintain your exercise but allow you to manage this current problem."

I thought you would say that! I know, I just like running but I am being sensible, haven't done any since I hurt my knee. The other exercise I have been doing has been at the gym -use of the cross trainer and exercise bike and also some strength training with weights. But it is all very gentle, nothing too strenuous. The clicking gets worse with exercise but doesn't actually hurt.
Modified activity is in my opinion very important to overcoming any issue, regardless of its size. Please read this following post regarding injuries:
http://www.physiobob.com/forum/gener...erve-root.html (Disc compression on left S1 nerve root)

In answer to your question, the pain is in both legs when it comes. Rest is what solves it, though massaging them relieves the pain.
hmmm... if the pain is presenting bilaterally regardless of the activity this may very well be fatigue related, this may depend on how long the activity is before the onset of pain. If you have been training more aggressively lately your body is probably adapting to utilizing Lactic acid for energy reconversion. At the same time you may have limited potential at this moment with the ATP-CP system, especially if your diet is not optimized for optimum activity

I went to the doctors yesterday for something else but asked about the clicking and he said it probably wasn't anything to worry about if it didn't hurt and there was no swelling so I guess it will probably just go of its own accord. I also asked about the pain in my legs and he said it was probably just muscles pain related to M.E. He did measure my legs (while i was standing in my trainers! Can you make an accurate measurement like that?) and said all was fine.
That assessment is not ideal, the most commonly used and effective is a tape measure with patient lying in supine. Shows off. Measuring from ASIS to medial styloid of ankle

Thats kind of what i expected. I think I may just be being a bit of a hypochondriac after talking to my friend. I think because I really want to get fit and healthy I don't want to miss anything that could cause a set back. But maybe I just need to chill!
I think you may want to get a hands on assessment of that clicking. Repeated clicking such as that in ITband Syndrome can cause low level inflammation compounded over time into larger issues. Hands on treatment may allow a therapist to determine why the sound is occuring, and what structure is at fault.
Thank you for your advice!

Please see advice as above, I think it would be useful to alleviate the problem