Can A Walker Get Runner’s Knee?

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Ugh! Fingers crossed that the knee is just a bit sore and that this isn't in my future!

Ugh! Fingers crossed that the knee is just a bit sore and that this isn’t in my future! Image courtesy Ambro and FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I’ve heard of runner’s knee. Is there such a thing as walker’s knee? Or is it all the same thing?

This morning I felt a sharp pain during my walk. I slowed my pace and the pain dulled. I toyed with turning around and going home, but the pain went away. I chalked it up to age and weight and continued walking, but decided to just do 2 miles and not the scheduled 4. On the way home, I stepped off the curb wrong and sure enough the sharp pain came back. Again it dulled and disappeared after about 50 steps.

When I got home I decided to rest my leg. After 30 minutes, I felt great and decided to run my errands for the day – grocery shopping, cleaning the house, prepping all my veggies for the week. I only had one mishap with the knee. While carrying groceries from the car I lost my footing and fell on the walk leading up to my house. Both knees gave the concrete step a love tap, but it wasn’t too painful.

Now I’m sitting down for the first time since that morning sit and the knee is throbbing.

Great.

Good news is that it doesn’t hurt going up and down the stairs. With all the walking, plus my weight and age, perhaps my knee is feeling a little overused. I don’t think I pulled, sprained, ruptured or imploded anything.

I plan to take it easy the rest of the day – it’s a beautiful day out so I plan to go outside, drink ice tea (curses you 30-day No Alcohol Challenge!), and read with my leg raised. If my knee behaves, I might treat it to a nice ice pack to boot!

Tomorrow, instead of the 5-mile walk, I’ll do a muscle workout and give the knee a rest. With any luck, I’ll be back to my old self by the weekend.

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walk recordBefore my injuries in 2012, it was difficult for me to walk a block without having my lower back locking up on me forcing me to sit. While I had hoped that walking would be my primary exercise as I started losing weight, injury after injury stopped me in my tracks.  So until Feb. 2013, I hadn’t exercised at all – eating smart was the driver of my weight loss.

Yesterday was my first walk in about 8 months.  I decided to walk down to a grocery store and back – something simple.  Just wanted to test the waters. It was amazing! I felt great throughout the walk and had the feeling that it was way too short.  I walked nearly 2 miles with an average pace of 17 min/mi.  In 2012 I couldn’t cross the street without being in pain.  Down 58 lbs and pain free, can’t wait to strap on my Nikes and hit the pavement today.