Ok, I'm no Dr by all means, but tendonitis is an overuse injury and is cured by resting and even immobilizing the affected area.

Dude, if you can't bend your knee enough to get up a curb you need to take time off and heal that sucker up before you really do some damage. If left untreated you can cause permanent damage to your tendon(s), which can lead to permanent decrease of flexibility because of scar tissue build up.

I'm not trying to scare you, but I really don't think you should be running on it since you have such limited flexibility now. You'll probably need a good 2 weeks to feel much better and in 3 you'll probably be healed enough to begin starting a slow return to running program (4 would be better though).

I'm speaking from some experience since I've had tendonitis in my left knee and ran with, even finished my first HM wearing a huge side to side restrictive brace. Was it a good idea? No, but I knew that... I cut my runs way down hoping it would go away, but it didn't so I eliminated running for 2 full weeks then started back up very slowly for the first month. It nagged me a tad for a while after resuming running but nothing near like it was before resting it. It is now 99.5% healed now and I only really feel like I can strain that area if I stretch too aggressively. In hind sight, I should have taken 3 weeks off. I also had laterel epicondylytis aka "tennis elbow" which is tendonitis. I ignored it and it got really bad (I couldn't even hold an envelope between my fingers) I had to have surgery to clean up all the scar tissue in there. 6 weeks of movement therapy and 4 months of physical therapy and another 4 weeks of heavy duty therapy before I could return to work. On the positive side the elbow injury got me into running because I was getting fat. Also on the positive the rest from running was really good for me apparently, because after building back up I was running faster than before.

It stinks to be injured and it stinks to take the time off, but it could stinks even worse if you don't.

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Marlene[/URL" target="_blank">
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**Runningstmarys**

Please tell me more about your surgery. I was just diagnosed with the same thing, medial meniscus tear, and am contemplating surgery. I tried to live with the pain for a while (about 8 wks) but am tired of it. If I don't exercise, then I don't have any pain. But that is not how I want to live my life. So please let us know how your surgery and recovery go. Do you have a date yet?

Sorry for the hijack. And someguy4 let us be your inspiration not to run through the pain. I haven't been able to run in 2 months!


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Newbie in Indiana

Well I had my knee surgery yesterday.
The meniscus had a complete seperation in one spot and although sewing it back together is what I had hoped could be done, because of the position and the lack of blood flow in that particular area it had to be shaved back to its orginal position. The doctor made a CD of the procedure and I just watched it. Interesting to watch and I may have went into the wrong line of work with machinery that makes it all look easy to do.
I was able to walk on it right away. Very little pain and so far I am taking just Advil for it. At this point I need to just keep it elevated for a few days and keep it iced. The doctor tells me that I can walk on it as much as needed and there is no danger of doing any damage of any kind.
All in all with the surgery I have had down over the years for various things, I would say this was one of the best.
I go to get the stitches out on Wednesday and get a lifting schedule for getting me back into running shape. Hopefully I will be able to resume running in a couple of weeks.
I did actually run a little last week before the surgery when my dog got loose and I had to chase him down the street. I figured it was already messed up and there wasn't much else I could do to it. I was correct, but it was painful.

No blood on the CD Nickel. Just the white fiberous tissue and the bone. Nothing to make you pass out. I am the same way with those damned needles, although I have had enough surgeries it doesn't bother me too much anymore. I can watch someone else get it done, but not me.
I won't get any exercises until Wednesday when he pulls the stitches out. So far I have no knee pain and the only thing I have to complain about it my calve is tight and sore and making it slightly difficult to get around. I have been stretching and working with it so I can start the exercises later this week.
I am not going to PT as I did that when I got out of the cast for my broken leg and I discovered quickly that I knew more exercises than the people who were suppose to be helping me. So I will see what the doc has and use my home gym and bike to get it going again.
Cannot wait to run again.

Runningstmarys. . . How's the rehab coming along? I'm doing pretty good I think. I've been walking on the treadmill everyday and trying to spend about 20mins or so a day on the bike. I still seem to have a slight limp though. That is my biggest complaint. Any suggestions on how to fully extend that leg? I go to the Dr next week and will ask him also. Hope things are going well for you and that you can return to running soon, if you haven't already.

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Newbie in Indiana