Knee pain from exercise in a forty something

October 16, 2023 9:06 AM

While I will be seeing a doctor shortly, I'm hoping others with knee pain experience might shed some insight on a repeated injury I keep having. During the last few months - maybe since August? - I've sometimes experienced knee pain after playing relatively casual pick up soccer matches. Have you experienced something like this?

So not every game, but often enough - maybe half the times I've played recently? my knee will become sore during play, and I feel pain and soreness afterward. The day of the game its bad enough for me to limp; the following day sore but not limping, two days later, ssore but hardly noticeable. I do RICE the day of / day following. At its height, it feels like tightness, a pinch, somewhat sore to the touch, and it hurts to bend the knee too much. But, I can put weight on it. As far as location, the pain tends to be on the outside of the right knee, and sort of on/below the kneecap.

I have not felt any "pops", nor is this an impact injury. I've worn a compression sleeve and in some games, that has helped.

I'm not in particularly great shape, but I do basic amounts of exercise like quite a lot of walking, bike riding, a core routine a few times a week, along with playing soccer 1-3 times a week.

Of course, I know soccer is a pretty high impact sport for someone my age, but if I can, I'd like to keep playing - I enjoy it, I am playing casually with folks around my age, and its good exercise.

Does this type of knee pain sound like anything anyone has experienced, and do you have any suggestions to keep my knee from worse going forward? Yes, I will avoid playing soccer until I see the doctor.

posted by RajahKing to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

Best answer: What you're describing does not sound like an injury each time, but rather knee pain related to the stress of the activity, or relating to past damage to your knee. Joints are complicated. they have soft tissue and hard tissue, and repeated, heavy use can cause incremental damage that can result in inflammation and pain.
Having a doctor, orthopedist or sports medicine, evaluate the joint is a good step.
posted by OHenryPacey at 9:12 AM on October 16, 2023

Best answer: The way you describe your exercise routine, the soccer game is the highest impact thing you do with your legs, and that's dangerous, especially for your knees. Ask a fitness trainer or your PT what exercises you should be doing for knee and ankle strength. Cycling and walking don't strengthen the muscles that keep your ACL from blowing out, for example. The soreness you feel is the muscles that need to be stronger complaining that they aren't strong enough.
posted by seanmpuckett at 9:24 AM on October 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Best answer: On the outside of your knee you have your LC ligament and it's a classic soccer injury to sprain or tear it lightly. It's what lets you move your knee side to side and, if you injure it, it can be tricky to get it back to full health if you keep doing things that require bursts side to side like soccer does.

That said, it's very rehab-able and there's lots that can be done to prevent future injury - I'd visit a sports physiotherapist to make sure that is what it is and to get a rehab program going or imaging if necessary. Most likely if you're able to still play you are looking at a few weeks of rehab and strengthening vs. a prolonged absence from soccer.
posted by openhearted at 9:36 AM on October 16, 2023

I had this exact pain in my 20s for pickup soccer and some orthopedic inserts in my cleats solved it almost immediately.

In my 40s my hips started to hurt too. Some simple warm up time using those resistance exercise bands killed that pain too. Not a lot, like 10 reps a side per exercise motion.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 10:16 AM on October 16, 2023

This sounds like patellofemoral pain syndrome, or runner's knee, which is a frustrating diagnosis because so far as I can tell, it means "knee pain in a basically healthy person for no clear reason." I don't have further advice (mine literally just comes and goes irrespective of anything I do) but figured this might help you in onward googling.
posted by dusty potato at 10:36 AM on October 16, 2023

I get this when running. It started when I was about 40. My physio traced it to weak hip stabilisation and inadequate core strength related to years of cycling and desk work. When I regularly do the core exercises he gave me the knee pain goes away and I can run for longer. You could maybe step up the core work, see if that helps.
posted by tomsk at 11:50 AM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Do you do any squats? I had the runner's knee/patellofemoral pain for years and it turned out not to be my knee at all but a referred pain from my hip. Strength training for glutes and stretching out my quads deeply took care of it over the course of a few months. If you do see someone, I'd look for a really good personal trainer or physiotherapist. I've seen sports med docs and over 15 years, no one figured it out and I probably saw 10 of them.
posted by *s at 1:19 PM on October 16, 2023 [3 favorites]

Something to check – it could be ITB syndrome. The illiotibial band is a fibrous reinforcement connecting the knee to the hip, its action is implicated in hip rotation and knee stabilisation. ITB syndrome is an inflammation that presents a sharp pain or ache on the outside of the knee (and which can also spread up or down the leg and hip). I've known lots of people around your age who are fit and active, but who spend a lot of time sat at a desk or with their legs crossed (or ankles crossed), and who've suddenly experienced ITB syndrome when they've gone on an unusually long hike or taken part in something like 5-a-side football.

There are a series of very effective stretches which are easy to do most mornings and evenings, just 5 mins or so, and as part of a warm-up, which I've found to prevent the inflammation. I think the one I've used to greatest effect is a standing ITB stretch, because I could do it anywhere – on a bus or train or in a queue. Grabbed from a rapid google search:

You can lean on a wall for balance if it is easier. Here is how you do it:

Stand upright.
Cross the involved (hurting) leg BEHIND the opposite leg.
Lean to the uninvolved side (away from the sore side) until you feel a stretch across the affected iliotibial band.
Hold for 30 seconds.
Uncross your legs and stand up straight again.
Repeat four more times.
posted by Joeruckus at 3:44 PM on October 16, 2023 [2 favorites]

My trainer recommended foam rolling my illiotibial band for knee pain related to squats. Couldn't hurt to try.
posted by umwelt at 8:03 PM on October 16, 2023 [1 favorite]