Question:
Over the off season I have been doing a lot of running to try and stay fit.  I have been running at a local track, doing fairly long distances, but about a week into the running I started getting pain on the outside of my left knee.  To begin with it didn’t hurt while I was running just afterwards, but now it has got to the stage where if I sit still for any amount of time it stiffens up and hurts, it wakes me up at night and I cannot run on it.  Help.

Answer:
It sounds to me that you have runners knee (ITB syndrome), this comes about for a variety of reasons, but in your case it is more than likely due to the increased amount of track running you have been doing.  As you have been playing football for the season and are therefore conditioned for the demands of the sport it is then very stressful for the body to run at a constant pace for fairly long distance around a track, not doubt turning left all the time?  Therefore placing more stress on the left knee.

It is difficult to self treat this injury, as it requires stretching and releasing of the ITB to lessen the friction that is occurring at the knee.  It may also require some kind of analysis of your running style to prevent it re-occurring.  Commonly this type of injury will settle fairly quickly, but it is the return to sport which can aggravate the issue again if it isn’t rehabilitated properly.

With this in mind I suggest you follow the PRICE principle and then seek some treatment from an injury specialist.

Always remember that the off season should be used for rest and recovery, if you want to do something try to utilise the 2 weeks prior to the start of pre-season to get a base of fitness.  Also remember that you are trying to condition yourself for football, try and avoid doing things that are more suited to other sports, for example cyclists cycle, runners run, swimmers swim so footballers should……………!!