muscle strain??

Question
Hi John. I have a question about my knee and running. When I run I get this pain on the outside of my left knee. It started one night when me and my friend decided to go running. I'm in okay shape. not where I want to be but I've been running off and on for about 3 years now. I'm 23. Well we ran about 2 and a half miles when my knee started hurting. I kept running on it anyway until we went about 3 miles. Now every time I run it starts hurting in about a quarter of a mile. I can stop and walk and it still hurts but not so much. If I start running again it hurts worse than before. And after I run like in the mornings my leg will hurt for the whole rest of the day. Sometimes I can barely walk on it and bend it. It feels really stiff. Especially after I haven't moved it in a while. But the next day it won't hurt anymore. I stopped running for about 2 and a half weeks and it never started hurting again so now that I'm starting again it still hurts.. also I don't know if spraining your ankle has anything to do with it but about a month before my knee I sprained my left ankle. I didn't run on it for 2 weeks and then started back up again. I went to the doctor, but by the time they could get me in my leg really didn't hurt much so they just gave me some Motrin. I don't know why it's hurting. Do you think it's maybe a muscle strain? Is it bad to run on those? I'm in the air force and we have mandatory PT at my new base. I'm going to have to run only unless they give me a waiver and the doctors here won't. I don't know if I should keep running and hope it will go away.. or wear a brace or keep asking for a waiver. The doctors told me to just take the Motrin before I run. But that doesn't sound right to me. Well any information would be helpful. Thanks in advance.
Lisa

Answer
Hi Lisa
I do not recommend any meds,because they just mask the problem with a false sense of security.You must always treat the cause of the problem.It is very possible that when you twisted your ankle you created some alignment and tracking problems with your knee and surrounding tendons and ligaments and there inflamed.You have to address this before it become worst.What i would recommend Lisa is do workouts on a stationary bike with medium tension and high rpm about 90rpm gradually increasing the tension as you become stronger over time.I'm quite sure this will get your alignment and tracking of your knee back fairly quickly.The other things is ice it as often as you can especially after bike workouts.The other is take 500mg vit c with your 3 meals a day to enhance recovery of tissues,tendons,cell structure.You do not need a knee brace.I would not recommend you run until this clears up with your consistent workouts.If you do you could possibly develop and bring on a case of Chondromalacia which could happen very easily do to the tracking and alignment situation.I would print this message along with info on my background as a professional running coach and personal trainer for over 25 years( go to web site).Perhaps with this information you can go to your base doctor with a qualified 2nd opinion and if he wants he can call me if necessary.If you have any other questions just get in touch and please let me know how this goes.

All the very best

John