Injury Report: Torn Meniscus or Runner's Knee?

So I was tied up a little while back with a knee issue. I had been running a lot! And I really do mean a lot! I was in a running competition with co-workers and my natural competitiveness didn't help me here; it only hurt me. I put it off hoping it would get better on its own. Well that just didn't happen. The final straw was a 5k on the beach that completely left my left leg in pain to where I could barely bend it. So I finally decided it was time to see the doctor. I was afraid he would tell me I need to stop working out; and that terrified me more than anything!


So in my initial appointment, I let the doc know I was experiencing the following:

• Aching knees throughout the night
• Difficulty bending my left leg
• Swollen knee
• Sensitive to touch on the side of my knee
• Difficulty sitting in the same position for very long

These symptoms are pretty much the same for any knee ailment: torn meniscus, arthritis of the knee, runner's knee, bursitis, etc. With that being said, it's very important to see your doctor to find out exactly what's going on. 

My doc said it could possibly be a torn meniscus due to my symptoms. If this were true, I would face surgery to fix it. NO!!! They started with an X-Ray, which actually came back showing I have early arthritis of the knees. While sad, I kind of figured this news would come my way...genetics didn't help me here. I was given a cortisone injection and told to only do low impact cardio exercise. This eliminated all my favorites: running, rollerblading, and spin class. I'm very used to high intensity workouts, and feel like my body isn't doing much when I'm on an elliptical.

I tried my best to stick to the doctor's orders for 2 weeks. When I went back for my next appointment, things just weren't getting much better. I was sent for an MRI to finally find out if anything was torn. Thankfully the MRI came back that there's no structural damage but that I did have quite a but of fluid build-up on my knee. He gave me an anti-inflammatory and said a knee brace could help in stabilizing my knee while performing activities. So I starting shopping around for a knee brace. There were so many to choose from I was there forever!

McDavid Knee Support Brace

I opted for the McDavid Knee Support. This brace is an 11-inch long thermal neoprene sleeve that's contoured and darted for optimum fit. The open patella area relieves pressure from the knee cap, improving comfort and flexion. It was created with 4-way stretch to fit comfortably over your knee along with a heavy-duty outer facing for durability. It retains warmth, promotes healing, and reduces abrasions. When I first began wearing this brace, I have to admit, it almost felt like it was doing more harm than good. My knee felt like it was aching more. But I decided to give it a little time. I wore it during my workouts and it seemed to stay up well on my knee. After a couple weeks, I noticed I was having less aching in my knees and less swelling. 

Do you wear some sort of support sleeve or brace? What for?