Hi, I have OA in my knee as a consequence of ACL reconstruction 15+ years ago. I was a competitive runner in my 20s and 30s, then switched to Olympic triathlon in my mid-30s, and then switched to sprint lengths tris about 4 years ago. I’ve had a few acute episodes with my knee, where it gets painful, swollen, etc. and after these it sometimes takes months before I can run again. I have been told to avoid heavy lifts and deep squats, and looking back I think that some of my acute episodes came after I got too enthusiastic in the weight room. I do some kettlebell and TRX for strength, and biking and swimming are fine, but I am frustrated by not being able to run more and get faster. I almost always have some pain, although minimal, when I run and I am afraid of doing more damage. I have been taking tumeric based supplements and these do seem to help.

A lot of advice on knee pain seems geared toward managing IT band, etc. and not to account for aging joints. I don’t need to run long distances but I would like to build up to feeling strong in a 4-5 mile run. I’d love to hear what has worked for others! Thank you!