Your knee suddenly won't support your weight after twisting during a run because the twist may have injured a ligament, meniscus, or other stabilizing structure inside the knee.
If your knee twists while running and you suddenly cannot put weight on it, the knee may have lost stability because of an injury to a ligament, the meniscus, or another important structure inside the joint. If the knee feels like it will buckle, gives way, or you cannot take more than a few steps, you should stop running and have it evaluated as soon as possible.
You may remember the exact moment it happened. Your foot stayed planted while the rest of your body turned, or you stepped awkwardly on uneven ground. Right away, your knee may have felt sharp, unstable, or as though it could no longer hold you up.
Sometimes swelling appears within minutes, while other times the knee mainly feels weak and unreliable. Whether or not you heard a pop, difficulty putting weight on the leg after a twisting injury is a sign that the knee may have been injured more than just temporarily strained.
The Knee Feels Like It Will Give Out With Every Step
You may feel like your knee cannot be trusted the moment you try to stand.
Twisting injuries commonly affect the ACL, MCL, or other stabilizing ligaments. When one of these structures is injured, the knee can feel wobbly or unstable, making even a few steps difficult because your body no longer feels confident loading the joint.
Sharp Pain Stops You From Putting Weight Through The Leg
You may instinctively lift your foot back off the ground because every step hurts.
A torn or irritated meniscus, a significant ligament sprain, or damage to the joint surfaces can create sharp pain whenever you try to bear weight. The pain often feels worse when turning, straightening the knee, or trying to walk normally.
Why Your Knee Could Be Taking Longer To Heal
Your knee has a hard time healing when blood flow and circulation are limited.
Tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues naturally receive less blood supply than many other parts of the body. Because of this, they often take longer to heal after repeated stress or injury, leaving you more vulnerable to lingering pain and a cycle of reinjury.
When circulation through the area remains limited, injured tissues have a harder time receiving the vital oxygen and nutrients they need to repair and heal. This can leave your knee feeling stiff, tight, weak, or painful during everyday movement and activity.
What Can Help Your Knee Feel Better
Your knee starts feeling better when blood flow and circulation improve.
Chinese herbs have been used for centuries to promote healthy blood flow and circulation. Their medicinal properties help break up stagnant blood and fluids that remain trapped around injured tissues, interfering with circulation. As circulation improves, blood flows more freely through the area, allowing those tissues to receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to heal properly.
Topical herbal remedies made with these Chinese herbs can help relieve pain while improving blood flow and circulation to injured tissues. The right product depends on your symptoms and whether you're in the acute or chronic stage of recovery.
If you have pain, swelling, inflammation, or bruising, Acute Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by increasing circulation and dispersing stagnant blood and fluids around the injured area to speed recovery. During the acute stage of healing, getting circulation moving early allows injured tissues to receive the fresh blood, oxygen, and nutrients they need to repair and heal.
If your injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch after a recent injury or flare-up, Sinew Herbal Ice is also used to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation so you can quickly regain range of motion. While traditional ice is commonly used to reduce swelling, Sinew Herbal Ice acts as an ice alternative to reduce swelling and inflammation while also dispersing accumulated blood and fluids to speed the healing process.
If you no longer have swelling or inflammation, but still have pain, stiffness, weakness, or sensitivity in cold and damp weather, Chronic Sinew Liniment helps relieve these symptoms by strongly stimulating circulation and increasing blood supply to injured tendons and ligaments to promote their healing. This is especially important because tendons and ligaments naturally receive less blood supply, which is why chronic injuries can take longer to heal.
If you have residual pain and stiffness, or the area becomes more painful in cold weather, Sinew Injury Poultice is also used to significantly stimulate circulation to injured tendons and ligaments to further promote their healing. By strongly increasing circulation, it counteracts the reduced blood flow caused by cold weather that commonly aggravates chronic tendon and ligament injuries.
If you exercise, play sports, or do other strenuous activities, Sinew Sports Massage Oil warms and stimulates muscles for exertion and relieves muscle tightness and soreness after activity. Warming and preparing your muscles before activity can improve flexibility, enhance performance, and reduce the risk of injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
You may also find these commonly asked questions helpful.
Should I keep running if I can't put weight on my knee?
No. Stop running immediately. Continuing to run could worsen a ligament, meniscus, or joint injury.
Is it serious if my knee twisted but I didn't hear a pop?
Yes. A significant knee injury can occur even without a popping sound if you cannot bear weight or the knee feels unstable.
Why does my knee feel like it will buckle?
A twisting injury can affect the ligaments or meniscus, making the knee feel unstable when you try to stand or walk.
Should I go to urgent care if I can't walk after twisting my knee?
Yes. Inability to bear weight after a twisting injury should be evaluated promptly to rule out a serious injury or fracture.
Will a twisted knee heal on its own?
Mild sprains often improve with time, but severe pain, swelling, instability, or inability to bear weight should be assessed by a healthcare professional.
Recommended Products
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• Acute Sinew Liniment — Used when pain, swelling, and inflammation are present to relieve pain, reduce swelling and inflammation, and increase blood flow and circulation to injured tissues.
• Sinew Herbal Ice — Used when the injured area is especially swollen, red, or warm to the touch to reduce swelling and inflammation while restoring normal circulation and range of motion.
• Chronic Sinew Liniment — Used for pain and stiffness after swelling and inflammation are gone to relieve pain, strongly stimulate circulation, and promote the healing of injured tendons and ligaments.
• Sinew Injury Poultice — Used for chronic tendon and ligament injuries to significantly stimulate circulation and promote deeper tissue recovery.
• Sinew Sports Massage Oil — Used before or after activity to warm and stimulate muscles, increase circulation, relieve tightness, and improve flexibility in muscles and joints.
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The information provided here is intended to help you better understand your symptoms and recovery, but it is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Persistent, severe, or worsening symptoms should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional.
