Just started running, now have knee pain

Question
Hi Nick,
Hope I'm asking my question in the right category.  I'm a 32 year old female, and I just started walking fast/running on the treadmill almost every day for 25-30 minutes.  I did have bunion surgery on my left foot when I was 25 and I have a steel pin in my foot.  Also, I was diagnosed with chondromalacia patella, again at 25, but I can't remember which knee it was in.  All I did was some physical therapy, no surgery.  I'm wondering if that's what is going on once more, but the symptoms don't seem to match up with what I've read online.

Since I've started working out, I have had severe pain in both knees when extending my legs.  The left knee is much worse, but in both there is a popping when I extend my leg, coupled with intense pain.  The popping is much more pronounced in my left knee.  I can feel it when I put my hand on it, it's almost like it's popped out of place.  What should I do?
Thanks so much,
Tara

Answer
Knee pain isn't fun Tara!  I'm sorry to hear about your pain.  It sounds like it's a knee cap problem.  (My theory changes if you've had a traumatic blow to the knee, so if that's the case please tell me.)  Knee cap problems often originate with weak feet and weak side-to-side hip strength.  It doesn't surprise me at all that your knee pain is worse in the foot you have a steel pin in.  If 2 days of doing the following 4 exercises doesn't help then you need to see a physical therapy doctor to have your knee examined more closely.

1) Lying glute medius exercise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ6_xqKkpx0 is a video of it.  Hold it for 5 seconds at the top and do 2 sets of 10 on each leg.

2) 1 leg squats: Stand on one leg and squat down about 4 inches and don't let your knee fall in. (I'm guessing your knee will naturally want to fall in, but don't let it!) Do 3 sets of 3 each leg.

3) Calf raises: Balance on one leg (don't hold on to anything) and raise up onto the balls of your feet.  Do 3 sets of 5 each leg.  (This is a slow exercise.)

4) Jog barefoot on carpet or on grass at a slow pace for 3 minutes using the technique found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jrnj-7YKZE (Basically it's like jogging in place, but you're actually going somewhere.)

Do these exercises for 3 days over the next week. If you don't find any relief in pain see a physical therapy doctor.