I have two previously torn meniscuses and a torn patellar tendon. I don’t run a ton (my workout program does agility training for cardio), but I can just decide to go run a sub 30m 5k with no problems.
It definitely wasn’t always this way. I used to have to tap after 10 minutes due to the knee pain. Until one day I thought, “Maybe I’m doing something wrong,” so I did some research.
Turns out I was doing something everything wrong. I was running with the same form I used for walking, which is a heel to toe movement, and taking similar strides. This is actually the opposite of what you’re supposed to do.
The first mistake I was making is the long steps. When running, your goal should be to never let your feet extend more than an inch or so further forward than your hips. Walking is more of a controlled fall, but with running you’re propelling yourself forward.
The second mistake I was making is fully straightening my knees. Your knees should always be bent a little bit. And the third was landing on my heel.
When running, you want your ankles and knees to act like a spring. The ball of your foot should hit the ground first with your foot pointed somewhat down. then you absorb the initial impact by dropping your heel and bending your knees a bit. Think of it like crumple zones in a car. You don’t want all of the impact transferred instantly, which is what happens if you land with a straight leg.
Then you push forward with the foot that’s down, and repeat for the other leg. The faster you go, the more you’ll need to lean forward to keep hitting the ground with the ball of your foot.
It does take a bit of getting used to in order for it to be muscle memory, but it should help if your issue is incorrect form.
Although this is not particularly aimed at OP, as I cannot assess their situation, you should also check the fit and quality of your shoes if you start getting pains. One of my running friends ran with the wrong shoes for years and was out of the running (heh) at regular intervals because he figured that he could wear the same type of shoes as his father did.
Also, the manufacturer’s advice is that running shoes last 800-1000 kilometers. I personally do not really trust that advice since they do have to actually sell shoes, but that’s another rant. Also, my current pair has just touched 1200kms and I have no weird pains yet. I will be switching soon though, so I am not that stubborn.
As for barefooot shoes, I switched to barefoot shoes in everyday life three years ago and I rarely use traditional shoes anymore. My posture has improved and I have fewer back pains (I’m old). I also love being able to feel what’s below my feet as it somehow makes me more aware of my surroundings. However, I still run in traditional running shoes. Part of the reason is that I mostly run on paved roads. I am a masochist, but not that much. I was able to switch from antipronation to neutral shoes without issue and I feel that walking barefoot has improved my running posture. I take shorter steps and my landing zone has shifted forwards. My speed has not improved, but that’t probably because I am getting older and more rickety. :-)
I wear Asics trail running shoes while walking the dog. 2x4km daily. After about 2000km they’re pretty worn out. I wear the Kayano’s when running but I’ve only just gotten back into running due to surgeries.
I wish you a full and speedy (no pun intended) recovery.