Sharp Knee & Leg Pain: Causes, Relief & When to See a Doctor

Question
Hi.  I'm a 35 year old female.  Very active -- run 1-3 miles every other day, do yoga, and do a weight circuit at the gym on my non-run days.  For the past several months I get this sharp pain that starts on the outside of my knee (at the head of the fibula) and shoots down my leg.  I don't know if it's my knee or my shin or what it is.  It hurts at the beginning of my run and eases as my run progresses.  It doesn't hurt at all with the weights.  I is a very sharp pain, thouhg, when walking down stairs or when sitting.  I can't bend it past 90 degrees without the sharp, shooting pain.  I also can't bear weight for several minutes when going from sitting to standing to walking.  I thought it was my running shoes so I changed those.  I then decided to stop running altogether for a period of about 2 weeks.  Then, I decided to try to strengthen the hamstring, quad, and calf.  Nothing has worked.  Any suggesstions or ideas on where to go from here? I just know I can't take it anymore!

Answer
it sounds like you have some soft tissue injury in that area.  I think it is also possible there is a stress fracture there.  

Short of actually seeing a doctor for an evaluation, at this point, I would have you stop the exercise for now.  Also start an anti-inflammatory like Alleve, 2 twice a day and see  how it improves over 3 weeks.    But I would get it formally evaluated if it doesn't improve rapidly.