Knee - Ligaments, Patella or Meniscus damaged

Hello all,

I have been training for long distance running for months now and at the end of June, I thought it would also a clever idea to take up weights again. Do squats, planks, crunches, etc. I have done weighted squats before and love using the weights. That night I had been running a 19k run and when I got home I did 20 weighted squats in one go using a 20kg barbell for the first time in a long time (I know I should have been building up slowly but I didn't). Everything was fine that night. It was the next morning when my knees started to hurt and I couldn't walk properly. I then gave the running a break but after 3 days rest I thought I try a 3k, maybe a 5k. I had to give up after 3k as it was just to painful. I then rested my legs for about 4 weeks. My legs started to feel better and I took part in a Marathon Challenge and ran a Marathon which was spread over 2 days. It was doable but I was also using painkillers and knee support to make it through the weekend. The first day was ok, the second more painful but I finished and then rested again for a couple weeks.

After another period of rest I started with short runs and build my way up to 10k and evt 18ks. My legs are fine with 10ks but as soon as I go further than, let's say 12k, my left knee joint feels stiff, I can barely put weight on this leg and rotating it hurts too.

For me left leg, at first, my hip hurt, down the inside of my thigh, down to the inside of my left knee. I now mainly feel pain in my thigh (slight pain) and I feel pain on the left side below the patella as well as the top right side above the patella. Sometimes those pains are sharp. The pains going from hip to thigh to knee, I thought it's the Satorius muscle and quadriceps (this also hurts). Looking up the symptoms with stiffness and pain rotating the knee, it came up with a possible torn meniscus BUT, give it 2 days rest and the knee is fine and I can run a 10k again. It makes me wonder whether that would actually be the meniscus at all?

When running, I now use compression support for the Patella which seems to help a little. I have not taken any more painkiller.

On my right side knee, I only have pains on the right side below the patella and sometimes above the patella.

I have seen a Physio already. He couldn't find anything and said I should be ok with a little more rest. I have also booked an appointment with my GP to see if I can get an MRI scan to check on the meniscus but seeing that it's the NHS and we're in the UK, this could take months.

Going by my description of symptoms, what does it sound like to you? Have you got any suggestions? Am I ok to keep running up short runs up to 10k or should I rest completely? I can't sit still and need to be outside but I also don't want to cause permanent damage.

I was due to run an Ultra run at the end of this month (54k). I have now cancelled this run as think it's just not doable given the current circumstances.

Thank you up front for taking the time to read and comment. Much appreciated.