Everyone has already told you to get good knee pads. I'm telling you again--get good knee pads. If there's one area not to cheap out on when you're first starting roller derby, this is it.
I have awesome knee pads. Not only does it feel like landing on a tiny fluffy cloud when I do knee falls, they look cool too. I highly recommend them.
However, I still have knee pain. There are two circumstances under which I tend to fall: 1) I'm attempting a maneuver I haven't mastered yet, like hockey stops or 360's. 2) We're doing a drill that involves lots of cutting across the track & I collide with someone. I'm not doing contact, so I fall waaaay less often than most of the other skaters.
So if I don't fall very often, I have great knee pads, and I've only been doing this for 6 months, why the knee pain?
Answer: I am weak.
Like, literally, the muscles and ligaments that support my knee are weak. It's not just impact, it's strain that causes pain.
Your practices probably include a lot of squats, leg lifts and stretches. If you're having knee pain, pay close attention to them and try to do them properly. There are tons of resources for that online, and try to get some direct one-on-one instruction from a veteran skater.
Also, give yourself a knee massage before and after practice, and whenever it feels ouchy. Here's how:
Take care of yourself. If you do injure your knee beyond just typical workout pain or weakness pain (you will know the difference) see a doctor, and follow orders. Following the advice above should minimize the risk that you'll end up needing drugs or surgery one day.
And for fuck's sake, don't take anti-inflammatories as a precautionary measure! Inflammation serves a purpose when you're putting strain on your muscles and joints. Your body needs to be free to respond to the stress you're putting on it.
