Knee pain (might be runners knee)

Hey guys!

So I’ve been lurking a bit in this channel to see if anyone’s already posted about this and it seems like knee pain isn’t an unusual topic of discussion here.

Recently, I’ve found that my left knee, on the lower left side of the knee cap, is stiff and uncomfortable when I extend and contract my leg. I am certain that I overdid my workouts at the end of last year which is why this discomfort arose (I am suspecting it’s runners knee-but don’t know for sure).

Since the new year I’ve taken a week off running and want to resume asap. I am unsure if 1 week is actually enough time off. Any suggestions for how much time off is needed? Any things to look for/signs that I can start running again or that I need more time? Of course, the last thing I want to do is start running again and make the issue worse, leading to an even longer recovery time.

Thanks for any suggestions!