yes, as a nurse I HAVE done leech therapy. It works for "reattachment" of fingers, etc. They keep the blood "flowing". Of course when they get full and fall off you have to find them. When I did it w/ kids, they thought it was gross and cool.
OK, we have digressed from the knees.....

I say take it slow. Do all thing things they said. Many studies have stated that people at run do NOT get osteoarthritis at a higher percentage rate than the other population that does not run. In fact it may be higher in non-runners. I don't have the study, but life in general can be hard on the knees...not just running.

K