No need to put up with achy runner’s knees. The most common complaint among runners—knee pain, or “runner’s knee”—is usually easy to treat. Here’s how to overcome it.
What it feels like: A general pain in the knee joint that increases when running or on stairs; clicking in the knee when you get up from sitting; stiffening in the joint after sitting.
Why it happens: Often the pain comes from the kneecap being pulled off its track, which results in too much or too little pressure on the buffering cartilage. This can happen if you have weak quadriceps muscles or get too ambitious with your mileage and don’t build up to long distances gradually. People who pronate (feet roll inward at the arches), have flat feet, or aren’t flexible have a higher risk for achy knees. And women are more prone than men, because our wider hips create an angle from the hip to the knee that can cause problems.
How to fix it: Take a week off from running and cross-train with activities that are gentler on knees (like swimming or cycling). Then, start running again, but cut your mileage by 30 percent at first. Strengthening your thighs can also help—particularly doing exercises like quadriceps extensions: Sit on a high surface, hang a 3–5 pound purse or weight around your ankle, then extend the leg straight. Hold for 3–5 seconds, then lower and repeat. Do 12 reps with each leg, and progress to 4–5 sets daily. Still in pain? See your doc, or get a referral to an orthopedist.
Jenny Hadfield is our Girls Gotta Move Running Club coach and a certified personal trainer.
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Comments (5)
Great advice Jenny. I also suggest doing closed chain exercises. Start with static squats. Lean against a wall and squat to a comfortable level and hold. Repeat twice more then work for more time next session.
Once pain subsides start with low step-ups and modified squats doing only the pain free range of motion. This will strengthen the legs in a functional way, in time you should be able to complete fuller motion with no pain. At this point you should be able to return to your sport.
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There are two kinds of knee pain…
1. Pain that is generated within the joint usually the result of bad joint mechanics
2. Neurogenic pain that is precipitated from spinal lumbar nerve inflammation
Unless direct trauma has been inflicted upon the knee most all knee problems result from a bad hip or foot alignment and the poor knee is the victim for mediating this alignment problem from the ground contact to the body or mediating the hip torque down to the ground. Helping correct the bottom to top alignment can usually respond to self help with proper shoe fit, orthotics, and good foot pointing technic while walking and running. People who exhibit foot flare will always be at risk with knee problems and will lose races. A small amount of toe in position allows the push off to be from ALL of the toes instead of just the great toe and alleviates the medial knee ligament stress.
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All of this advice is excellent. Thank you.
WHATS UP WITH YOU.
I WISH I CAN HELP IF I WAS A DOCTOR.