Forums >Health and Nutrition>Knee Pain Again
Last year i went out and started to run. After about 1 and a half weeks, i got knee pain, real bad, that i gave up the sport. For christmas I decided to get some Running Sneakers, a pretty good one, Nike Bowerman with arch support (which i have no idea where they go) and footbridge. I decided to start again. I am doin all of this on a treadmill, for metropolitan living is a b*&@h. All started well, but 4 weeks into it, and about 3 miles a day, i am starting to get knee pain again.... I have read here and will start doing the iced towel thing before i run and using it for 15 mins after, and before that i will stretch, but my concern is......why does my knee hurt? I am not doing any intense speed, less than half way. Now i do believe it might be that i really am not a runner and my muscles are under-developed. But if i quit now, then i fear i might quit for good. BTW, 30 year old, average build, can do 30 push-ups per set, 30 situps per set, no problems. I admit i dont stretch, but when I ran in college a mile a day for warm ups and in soccer for hours, i never got knee pains? Is it the treadmill? or is it how i run? I was thinking of doing 2 or 3 weeks of brisk walking, but wouldn't that be worse for the knee? Any suggestions is truly appreciated Paul
Suffering Benefiting from mature onset exercise addiction and low aerobic endorphin release threshold. Hoping there is no cure.
Paul - how did you choose your running shoes? Did you have them fitted for you by a running shop - after someone analysed how you run to make sure you were getting the right shoes? Nike Bowerman with arch support may be pretty good shoes but only if they are the right type for the way you run.
Icing after a run AND before going to bed is a good idea. Here are three exercises that cure and prevent 'runners knee'. They worked for me. I do them on my off days. Standing Leg Lifts: Stand with your back against the wall. Lift one leg up as high as you can with the knee straight. Hold for five seconds, then bend your knee to relax, hold for five seconds. Straighten your leg again, and do five of these before switching to the other leg. Over time, see if you can build up to ten seconds. Foot Turns: Lie down or sit in a chair and stretch both legs out, knees straight and feet pointed up toward the knees. Tighten your thigh muscles and turn your feet out as far as you can, holding for ten seconds. Now turn your feet in as far as you can and hold for ten seconds, keeping your thigh muscles tight for the entire exercise. Do three of these sets. Foot Press: Either sitting or lying down, put one foot on top of the other and pull up with your lower foot as you push down with the upper foot. Hold that for ten seconds, and then switch feet and repeat. Try five sets of these.