Don't Let Your Knees Slow You Down

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We bend them, kneel on them, run on them and jump with them, yet few of us give our knees a second thought. It is the most injury prone, and most complex joint in the body. Most runners and many exercisers you encounter will admit to some sort of knee pain throughout their journey, but should our knees slow us down?

I had always had slight knee pain but at about mile 20 of my first marathon they were throbbing. It was a kind of pain I had never felt before and I had no idea how I could continue on for 6 miles. Thankfully I finished, but I faced pain and soreness for a few weeks after that (which is to be expected, 26.2 miles is a big thing to ask of your body). I took some time off to rest and seemed to be doing better. Some of the pain has been coming back so I figured I would dedicate this post to keeping healthy knees :)

So what can be done at home for this nasty injury?

1. Get moving. Your knees take the brunt of your body weight and so excess body fat means extra stress on that joint. Keep your weight in the healthy range to avoid some unnecessary stress to the knee.

2. Look at your shoes. A lot of knee injury can be caused from overpronation (or the rolling inward of your foot). To know if you have it ask your doctor or put your tennis shoes on a flat surface. Is the wear on the inside heel? This can be corrected simply with supportive tennis shoes to prevent pronation.

3. Replace your shoes. Tennis shoes are only designed to last 400-600 miles. Don't let worn out tennis shoes lose the support your knee requires.

4. Check your alignment. Being bow-legged and knock-kneed is rough on your knees. Activities such as swimming and cycling have significantly less pounding to the joint and may be a better option for those out of alignment.

5. Don't run through it. GUILTY!! A lot of people think that because this is such a common injury it isn't a big deal so they ignore it and keep going. Pain is a sign that something is wrong...stop and deal with the problem correctly to prevent further injuries!

6. Change surfaces. Concrete and asphalt can take a toll on your knees so look for softer surfaces such as trails and running tracks. Also, downhill walking/running puts extra pressure on the knee joint as your try to brake with the hill. Try making a zig-zag as you go downhill or avoiding the downhill in general.

7. Cross training. Repetitive movement strengthen the muscles used while letting unused muscles weaken (therefore providing less support for your body). Mix it up-strength training, swimming, running, yoga, cycling. There are so many fun options!

8. Stretch. Not just your knees but surrounding areas. Get a good ham stretch, quad stretch, calf stretch, hip adductor and abductor stretch, and hip flexor stretch.

9. RICE it. Yup, you knew this one was coming. When you have overdone it, rest! Put some ice on it (20 minutes on, 20 minutes off) while keeping it elevated. When not icing, wrap it in a bandage to reduce swelling.

10. Massage it. No one will say no to a good massage right?! This won't help the actual structure of the knee but can increase circulation and loosen tight muscles that may be pulling on your knee.

Don't let knee pain sideline you from activities you enjoy. Be proactive and help keep your knees healthy and strong!

Megan