Conventional wisdom says runners are destined to have knee problems. Here's how to make sure you never do.
If there's one malady everyone associates with running, it's knee
problems. And it's true that running can be tough on your knees: They
bear the load of the rest of your body every standing moment of your
life.
When you run, they serve as shock absorbers, soaking up the impact of
several times your weight with every stride. They're a key part of the
complex action that moves you forward: If your knees don't work, you
won't be going anywhere.
There are steps you can take to
prevent or at least minimize the chance of knee injuries before they
occur. Your shoes, the surface you run on, hills, weak muscles and
overpronation all can affect your knees' health. Some women may be more
likely to have knee trouble. Also, if you've had to deal with knee
injuries in the past (doctors saw more than 11.2 million patients with
knee problems in 1997, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgeons [AAOS]), you may encounter them again as a runner. If your
knees hurt while you run, stop running immediately, and ice them as
soon as you get home. Then consider this checklist:
Shoes
Are yours worn? Are they the right type for your foot and stride?
Worn-out shoes have less than half of their original shock-absorbing
ability, according to the AAOS. Your knees will take the rest. What's
more, if your feet pronate (roll inward) too much but your shoes don't
compensate for it, you could be setting yourself up for a host of
problems. Sometimes motion-control shoes aren't enough. You may need
orthotics: custom shoe inserts that keep you from overpronating and
reduce the stress on your knees.
Surface
Hard surfaces like concrete are the worst thing you can run on because
they have no "give," which means your body-and your knees-absorbs the
greatest possible impact, says Mindy Solkin, head running coach at
Reebok Sports Club/NY and owner of The Running Center in New York City.
Hills are out, too. "They put a lot of stress on the knee joint,
especially going downhill," she says. "Stick to soft, flat surfaces."
Grass, dirt and even asphalt roads are better than concrete sidewalks.
Also, be careful of roads that slope along the side, which can
aggravate your knees.
Weak muscles
Strong, flexible quadriceps muscles are important to healthy knees,
especially the vastus medialis (the big muscle that ends just above
your knee toward the inside of your leg), says Solkin. You can
strengthen it with leg extensions, but Solkin suggests this exercise:
Stand on a phone book with your heels hanging off the edge. As you bend
down your legs should move away from the center of the body. Lower
yourself as far as you can and then stand back up. (You can hold onto
something for balance, if needed.)
Women and the Q-angle
The "Q" in Q-angle stands for quadricep, says Solkin. It's the angle
between your thigh and your knee. A wider Q-angle makes knee problems
more likely for both men and women. A wider pelvis can mean a wider
Q-angle and therefore a greater chance of knee injury. If you look
knock-kneed when you run, you may have an excessive Q-angle.
Strengthening your quadriceps, says Solkin, will help minimize the
stress on your knees. Motion-control shoes and orthotics can also help.
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed
