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Many times we can catch ourselves doing something that may potentially cause an injury. By becoming aware of our mistakes in form and paying attention to soreness or irritation while running or performing any other exercise, we can correct a potential problem before it starts.
If you start to sense soreness in the knees or ankles, think about what you are doing that could be the problem. Humans have been running throughout history so you shouldn’t just give up. The human body may be made to run, but the environment has changed. We may no longer be running in bare feet across the soft ground of the plains, but we can still keep ourselves in motion.
As we have mentioned, proper footwear is key. Make sure to review past information at SD PERSONAL TRAINER to make sure you are wearing a shoe that is appropriate for your foot shape and running style. Try using an orthodic insole.
Also, re-education yourself on proper form and start the healing process. There are several rule that will help you not to aggravate your potential problem.
1. Don’t land on your heels.
2. Don’t land ahead of your center of mass.
3. Don’t push off with your ankle.
4. Don’t straighten your knees.
Try taking your knees and make sure to always stretch your thighs before a run. Use athletic tape or an athletic bandage to wrap the knees. Also, by keeping your thighs strong by performing strengthening exercises, you will be more prepared for your run. Studies have shown that runners who cross train with strengthening exercise regularly had less instance of osteoporosis of the knee.
If you don’t feel a quick improvement, make sure to consult your physician and fitness professional. You won’t get very far without healthy knees and ankles!
Healthy, pain-free knees are an obviously important part of your success as a runner.
The knee is made of essentially of four bones. They are the femur, tibia, fibula and the patella.
The femur is the large bone in your thigh attached by ligaments to your tibia. The tibia runs parallel to the fibula. The patella, or knee cap, rides on the knee joint when the leg bends.
When the knee is in motion, it not only bends and straightens but can flex, extend and slightly rotate. Though it may seem obvious to us now, this flexible aspect of the knee was only “discovered” in somewhat recent medical history. The muscles which join the knee joint are the quadriceps and hamstrings. The quadriceps muscles are in the front, which hamstring is the muscle which runs along the back of the thigh. Ligaments hold the knee joints together, making them equally as important as the muscles. Torn ligaments are a common injury for runners.
Knee injuries can happen frequently for runners and usually affect those that have just started to increase from short distance to long distance runs. A knee injury is often indicated by a crunching or clicking sound while running. The pain increases when running downhill.
When one detects an injury, their first reaction is often to quick their sport or stop exercising altogether. However, this is not usually the best idea. It is important to keep the joints and muscles moving and, rather than quitting, a change in method or equipment is usually what is in order. If you feel that you may have an injury, you should first consult with your health or fitness professional like SD PERSONAL TRAINER. They may recommend a different method of exercise or something else, such as a change in shoes. Many people experience knee pain, shin splints or hip pain merely because they are not using proper shoes and it is important to consult with an expert before quitting altogether.
