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A potential injury is serious business.
If you are experiencing pain in your knees, start by treating the area with an ice pack. Rather than applying ice directly to the affected knee or joint, some runners prefer to refrigerate a wet towel and apply it to the area. For focused pain relief, you can also use a commercial ice pack.
Alternating cold and heat treatment can be affective to help in the healing of any soft tissue damage to the area.
Many injuries can be treated or often avoided by ensuring that the surrounding muscles connecting the joints are strong enough to sustain the stress added by your sport. For example, resistance training exercises for the quadriceps can help ensure that your legs are strong enough for the stress of running.
Some sports studies have shown that “retro-running,” running or walking backwards, can help to stretch and strengthen the quadriceps and hamstrings. When “retro-running” make sure to choose a smooth, flat surface that is free of obstacles. A treadmill with handrails could be a good choice to start. Begin with a slow walk and move toward an easy jog.
It is also recommendable to use a sport orthodic insole. These can help ensure that you are supporting your feet properly and striking the ground in the correct manner to avoid excessive stress on the wrong parts of the foot, heel, ankles and legs.
If your knees are irritated by running, consult your doctor and a fitness professional such as CROSSFIT 619. Try taping the knees when running for extra support and make sure to stretch the leg muscles.
Make sure to listen to your body. A small problem left unattended can easily turn into a bigger problem which leaves you on the sideline.
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.
