High Knees HURTS

CarrieCans

I have a history of lower back pain. Happy to give more specific info but i want to avoid writing a novel if i can help it.

I have been attempting to do high knees but it is killing my lower back. I use a mirror and make sure my posture is good but i am getting actual pain, It's not an ache. Simple and jogging in place does not hurt at all as long as i am on my toes, it only causes annoying clicking and popping sounds.

Is there something i can do to make it hurt less? Should i be doing something else instead?

kbmnurse

If a exercise your doing STOP.

cheshirecatastrophe

(I promise my answer is relevant.)

So high knees used to kill my knees. The whole could barely walk the next day kind of kill. I fixed it by accident. For distance running, I started doing exercises to strengthen various hip muscles and increase their flexibility. After maybe six or so months of this, I did a workout class that involved high knees again. Miraculously? No pain. Now that I had the hip strength to recruit for the task, my other muscles and joints were not stressed to the point of pain.

I know it's your back, not your knees, but I would not be surprised if a similar physiological phenomenon is in play.

These are the exercises I did and do:
http://www.njsportsmed.com/files/myrtl_routine.pdf

Or you could just jog in place instead. It's not *that* much of a difference.

CarrieCans

kbmnurse - I believe in if it causes pain, stop. I have always had a hard time with that though. Pain is subjective.

Thanks Cheshire. I suspected strengthening the hips would help. I have been riding my exercise bike like crazy and it is really helping. I know for sure because my hip pain is practically gone when i get in bed at night and that is when it typically hurts most.

I have experience pain that runs like a chain reaction. Sometimes it works its way up and sometimes it works it way down. So that makes perfect sense to me. I wasn't surprised when i had a hammer toe operation and it actually helped all the way up to my shoulders.

Those exercises look great! Anything on hands and knees is good because it relieves the pressure on my spine. Thank You!!! I can't believe i didn't think of something like that myself.

JoRocka

It's an unnecessary exercise. You can do lots of other things instead. Honestly of its causing you real pain (not just newnesd discomfort) knock it off.

High knees are not a foundation of anything. Do something else.

a_candler

When I first started I couldn't do high knees to save my soul. So when they did them in the video I just lifted my knees like a march really. Only going ad high as comfortable and def not fast paced. As u get stronger u will (hopefully) be able to do them. And yes any time its painful stop or modify as needed.

47Jacqueline

Don't do any exercise that causes pain. You probably have tight hip flexors. Do a lot of stretching hips, glutes, hamstrings and start building strength in your abdomen.

CarrieCans

That's where i am trying to get to, strengthening abdomen. I have a blown and a bulging disk in my back. I have also had multiple abdominal surgeries, i have perforated fascia and a history of many hernias because of it. There is a really thick band of scar tissue which hurts often and i am hoping that will get better with time. It feels like a "catch 22". You have to do one to help the other but you have to do the other to help the one...
I WILL get it all figured out. Thank you all!