Study links women’s knee pain to glute strength

BrianSharpe

I see so many threads with people commenting on knee pain............

"A new study suggests knee pain in women runners could be caused by weak glutes.

According to an article in the New York Daily News, researchers from East Carolina University compared 20 healthy male runners and 20 healthy female runners. They found that the women and 53 per cent higher average gluteus activation than the men. "
Canadian Running Magazine
http://runningmagazine.ca/2012/09/sections/news/study-links-women’s-knee-pain-to-glute-strength/

and the full article in the NY Daily News

http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/knee-pain-women-runners-due-weak-glutes-article-1.1162074?localLinksEnabled=false

natalie412

Bumping this because it is great information. I haven't had the problem though - plenty of kettlebell crosstraining!

Zylahe

Yep, my physio has me working on strengthening my glutes.
( mainly gluteus medialis)
Seems to be working

MireyGal76

so... if my knees hurt it's cuz I'm bad assed... hmm

Actually, it is quite interesting how pain in one area is often caused by weakness in another area.
When I was training for my half marathon last go round, I had serious leg pain all the time - from thigh, through right glute, into hips and back. Went for physio, to the docs, got xrays, the whole nine yards...

I finally went to a specialist who told me he felt it was due to a weak core. So I started doing planks, bird dogs, crunches. I can remember hearing my back pop like popcorn when doing the bird dog exercises. After two weeks of religiously doing the exercises - that pain in my leg was gone.

Go figure.

But now that my knees are sore, looks like it's time to work on my tush...

Thanks for the article and info!

Radiskull

My MD said that my knee problems would be helped if I strengthened my hamstrings. They still hurt, but not as bad.

Iceman1800

Makes sense. I've always felt a huge majority of training injuries were from muscle imbalances. If the quads are strong and hams/glutes are weak, the muscle on the front side of the knees will always be getting pulled upwards

fastforlife1

I recently injured my knees while trying to add some high intensity jogging spurts to my walking. (Note i am probably too old and heavy to be doing this.) I went to a physical therapist, and he has me doing spot training on my upper medium size butt muscle (obviously not the correct anatomical term lol) OK I looked it up "gluteous medius."

MireyGal76

I recently injured my knees while trying to add some high intensity jogging spurts to my walking. (Note i am probably too old and heavy to be doing this.) I went to a physical therapist, and he has me doing spot training on my upper medium size butt muscle (obviously not the correct anatomical term lol) OK I looked it up "gluteous medius."

It may also have to do with stride length... if you are over striding then that will add to the strain on your knees. Often when people sprint, they try to do it my simply striding longer instead of shorter faster strides.

Something to consider.

LorinaLynn

Glad to know that workin' my bootie is doing more than making me look great from behind. :bigsmile: