How to avoid knee injuries when running?

rexroars
rexroars Posts: 131 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I was a swimmer my whole life but now I'm trying to get into running. I was going about 4x a week, very short distances (3-4 miles). I only go outside, usually around my neighborhood or trails around my city. Generally I'd go on a paved trail, but sometimes on a dirt/unpaved trail. I try to stretch a bit before, and then stretch and do yoga after running, and I've never had any problems with my shins.

I minorly injured my foot a few months ago, so I got fitted for good running shoes (I'm super tall and have super big, flat feet) which make my feet and ankles feel amazing - no problems there since.

However, when I was running a couple of weeks ago, my knee started to feel some pressure, and the next few days after it was popping like CRAZY. Like every time I put my leg out straight it would pop, sometimes it would hurt.

Since then, for cardio I've only been swimming or doing the elliptical machine (although I hate machines, it's dry cardio that's way easier on my knees...) and the popping has stopped.

I want to start running again, and outside, but does anybody have tips that have personally helped them to prevent any pressure/discomfort/injuries for the knees?

Thanks!

Replies

  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Proper form and shoes go a long way to preventing injuries ... including those to the knee. You've addressed the shoes, now make sure your form is good.
  • TAsunder
    TAsunder Posts: 423 Member
    Where do you land with your feet? It should feel like you are landing underneath your body. If you are prone to knee problems then you might consider transitioning to midfoot or forefoot striking (as in, the balls or arches of your feet land first, followed by your heel) as that is somewhat easier on your knees.

    Also, increasing your mileage or intensity too quickly can cause all sorts of fun things in your knees / IT Band / calves / etc.
  • maybeazure
    maybeazure Posts: 301 Member
    The best thing to do for any running injury is to build up slowly. Start with just doing a couple of running workouts a week (30 minutes) and build gradually. Your bones and joints need more time than your cardiovascular system does to adapt, especially since you are already fairly in shape because of the swimming.

    You might also look at the surface on which you are running. Softer is better at first. I like dirt trails. Tracks are good. Asphalt is better than concrete, but make sure that it doesn't slope to one side.

    Personally I have also used something called Rock Tape to give my knees some support when they are feeling weak or a little sore. I got it on Amazon and there are youtube videos for putting it on correctly.

    You don't want to run if you have a sharp pain, or a pain that gets worse as you are running. Generally it is ok to run if you have a little dull pain that improves as you warm up.
  • tgmichelleee
    tgmichelleee Posts: 144 Member
    Proper form and shoes go a long way to preventing injuries ... including those to the knee. You've addressed the shoes, now make sure your form is good.

    ^ Agreed
    Proper running shoes, stretching, and especially running form.
    Don't think I'm as tall as you are, but I'm 5'9 and one leg is shorter than the other so I had a similar issue. Changing my running form to Chi running made the biggest difference

    Also if you're running on a treadmill, try increasing the incline slightly and see if it still happens. For me, it didn't happen when I changed it to a higher incline which indicated that it was my running form that was the issue

    Edit: Someone mentioned the surface you're running on above, I agree with that as well. Flat hard surfaces will put more stress on the body vs running on grass for example.
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
    Cross training and developing the muscles of the entire lower body will help. Many runners have weak hips and also don't stretch enough. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, foam rolling, cycling, elliptical. All these will help.

    You are likely pushing too fast. If you are in good cardiovascular condition then you go faster, longer, but your muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones need much longer to adjust to the demands of running (rather than weeks to months to adapt like the heart and lungs, they need months and years to adapt).

    Read this, before doing anything else:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running


    The damn thing should be stickied by now but the mods haven't gotten around to it.

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