If you have "bad" knees - this seems legit

I am currently 7 weeks post-acute knee injury and miserable at the lack of rehab I've been doing/advised to do. I really don't want chronic problems, but doing what I can to strengthen my glutes and quads. Quite difficult when I can't even climbs stairs comfortably yet! Patience is a virtue...

what exactly do people mean when they say weak knees ?? ... if knees could weaken or be made stronger then there would be a stupid machine at the gym that could be used

I do not understand why running 3 miles would be Ok but running say 3.5 would not - again if you are only strong enough to run 3 miles - running 3 miles a few times would build up your ability and allow you to run a little further

I know from my long distance running days that it was hip flexor tightness, IT BAND and tight calves that would be me most trouble - the IT Band being the one that would kill my knees - foam rolling and daily leg raises fixed that problem. Also running is very linear so lateral strength training is required to ensure you maintain stability - In short - I would want more details from the doctor on what exactly is wrong

I would certainly look at IT Band stretches _ I would stretch after the first mile and leg raises for hip strength - do you do any other weight training ?

I haven't had runner's knee, but I've had my fair share of IT band problems and bouts of tendonitis. I find that strengthening all my muscles from my butt to my feet help support my knees so that they are do their job more effectively and (mostly) pain-free. When your butt/hips/pelvis are in the right place and STAYING there, the rest will follow. The tips in this article seem like good ones!

I have weak/ bad knees. I run 6 miles everyday and just ran 9.3 miles last night. i say pshh to bad knees. I just step with care.

you go right ahead and continue dispensing bad advice.


OP - I have sketchy knees, too, and strength training has done a lot to take the strain off my knees. Get the muscles to do most of the work, I say!

QFT.

Yep, saw some pretty sound advice there! The stronger your stabilizer muscles are, the less stress is going to be placed on your knees.

Also important - vary the terrain you run on. Those who pound away on the sidewalks day after day are exposing their knees and joints to the same points of stress over and over again. The asphalt and trails will vary quite a bit more and spread that stress out over different areas (besides providing a softer running surface).

I read the article and would concur that the exercises described will likely do no additional harm. I doubt that the approach described will significantly help all runners, but you wouldn't lose out by trying them.

"Runners knee" is mostly due to tendinitis. That tendinitis can be caused by a number of factors, which is why there is no single "cure" that is effective for anyone.

The main cause of the tendinitis is improper tracking of the patella in the femoral groove. Again, that misalignment can be caused by a number of factors.

The second most likely cause is chondromalacia, which is a softening/roughening of the cartilage under the patella. I have seen this most often in younger adults who engaged in sports that involved a lot of jumping (basketball and volleyball, for example). Chondromalacia is often misused to refer to patellar tendinitis. Whenever I get a client who says they have "chondro", I always ask a lot of detailed questions to make sure they have actually received a definitive diagnosis and it's not just general knee pain.

In my experience patello-femoral syndrome (PFS) is much, much more frequent than true chondromalacia, easily 10 to 1. That's actually good, because PFS, difficult as it can be, is much more treatable.

When treating PFS, it is important first of all to relieve the inflammation. This can be difficult for runners because they want to keep on running. However, continuing to run makes it much more difficult to control the inflammation.

It is also necessary to determine as much as possible the underlying biomechanical cause of the PFS. Sometimes, PFS is just an overuse injury--an acute response to too large a training increase. However, there are almost always underlying causes. These include:

1. As the article mentioned, weak glutes and tight hip flexors.

2. Excessive mobility of the foot.

3. Impaired ankle/knee proprioception.

4. Weak quadriceps, esp the vastus medialis oblique (VMO).

A program to treat PFS should address all of these issues.

Some exercises that can help are:

1. Terminal knee extension -- use a leg extension machine and single leg lift. Set the start range of motion so that the pad can only lower about 20 degrees from full extension. Do this limited leg extension, emphasizing the contraction of the squads--think of squeezing the muscles around the knee to make the foot pop up. Use lighter weights at first and always stay above the pain threshold. Do 4 sets of 15 reps.

2. One leg mini squats: Stand on an aerobic or other step next to a wall. The step should be 4-6 inches high. Stand with one foot off the edge of the step. Use the wall with the opposite hand to keep yourself vertical. Bend the knee on the step in a mini-squat while trying to touch the heel of the other foot to the floor. Do not transfer weight to that foot, just keep it flexed and touch the heel. Again, emphasize squeezing the quadriceps muscles, esp the VMO as you straighten the standing leg. Again, stay above the pain threshold. Do 4 sets of 15 to each leg.

3. If you are pain free so far, do some step ups. Not necessarily as a strength exercise, but more as gait and alignment training. Step up on a 6-10 inch step with an "up-up-down-down" cadence--emphasize keeping the foot, ankle, knee and hip aligned as you step up and down. Work the glutes and keep the torso stable and abs engaged--your torso from shoulders to hips should move as a single unit with no bending. More advanced moves would be to do side step ups and reverse step up, but these might not be possible at first.

More advanced exercises would include: Single leg leg press, Single leg squat (wall squat or maybe with a TRX), multidirectional lunges, and balance work on a board or BOSU.

Keep in mind, these exercises will be of limited value until you have the inflammation under control. Sometimes that can mean not running for several weeks or months.

For some stubborn cases, I have seen therapists use a taping method to allow the person to exercise while keeping the patella on track. I was fortunate in that I responded well to ibuprofen and rest so I only had minimal experience with the taping, but I have seen others do it for a more extended period. This should be done by a physical therapist (actually it's best to do all of this with a therapist at first), but here is a video if you are wondering what I am talking about:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEy__Vt1F60

I had a moderate bought of PFS in 1994. I had it for several months and then tore a meniscus, and then it came back with a vengeance about a month after the surgery. I struggled for about 10 months before I finally got serious and went to a therapist. In my case, I responded well to treatment and was back to running just a few weeks after that. I have been proactive since then about keeping my knees in shape and have never had a recurrence (even after two additional surgeries for torn cartilage). However, I have also seen people struggle for months and years. I am currently working with someone now, but she refused to stop running, so we are seeing limited results.

I want to close by saying that, in many if not most cases, "weak knees" is not a very productive diagnosis. Running per se does not inevitably lead to knee pain. Poor flexibility, muscle weakness, muscle imbalances and poor training methods do. Yes there are some people with structural issues who should probably never run. But, until one goes through a more comprehensive diagnosis and rehab program, I would be wary of a diagnosis of "weak knees".

Hope this helps.

My chiropractor has suggested that I roll out my IT band to help strengthen my knees, particularly my left knee. DANG! It hurts so bad to roll it out. So then I had my husband roll it out for me. I laid on the floor and he rolled the firm foam roller. While it was still as painful, it was easier. When I mentioned it to my chiropractor, he suggested that we use a rolling pin. Now THAT works perfectly!! I can lay on my side and it's way easier for the hubs to inflict the pain by slowly rolling up and down the band. I've had to take the last six weeks off due to a complete hysterectomy... and have to wait yet another four weeks. Anyhow, this has also really helped my hips from not hurting so much after walking (for exercise).