Runners: Did slowing your runs lessen the knee pain?

i would like to see this my kneee is bad i havent been able to run in over a week Im going to the doc tomorrow to check it out

Running never gave me knee pain, so I can't say whether your pace makes much difference.

Is your stride similar when you run fast and when run slowly? A lot of people start heel striking when they pick up the pace because they just take longer strides instead of increasing their leg turnover. Ideally, you want your foot landing beneath your body, knee a little bent to help you most safely absorb the shock. So see if you can maintain that footstrike when increasing speed.

You may also need new running shoes if you're getting knee pain.

Look at the videos here http://www.barefootrunning.fas.harvard.edu/4BiomechanicsofFootStrike.html for proper footstrike while running.

Fixing the technique will likely eliminate or at least reduce the pain.

For knee pain.... http://www.drcutler.com/joint-health/hip-exercises-may-help-reduce-common-knee-pain-in-runners-19823385/

Back when I was running regularly, the thing that helped my knee pain was IT band (Iliotibial Band) stretches and good running shoes with arch supports. Also helpful: hamstring stretch, achilles tendon stretch.

http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/labels/iliotibial band.html
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2006/09/healthier-hamstring-stretching_11.html
http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2006/11/better-achilles-tendon-stretch.html

Also for the person who said they had back pain from running/walking/standing:

http://www.healthline.com/blogs/exercise_fitness/2008/03/spotting-back-pain-during-running-and.html

This is all great information... Low back pain from running is usually Hip flexors are to tight.

I had a client that we were able to cure her knee pain completely and give her stronger runs..stretching the IT bands and adductor's first then she alternates running straight with running from mail box to mail box on either side of the road instead of just straight all of the time. When you run up hill you run toes out and down hill you run toes in.. This subconscious you wont physically notice this.. try to cross train yourself and switch them on your own to train the muscles in reverse. The other thing you can check out...is watching your feet when you are laying on your back.. If they fall all the way to the outside then your IT bands are to tight and if they fall inward to your body then its adductor's.

OK...lets chat!! I work on knees and runners weekly. Everyone usually has the same problems. IT bands and adductor's are to tight and they are pulling your knee into a crooked position for layman's terms and you are running on one meniscus instead of evenly on both..Hence causing the MCL and LCL ligaments to hurt on either side of the knee.

Lets start there and see if we are close first and I will continue. =0) CHEERS!

THIS!

I've been working with a Chiropractor and PT for a while now first on the left "knee" and now on the right. I put knee in quotations because it's not my knee at all that's giving me problems. It's my IT band and hips. They've said that this is USUALLY the cause of the problem. When everything is tight and pulls the knee to side causing the patella the track improperly and the meniscus to become irritated. (exactly what jkleman79 said) It causes what I like to call exploding knee pain. One thing we have been doing is to strengthen the muscles on the inside of the thigh so the patella isn't being pulled unevenly to the outside. It has worked like a charm on my left leg. I have no pain at all, (on the left) anymore. The other thing that helps is STRETCHING, (hamstrings, glutes) and you have to foam roll. It hurts like B!tch at first, but you'll learn to crave it.

~ Leslie

Links galore in this thread. LOL Good stuff

Just remember to get a light warm up of some sort in before you start stretching yourself out. All good ideas though.