running on country roads? my knees don't like the slope!

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j_courter
j_courter Posts: 999 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
i am used to running on a dead end dirt road, but yesterday i ran on country roads. i ran for 50 minutes and my knees hurt the whole time. on the dirt road i can usually run through moderate knee pain in 10 minutes or less, but last night it never went away. i have a feeling it was possibly related to the slant of the road, but i honestly have no idea. i've run on paved trails before with no trouble, so i don't think it is a surface issue. my knees feel nearly back to normal today so i haven't done any lasting damage as far as i can tell...yet.

has anyone else experienced this? what did you do to alleviate the problem? thanks so much!

Replies

  • u2fergus
    u2fergus Posts: 422 Member
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    I am interested to hear the replies. I have knee soreness running on hilly trails sometimes...
  • gmr4alex
    gmr4alex Posts: 3
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    I used to run x-country...always been a bit heavy myself...when I go down hills I tend to lean back a little and focus on using the back muscle of my thighs...try to land softly on the heels of your feet.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    By slant, I assume you mean that the road wasn't completely level being slanted to the sides for drainage purposes? Or did you just mean hills?

    I would imagine a slanted road would put a lot of strain on your knees. Your legs wouldn't be straight and your knees and ankles would have to accommodate for the sideways tilt.

    If we're just talking hills, it may just be a matter of building up strength.
  • AMIS456
    AMIS456 Posts: 34 Member
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    I just started running 3 months ago and I can tell you that at first it was extremely irritating to my knees to run up but especially down hill. I wore a knee brace and started swimming to strengthen my IT band. I do a lot of stretches after I run to help loosen it. It still bothers me and I did my first 10k Saturday and I was really sore Sat and yesterday. Today the pain is minimal. Look into some runners web sites - I suggest runnersworld.com and active.com for tips on stretching and pain diagnosis. That is where I go when I have new pains. I find that most of them as long as they dont hurt when you are not moving are pains you just have to strengthen up to to get rid of. Hope this helps - Happy running!
  • AMIS456
    AMIS456 Posts: 34 Member
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    Also when running down hill make sure you take smaller strides ( although the slope will make you want to take bigger strides) to alleivate some of the jarring in your knees - I promise that will make a significant impact in knee soreness from running downhill.
  • girlontherun5
    girlontherun5 Posts: 59 Member
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    I run in the middle of the road, or at least the area that looks the most even when I can. But only on longer open stretches where I can see and hear cars coming at me. Sometimes the shoulder of the road is more flat but may be loose gravel or more sandy which also isn't the nicest to run on. I've heard that some people will also run on the opposite side of the road than you're supposed to, but I don't really feel safe doing that (I live in the country and run on these roads all the time). I'd rather be able to see what's coming at me :)
  • j_courter
    j_courter Posts: 999 Member
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    sorry for the confusion... i am talking about the slope of the road for drainage purposes... i've got those hills down! i run a killer hill nearly every time i go out! :-) (though the information i have read about hills says you should actually lean into the hill instead of back...)

    running near the middle of the road did help, but it is a little scary, even when you can see and hear all around. i think the shoulder of the road is probably going to be my answer for now unless i hear some other fabulous advice that i haven't thought about....
  • sjtreely
    sjtreely Posts: 1,014 Member
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    Depending on how "country" the road is, you might be able to run to/from on the same side of the road. That way you're splitting the difference of the slant on each leg. If the road it too busy, though, I wouldn't recommend it. Also, like the PP said, if it's not too busy you might be able to run closer to the middle to avoid the slant.

    Check your shoes, too. You may be ready for a new pair. Speak with the sales person about your situation. He/she may be able to fit you into something that will help. Go to a reputable running store where they specialize in fitting runners. They'll analyze your gait and let you try on several pairs to best meet your needs.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
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    I'm assuming that you were running on a soft surface. IMO, running on softer surfaces an really take some getting used to. All of the small muscles and tendons used to stabalize are called upon where they aren't on harder surfaces. I'd suggest using a different shoe, like a trail shoe or a minimalist shoe, and start slow and work up to it. It takes some getting used to. The only way to counteract a slope, IMO, would be to run the opposite with the other leg to balance when you knee starts to hurt on the opposite site of the road.

    And, strengthen your hips and stretch a little differently to make certain the sloped leg gets a better stretch since it's running in a more compromised position.

    If it were me, I'd find a different route that didn't have a slope.
  • RJackson1209
    RJackson1209 Posts: 2 Member
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    Whenever I start experiencing pain that I've never experienced before, I check my shoes first. Your shoes may not be the best for the surface you're running on. Many fitness retailers sell trail shoes which are specifically made for running on rugged terrain. Also, warming up, stretching and nutrition can be factors. Don't forget cross training. I'm a runner, and I love to run. But you also need strength and core training to improve performance. Happy Running!
  • drinkrunlaugh
    drinkrunlaugh Posts: 2
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    Where on your knee does it hurt? If it is the sides it could possibly be IT band issues. If that is the case you need to build up your quads. A foam roller is also very useful. You can google "foam roller IT exercises" and find some great examples on youtube. I start to get top or front of knee pain when it is my shoes. I am not a doctor but I am married to one and this is info he's given me. Good luck!

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