Thread: Running kills my knees!

Originally Posted by Philadelph

Run barefoot or with Vibram Five Fingers (google them). Awesome.

I teach at a law enforcement academy. I use these shoes ALL the time. They saved my career.

Your form will improve A LOT.

Is the pain on the outside of the knee or on the front of the knee? I am a triathlete and have run into my fair share of injury.

Originally Posted by jimmyfingers

A Concept 2 Rowing machine is one of my best exercise investments. Simple, yet durable. They do not constantly upgrade these things and it is you doing all the work, and not a machine that has a motor that will eventually blow.

This is the one I use at the gym. Indeed a good machine, and it's a pity that I don't have the space to install one at home.

Originally Posted by sharp

Is the pain on the outside of the knee or on the front of the knee? I am a triathlete and have run into my fair share of injury.

It is tough to isolate but if you imagine a circular plane inside the knee it would be the front half leading around to each side of the knees.

Scotch seems to help it! As if I need another excuse.

So the pain is on the knee cap and radiates towards your other leg and towards the outside of your leg or does the pain radiate from your knee cap towards your thigh?

The reason I am asking is that depending on the where the pain is, will determine the likely source of the problem. Look at the bottom of your running shoes and see what the wear pattern looks like (is the outside edge worn more than the inside? Is the heel outer edge worn and then the ball inner edge worn or vice versa?) I suspect that when you are running you are either over pronating or over supinating your foot. Your body will try to compensate but the tendons in your legs are not flexible enough to be able to do so. This leads to the tendons rubbing against your bones and thus causing inflammation (does the pain start dull and become sharper and sharper until it feels like a knife?) The pain with this type of injury generally stops as soon as you stop running and returns as soon as you start (during the same session). You can take a day or 2 off, go back to running and think everything is fine and then it comes right back because the same rubbing is happening. The correction is strength training the support muscles that are weak and causing the problem. I'll give you more info if any of this sounds like what you are experiencing.

I don't know about the OP, but the symptoms you describe fit mine to a T.
Only in my case, the pain is really on the outside of my knee. And indeed it builds up gradually until it feels like someone is sticking a knife in my knee.

It stops as soon as I stop, and when I had it bad, walking slightly downhill was murder. I suspect I run too much on the outside of my foot.

If you intend to continue running I'd talk to a sports physiotherapist.
In the meanwhile how about setting an incline on the treadmill, running downhill always seems to put more strain on the knees, so if you are always going uphill.......

I haven't read all of the posts, but based on a page 1 read, I wanted to pose a few suggestions for your consideration ...

1. Check with your Dr.
2. Agree with the "anti-treadmill" thoughts
3. Agree with the suggestions to start out walking ... could be weight, and if you can get your weight down a few pounds, it will make a difference
4. Consider an exercise that doesn't tax the joints as much ... elliptical machine, or bicycle. I have played soccer for years (I'm 51 yrs. old), and finally find the cartilidge in my knees giving me problems from the wear and tear ... but the bicycle is much more forgiving, and I now see that the bike will probably go with me further into old age than soccer. Also, I have a back problem that gives me problems running, but not on a bike ... the bike actually seems to improve my back strength.
5. Consider taking Glucosamine / Chrondoiten (sp?) ... it's a supplement that even doctors recommend, and actually helps rebuild cartilege and repair damage ... if your problem is cartiledge, then this will help.
6. Run on grass (a little more difficult, but much more forgiving on the joints) ... I can play soccer, but can no longer just "run" on pavement. Asphalt is better than concrete sidewalks, also.
7. I have to go back to the bike, though ... you can start slow, and build up to greater distances, and it helps the back and doesn't seem to hurt the joints.
8. I have found when I am at 200 lbs vs. 220, most of my ailments go away ... joint pain, back pain, lack of energy, much better sleeping, better urinary tract function, better sex life, more confidence, better motivation to get even fitter ... it ALL gets better (except maybe the volume and content of food) ... but even considering the food drawback, it's WELL worth it. Good luck in keeping up the motivation ... it will add years and quality to your life.

orthotics might help if your feet don't have good shape (they help with me). Stretching key too.

I picked up two warm-up exercises from my father that have really helped my knees:

1) While standing (and holding onto something for support), extend one leg in front of you, with the thigh elevated just enough so that the heel is off the floor. Keeping the thigh where it is, simply swing the foot forward and backward 30 or 40 times through an increasing, yet comfortable range of motion. Do it gently - don't snap at full extension. Repeat for other leg.

2) From the same standing position, cycle each leg 30-40 times. This should look sort of like an exaggerated demonstration of 'how to run'. Again, no need to do it overly fast/hard.


Other exercises may work just as well, of course. I think the point is to warm up (and maybe lubricate) the joint before performing similar movements under a full load.

FWIW, my father is 63, and for the past decade or so he's been jogging half an hour every morning on hilly pavement.