In this article I'm going to show you how to prevent running knee injuries using a simple but effective training strategy I've used over the years for runners with knee injuries.
Most knee injuries come from overuse (too much running, too often, too long), inability to completely recover from runs, improper stress to the knee joint often resulting from inefficient running mechanics or all of the above.
You probably don't realize that running catabolic activity meaning it breaks down your body over time.
This breakdown can lead to knee pain and injuries if you don't offset it by using activities and strategies that are anabolic meaning they build your body back up making it stronger than before.
Two key anabolic activities/strategies are 1) resistance training and 2) rest/recovery.
Both must be used consistently in order to properly strengthen your muscles, bones, tendons, ligaments, and other tissues of your body.
Many avid runners do little or no resistance training.
Resistance training is a way to help build a stronger body that is capable of handling the stress of running more efficiently and with less chance of developing an injury.
I have identified 3 main areas of the body where many runners are typically weak which can lead knee running injuries: 1.
Weakness in the upper and mid-back muscles can lead to running knee injuries because your upper body will tend to slouch especially when you become fatigued.
This slouch places your center of gravity a bit more forward which can increase the stress to your knees.
2.
Weakness of the abdominal muscles can cause running knee injuries because it makes it harder for you to keep your trunk up tall over your hips when you run.
This often results in the same slouch as described above.
3.
Weakness of the hips, glutes and hamstrings can cause a running knee injury because your glutes(your butt muscles) and hamstrings(the muscles at the back of your thighs) are meant to extend your hips as your push off the ground with each stride.
When weakness exists here your hips fail to do the work and as a result you start overusing the hamstrings, quadriceps, calf and shin muscles which can result in knee pain.
Treatment for runner's knee injuries: I'm no doctor here, but the age-old advice of rest and icing running knee injuries lacks something.
It allows your knee pain to subside but it doesn't teach you how to use the proper muscles to avoid running knee injuries.
So, here's what happens.
You rest and ice your knee(s) for a week or two (or longer).
Then you feel better and start to run again.
At first, everything seems to be ok, but before long you begin to feel a little twinge of knee pain when running.
It may not be much but soon after you've sustained another running knee injury.
So, it's back to rest and ice.
Now, I want to propose a different approach that involves taking time off of running and incorporating a full body resistance routine designed to strengthen the 3 main areas of weakness: upper/mid-back, abdominals and hips.
1.
Strengthen your upper and mid-back muscles with pulling movements such as rows, pulldowns and pull-ups.
2.
Strengthen your abdominal muscles without crunches and sit-ups as these movements cause you to flex your upper body making you slouch which can lead to running knee pain.
Instead use straight arm pulldowns, planks and deadbugs to develop stronger abs.
3.
Strengthen your hip muscles with squats, deadlifts, lunges and step-ups.
Focus on using your hips rather than your thigh muscles.
Now, you'll have a better chance at preventing running knee injuries down the road.
If you need more help in doing this then I strongly recommend seeking a qualified fitness professional such as a Personal Trainer or Sports Performance Coach who has experience working with post-rehabilitation exercise for running knee injury prevention.