FitSugar

Knee Health & Running: Roll Out Those IT Bands

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:45:00 -0700

Running is one of my favorite ways to get my heart rate up, but let's face it - running can be hard on the knees. A very common injury for runners is the Iliotibial Band (ITB) Syndrome (for more on the ITB see The Skinny on: The ITB) - the ITB is a band of fascia that runs down the outside of the thigh. If you are experiencing pain on the outside of your knee or knees when running, it might just be this syndrome, which occurs when the ITB is too tight and disrupts proper knee function.

Here are the main symptoms to look out for:

Pain on the outside of knee that increases when running, especially running down hill, and the pain disappears soon after you stop running.
Tenderness when you touch the outside of the knee, with signs of inflammation.
As the syndrome progresses there may be a sharp stinging pain, or burning on the outside of the knee.

The best way to deal with the ITB syndrome is to prevent it before it starts. I find that releasing the ITB with a foam roller is the best and most direct approach. It can be a little uncomfortable (that is an understatement) at first, but if it is super painful you really need to roll it.

To learn how to roll out your ITB read more

Folks with excessive pronation are prone to ITB syndrome, so if you pronate and run look into getting a pair of orthotics (podiatrist made insoles) or supportive running shoes like Axiom 2 by Brooks designed to decrease pronation.

When I talk to folks that have been running for years, they tend to give me unsolicited advice and a lot of them tell me to take care of my knees.

So roll those ITBs out, even if you don't have knee pain since prevention is often the key to staying injury free.

Spring Running Tip: Prevent Knee Pain

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 03:00:00 -0700

Whether you are hitting the treadmill or the trails outside, knee pain or injury is always on a runner's mind. Here are some preventative tips:

Warm up!! Stretch and do some warm-up exercises like Sun Salutations before you run. If you run in the early morning, take a hot shower first to help warm up your muscles.
If you run outside opt for a dirt path. The softer terrain is easier on your joints.
Avoid running downhill if you can, since running down an incline can really do damage to your knees and shins. If you do indeed find yourself running up a hill (which is great), run down the other side in a switch back, zig-zag pattern. Going diagonally decreases the stress to the knee joint.
Make sure your sneakers are appropriate for your foot type. If you have high arches or are flat-footed, you'll need more support.
Make sure your sneaks are not too old or worn out. If you can't remember when you bought your last pair of kicks, chances are, it's time for some new ones. You can also do the twist test.

Want to see what else? Then read more

If your knees are hurting you right now, you may have some microscopic tears in your muscles or tendons. Take a little break from running. To keep up your cardio routine, swim, walk, or hop on an elliptical trainer.
Stretch out your hamstrings, quads and calves before running hard (jog for about 5 minutes and then stretch) and after running. If these muscles are tight, they'll put pressure on your knee.
When you're not running, trade your high heels in for some supportive flats.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Warrior 1

FitSugar — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 08:45:00 -0700

The last pose we need to learn for Sun Salutation B is Warrior 1. It is a powerful and grounding pose that strengthens your quads, calves, booty, and the muscles in your feet. Working these muscles together helps to build knee joint stability.

Depending on how you do this pose, if you actively arch your back, this pose increases flexibility in your lower and upper back. If you work on keeping your spine straight, this pose will strengthen the muscles in your belly and your back. Both ways will strengthen your shoulders and the muscles in your neck.

You can get into Warrior 1 from Downward Facing Dog.
Step your right foot forward between your hands, turn your left heel in, press into your feet, and lift your torso up.
You want your right foot to be slightly to the right (not directly in front of) your left heel, so that your hips can be parallel with the front of your mat. You can place your hands on your hips, and gently direct your right hip back and your left hip forward - this is called squaring your hips. Once your hips are square, lift your arms up, and press your palms together. Draw your shoulder blades down towards your hips and gaze up towards your hands. Stay here for 5 breaths. You can come back to Downward Facing Dog and then step your left foot forward to do Warrior 1 on the other side.

YOGA CHALLENGE: Standing Half Bound Lotus

FitSugar — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Hey folks. Ready for the new yoga challenge? It's called Standing Half-Bound Lotus. You can practice with Tree pose first, and then you can work on this pose. It really opens up your hips, one at a time, while challenging your balance. When you reach your arm behind you, you'll also feel a stretch in the chest and front of the shoulders.

Don't forget to get those cameras ready. Go to the YOGA CHALLENGE group. On the left-hand side, click on "Create & Share!" Then click on "Blog." Add a title, some keywords, and then under "Body" click on "Add Image" to upload your picture. Add some words if you'd like and then click "Submit." How easy is that? Getting into the pose in the first place will be the tough part. Can't wait to see your photos!

Begin in Mountain pose. Shift weight into your left foot, grounding firmly, and then bend your right knee. Grab onto your right foot with both hands, and gently pull it up in front of your left hip. If this feels okay, let your right knee drop down. Hold onto your right foot with your left hand and then reach your right arm around your lower back.
You can grab onto the front of your elbow and stay here, or work on grabbing onto your toes with your right hand. Stay here or keep reading to see the real challenge.

Want to see what else you can do? Then read more

Carefully fold forward, reaching your left hand down towards the ground. If it's too much strain on your left hamstring, you can bend your left knee slightly. Tuck your chin in towards your chest, and just breathe. How's that for opening your right hip and left hamstring?

Don't forget to switch sides and definitely don't forget to send your photos in. You can check out all the yoga challenge photos under "Latest Photos" in the It's a STRETCH group.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Pigeon

FitSugar — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 09:34:09 -0800

Everyone can benefit from opening their hips - whether you are a runner, biker, a mom-to-be, or someone who sits at their desk all day - stretching out your hips can help prevent lower back pain, or knee or hamstring injuries.

Our hips tend to be really tight because our everyday activities require hip strength, but not hip flexibility. Not only does it feel good physically to stretch them out, but it is said that people hold a lot of stress and tension in their hips, so it is emotionally opening as well.

There are tons of great poses and exercises that open your hips and hip flexors (the front of your legs, just below your hip bones). Wide Squat, Dancer, Camel, Airplane (when you're on the top), and Wide-Legged Split are just a few.

But Pigeon pose is my absolute favorite. You can stay in it for a while, and as your hips begin to open, you can adjust the level of intensity to open them even further - it's relaxing yet effective.

Want to know how to get into it? Then read more

Start in Downward Facing Dog. Step both feet together and bring your right knee forward between your hands.
Stay here, with your hip all the way in towards your left hip.
If it's easy, and your hips are more open, you can inch your right foot away from you. Make sure your left hip is still pointing down towards your mat - if it starts to open up towards the ceiling, draw your right foot back in.
You can stay here or walk your hands out in front of you, allowing your torso to rest on your front leg.
Stay here and breathe into any areas of tightness and tension for 5 breaths, or as long as you'd like.
When you're ready switch to the other side, do it very SLOWLY - your legs are going to feel really weird.

Fit's Tips: I like to get into this pose and work each side separately for about 5 minutes each. Obviously adjust the time if it becomes too intense for you - but the longer you hang out in this pose, the more time you'll allow for your body to settle in and really open up. I swear - after doing both sides, you'll be walking differently. Try it and see what I mean.

DrSugar on Chronic and Nagging Knee Pain

DrSugar — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 03:30:00 -0700

DrSugar is keyed up about the knee and the nagging pain in that joint that can frustrate your fitness drive. Here's what he has to say.

Let's begin with a brief anatomy lesson for the knee is a complicated structure with multiple moving parts and a variety of connective tissues holding everything together. For a dedicated athlete or even the average weekend warrior, the knee joint is a minefield of potential sites of injury. Commonly injured areas prone to inflammation include: the prepatellar bursa (in front of the knee cap), patellar tendon (holds the knee cap in place), anterior cruciate ligament (criss-crosses inside the knee), meniscus (lines the bottom of the knee joint), as well as the bones and muscles making up the knee joint.

Now that you know a little more about the structure of the knee, to see how it can break down read more.

Chronic knee pain is usually due to inflammation of tendons or bursa around the knee, however sometimes more serious injuries such as stress fractures of the tibia (shin bone) can also start as a nagging pain. Two of the most common chronic knee problems are patellofemoral syndrome (aka runner's knee), which affects the anterior knee, and iliotibial band syndrome, which affects the lateral knee and thigh. Both are very common and usually occur as a result of overuse or poor exercise habits. To prevent these syndromes it is important to minimize high impact activities when possible. This includes always using proper running shoes that fit well, avoiding downhill running, and minimizing jumping or running on hard surfaces, such as concrete. Other ways to decrease stress on the knee include mixing exercises such as running, swimming, and biking. The idea is to avoid producing only one type or repetitive motion at the knee joint.

If it is too late for prevention, then there are a number of ways you can help treat your soft tissue knee injury. The most important first step is to slow down and avoid the activity that is causing the pain. The most common culprit is running because it is such a common high impact activity. If you are an avid runner plagued with knee pain, you might have to switch to biking or swimming until the inflammation subsides. Ice, heat, and anti-inflammatory medications can also help with pain in an acute setting, but are unlikely to provide any long term benefit. For long term results, it is important to strengthen the muscles around the knee. This can be accomplished through physical therapy or core strength training with an experienced trainer. Another important solution is to have your feet evaluated for orthotics or other shoe inserts if you suspect that you have low arches or any other foot abnormality. It is also important to see your doctor for any severe knee pain or prolonged pain that is not relieved with methods described above to rule out more significant damage to ligaments or bones.

If you have a question for DrSugar, send me a private message here and I will forward it to the good doctor.

DrSugar's posts are for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment recommendations. Click here for more details.

Show Your Running Knees Some Love

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:00:26 -0700

Running as a convenient form of cardio may be the bee's knees, but it can leave my knees aching. Although studies have found there is no connection between running and an increased risk for arthritis, there are some easy ways to show your knees some love.

Stay flexible: Tight hamstrings or quads can prevent the knee from going through its full range of motion, which can negatively impact the soft tissues that work the knee. Hamstrings can get especially tight for runners, and here are five easy ways to lengthen the muscles in the back of your legs. Don't forget to stretch your quads postrun, as well as your calves. Tight calves can create knee pain as well.

Keep reading for three more tips.

Hike the Hill: Preventing Knee Pain

FitSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 11:00:28 -0700

Fall is the perfect time to hike. There's a cool breeze, the fallen leaves make the trail even softer, and once you reach the pinnacle, you'll be amazed at the gorgeous foliage across the horizon. I love to try out new mountain trails, but find that the steep inclines and declines can be really hard on my knees. If this sounds familiar, don't let achy knees keep you off the trail. Here are some ways you can prevent pain to these joints.

Make sure your footwear is supportive. Sneakers provide cushioning, but they won't stabilize your ankles, which can also help to prevent your knees from turning out. So wear trail runners or hiking shoes that go over your ankle.
Invest in a pair of trekking poles. They look like ski poles, and when you use them to help you ascend and descend, they take some of the weight and work out of your lower body, and share it with your arms and back. So not only will you get more of a total body workout, but it's less demanding on your knees.
Go easy on the gear. Even though a little pack may not add a ton of extra weight, downward force on your knees can reach eight times the weight applied, so even five extra pounds can add 40 pounds of pressure to your knee joints. For a day hike all you need is water, some food, an extra layer, and your cell phone. If you have to bring along more, ask a helpful friend to carry it in their pack.

For more great tips, keep reading

Fit Tip: Don't Lock Your Knees

FitSugar — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 12:30:00 -0800

It is the beginning of the year and a good time to review some fitness basics on how to treat your body when working out, specifically your knees. I am here to remind you to avoid locking your knees. When you are lifting weights, either with a machine or free weights, do not jam your knees to a fully straight position, forcing the joint to lock at its end range of movement. The sensation of a locked knee is the energy of the joint going back instead of up.

Locking your knee in this manner puts a lot of unnecessary stress on the joint, which in turn increases your risk for injury. When you lock the knee, the joint, not the muscle, is doing all the work, and the muscles were designed to do the work. The soft tissues of the joint are vulnerable and cannot regenerate, leaving your knees ripe for overuse injury if you tax them by locking the joint. When using the leg extension machine to work your quads, make sure you are just straightening the knee and not jamming the joint into a locked position. Control that last bit of straightening the knee with your muscles. Don't let momentum force you past a safe position.

Try to avoid the locked knee position when you’re lifting weights, cycling (for instance, if your seat is too high), or doing yoga or any other activity that puts extra weight on your knees. When working out at the gym or in an exercise class, ask a trainer or yoga teacher to evaluate your technique.

Source

Will Running Ruin My Knees?

FitSugar — Thu, 24 May 2007 08:45:00 -0700

A lot of people skip running as a form of cardio because they are worried it will ruin their knees later in life. Running with an injury (or inflaming a previous injury) can definitely lead to further injuries (ITB Syndrome, runners knee or even arthritis) but there are ways to keep those knees safe...

Abnormal joint stress can increase your risk for arthritis and can be caused by running on an injured joint, poor biomechanics, or muscle weakness due to inadequate cross-training. However, when done with care, running is a fabulous cardio activity and will still keep your knees in good shape, so use these tips for knee protection on your future jogs:

Always warm-up and cool-down (brisk walking and stretching work great) to prepare your body for the physiological (and psychological) effects of the run.
Make sure you've got good sneakers. Switch them out frequently (350-550 miles) to make sure your lower body is getting the support you need.
Consider getting custom orthotics to reduce stress and excessive pronation.

There's more, so read more

Supplement running with exercises that will strengthen and stabilize the muscles and tissues that stabilize the knee such as the leg press and leg extension machines.
If you have pain, stop running and get it looked at. Ignoring the early warning signs of a small problem, such as mild or fleeting pain and stiffness, can lead to a much larger problem down the road.
If you already have bad knees or a prior knee injury, think about switching to a low impact activity, like swimming.
Maybe you have a family history of knee problems and you're worried, then think about running on softer surfaces (like the treadmill or track) to lessen the shock on your joints.
If you're going to be running for hours (you marathon woman, you), it is important to avoid overuse injuries so be sure to be in tune with your body (stopping when needed) and don't do it everyday to allow for muscle recuperation time.