FitSugar

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.

How to Hike With Bad Knees

FitSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0700

The weather is starting to cool off, and now's the perfect time to go hiking. Not only will you avoid overheating when trekking it up the mountain, but you may even get to see hints of the leaves changing colors. Don't let bad knees, keep you off the trail. Here are some ideas that could help you and your knees to keep on hiking:

Have someone else carry your gear for you. 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. Ouch.
Get a pair of trekking poles. Two poles can take weight off your knees when climbing up steep terrain, but they're especially helpful for slowing down your steps when going downhill. They can decrease the amount of pressure on your knees and other joints by 25 percent.
Make sure your shoes offer exceptional cushioning so your joints aren't jarred with each step. That means hiking boots may not be the best choice, and you may want to wear your running sneaks instead. Adding insoles may also help - opt for a sturdy and rigid style instead of a squishy one.

For more helpful tips read more.

You may benefit from wearing one of those tight elastic knee braces that offer compression support to your knees.
Avoid moving in a straight line, especially when going downhill. Zigzag your movements to decrease the pressure on your knee joints. You'll also ending taking extra steps, which will lengthen your hike, but will also end up burning more calories. You can also give your knees a break by walking backwards.
If your knees are really aching, stop and elevate them. Applying an ice pack can help reduce inflammation and pain (you should keep one in your first-aid kit). If you don't have ice, cold water from a stream or snow will work beautifully. But who wants to start thinking about snow just yet?

Source

Fit Tip: Mind Your Knees

FitSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 12:00:00 -0700

As my mom would say, "Take care of your knees, you only get one pair," and nothing could be more true than when it comes to running.

Running is a great way to burn a lot of calories and tone up that lower body, but it can also be pretty tough on your knees - it's not called runner's knee for nothing. No matter if you're an outdoor or indoor runner, one of the best things you can do for yourself and your knees is to switch up your workouts frequently, and don't forget that runners need strength training, too. Think about all your favorite ways to exercise and incorporate them into your cardio plans. You don't need to give up running completely, but your body will thank you in the long run if you add a little variety today.

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Holiday Fit Tip: Don't Just Sit There - Work Those Quads

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:30:00 -0800

Since most of us are traveling this Thanksgiving, here are a few simple exercises you can do with your legs while sitting in a plane or car.

Sit up nice and tall and place your palms on the seat next to your thighs. Plant your left foot firmly on the ground and as you inhale lift your right knee up towards your chest. As you exhale, slowly lower your foot but don't let it touch the ground. Concentrate on keeping your spine long and making the movements slow and with control.
Repeat this for a total of ten times, then lift your knee up and hold for five complete breaths, and then lower it to the ground.
Repeat this sequence on the left side.
Then lift and lower both knees together, ten times, then hold for five breaths, and then hug both knees into your chest to stretch out your lower back.

Source

How to Protect Your Knees When Hiking Downhill

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 08:45:00 -0700

Hopefully you all are getting outside and going for some hikes. While hiking uphill feels great, works your backside and increases your heart rate, walking down the other side can cause some serious knee pain. Walking, or even worse running, downhill can really stress your knee joints. Here are a few tips on how to protect your knees when headed down an incline.

Wake up your VMO - The VMO (vastis medialis oblique) is the muscle that keeps the knee cap tracking correctly. It is the inner part of your quads and soccer stars like Davids Beckham, have nicely developed VMO's. It is a lazy muscle so you have to wake up the VMO by giving it a little pat, smack or flick. I know it sounds crazy, but it works.

Zig-zag - Instead of walking straight down the incline, try going in a zig zag pattern. Making your own personal switch backs significantly decreases the pressure on your knee joints. Plus if you are wearing a pedometer, walking this way will probably double the amount of steps you take on your descent.

Try walking backwards Walking backwards gives tired muscles a break since moving this way uses the opposite muscle group of walking forward. Make sure to twist your head around to see where you are going and do alternate the shoulder you look over - you don't want to tweak your neck just looking to one side.

If your knees are bugging you after a vigorous hike, try rolling out your IT Band.

Source

What's the Deal With: Pose Method of Running

FitSugar — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 13:30:00 -0700

We all know how to walk and we all know how to run, right? The answer according to Dr. Nicholas Romanov, developer of the Pose Running Technique, is a resounding "NO." Romanov feels that running is a skill that needs to be taught to create more efficient running, which leads to less injuries over time. Since running is a skill it can be refined over time using the Pose Method, which they say works for all types of runners since the technique is a series of movements that anyone and everyone can benefit from using.

Named the Pose method since it is based on the "Running Pose" - the shape the body assumes as it moves forward. Here's a description of the pose:

The Running Pose is a whole body pose, which vertically aligns shoulders, hips and ankles with the support leg, while standing on the ball of the foot. This creates an S-like shape of the body. The runner then changes the pose from one leg to the other by falling forward and allowing gravity to do the work. The support foot is pulled from the ground to allow the body to fall forward, while the other foot drops down freely, in a change of support.

Yep you run just primarily on the balls of the feet instead of the heel hitting the ground first.

The idea is to move forward with the least amount of energy, with a simple fall and pull while holding the runner's pose. The technique has been tested and proven to reduce the impact on the knee joint by 50 percent. I must say I am I am truly intrigued by this method and so are my knees.

Leaning the technique can take some time and many newcomers to the method suffer from sore calves. There are plenty of books on the subject available from the Pose Tech Store, and clinics in Austin, Texas as well as Switzerland and the U.K.

Here is a video of the Romanov teaching the technique for trail running.

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.

Does That Bike Fit You?

FitSugar — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 03:30:00 -0800

Stationary bikes are a great way to get a low-impact cardio workout. People with bad knees and joints often do well on a stationary bike (vs. the treadmill).

The problem comes in when the bike is not adjusted properly to fit your body. So have a fitness professional at the gym help you adjust the bike or use this rule of thumb from WebMD: Make sure that when you’re sitting on the seat with the ball of your foot on the pedal, there is a very slight bend in your knee. If you’re too low, you’re not allowing the legs to go through a full range of motion, meaning you'll burn less calories.

Many people sit way too low. This means that their knees will flex too much as they pedal, putting too much pressure on the knee and result in soreness.

Fit's Tip: The stationary bike is a less intense calorie-burner than some of the other machines, so I wouldn't always only do cardio on the bike, but it is a good way to add to or diversify your workout routine.

That Aunt Flo Ruins Everything

FitSugar — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 03:00:00 -0800

Ever blown out your knee while boarding (or skiing) on the snowy slopes? Turns out that your menstrual cycle may be as much to blame as your skills.

According to studies done by researchers at the University of Vermont, women are more likely to injure their knee's anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during their preovulatory phase of their cycle, which is the first half of the menstrual cycle that begins on the first day of menstruation and continues for about two weeks.

So you may want to plan any ski trips accordingly.

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.