In California, we did sooooo much walking, we biked and well in San Fran, we walked up and down the streets, and if you know anything about San Francisco, you know that these streets are straight up and straight down! With that being said, without running everyday, I managed to keep my legs fit strong and in great shape! I even came back from Cali 2 lbs lighter! Imagine that! :O)
When I came home to get right back into my running routine, I noticed after the first week, my right knee started to act a little funky. At first I thought, ehh, it's nothing...I just need to do a little more foam roller. Well it turned out to really bother me for 3 days where I had to ice it for 40 minutes, 3 times a day, pop 2 advil every 4 hours, elevate it any chance I got, and well, yeah, I had to stop my running! So I missed 1 long run, which mentally CRUSHED me and my EGO!
Runners knee is a common ailment among runners. It usually causes aching pain around the kneecap.Runner's knee isn't really a condition itself. It's a loose term for several specific disorders with different causes.
Some ways you may get Runners knee are:
Overuse. Repeated bending of the knee can irritate the nerves of the kneecap. Overstretched tendons (tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones) may also cause the pain of runner's knee.
Direct trauma to the knee, like a fall or blow.
Misalignment. If any of the bones are slightly out of their correct position -- or misaligned -- physical stress won't be evenly distributed through your body. Certain parts of your body may bear too much weight. This can cause pain and damage to the joints. Sometimes, the kneecap itself is slightly out of position.
Problems with the feet. Runner's knee can result from flat feet, also called fallen arches or overpronation. This is a condition in which the impact of a step causes the arches of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.
Runner's knee is also called patellofemoral pain syndrome.
patellofemoral (AKA)Pain around the patella(kneecap).The patella femoral joint is the joint between the femur (thigh bone) and the patella. The biomechanics of this joint are important to consider when explaining patella femoral pain syndrome. The patella sits in a groove on the femur (the trochlear groove). As the knee moves the patella glides across the front of the knee in this shallow groove. The patella moves up and down, tilts and rotates and there are therefore various points of contact between the patella and the femur.
Here are some of my symptoms and symptoms of Runner's Knee:
- Pain behind or around the kneecap, especially where the thighbone and the kneecap meet. (I have this)
- Pain when you bend the knee -- when walking, squatting, kneeling, running, or even sitting.
- Pain that's worse when walking downstairs or downhill.
Swelling.
- Popping or grinding sensations in the knee.
The best treatment for Runner's Knee is to REST as much as possible....EVEN if you are like me a crazy obsessed lunatic who worries about missing a run or two...Resting is a must! Runner's Knee usually will heal on its own, and is usually nothing serious....Icing the knee will really help. You should aim to ice for 20-30 minutes or until the pain is gone. I did 40- minutes of icing. I couldn't feel ANYTHING after I was done icing, I think I froze my knee cap! LOL! It worked though! I also used a strap which really helped while I was training in the gym, and also working (training my clients). As soon as I was ready to relax at night, I would pop some Advil and elevate my leg.
note on Advil and other anti-inflammatory painkillers, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( NSAIDs), I NEVER took Advil for anything. I NEVER take Tylenol, I don't like any medicine for pain, so I wasn't worried about these side effects, but if you regularly take these things, be careful....these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. They should be used only occasionally, unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.
Always make sure before you RUN, you do some DYNAMIC warm ups. When you are done working out or running, you stretch and use the foam roller to keep your IT bands healthy.
Don't rush to get out there and run, or squat or jump or hop! EASE back into your routine slowly! Otherwise your Runner's Knee could get serious and you may have to end up getting surgery!
You know you're okay to run and workout again when you feel no more pain and you get straighten and bend your knee normally.
As I always tell clients who "JUST WANT TO RUN AND NOT TRAIN WITH WEIGHT" There's a lot you can do to prevent runner's knee. You should:
Workout with weights focusing on your Quads. Keeping your muscles strong and limber will help you to be a more efficient injury free runner.
Make sure you are wearing proper sneakers. DON'T wear you everyday sneakers for running and vice versa! Support in your sneakers is HUGE! GO to NIKE in the Westchester Mall (white Plains) and tell them I sent you! They are amazing at finding the proper shoe FOR YOU!
If you can, try not to run on the sidewalk. Run on gravel, grass and or the street will be better, or better yet and CLAY track, like the one at Rye High School! It's AWESOME!
Well, my knee started bothering me on a Friday.....Last Friday...By Monday I was running again, and I was fine, because I took all the right steps in order for the pain to go away...and a few prayers to the big man upstairs (GOD).
XO
I hope you are treating your knees with respect!
