Exercising without Injury.

Lullymore24

I have an old knee injury that I do not want to revive.
I have been building up Fitness levels recently.

Monday I jogged 6.25km in 47 mins.
On the 5.5km mark I could feel a twinge in my knee.

Is there anyway of avoiding this?
Would a knee support help, or Hinder me running?
Would specific weight lifting exercise improve knee strength?

seamus

A knee support may help.
Specific strengthening exercises may help.

But nobody here can really give you advice that will work for whatever your specific condition is. Only a good physio can do that, so go see them.

Twinges in the knees are not uncommon with running. If you find that your knee pain is persisting after your session (don't confuse it with DOMS), or it's causing your to limp or slow down while running, then stop immediately and do not run again while your knee is sore. If it continues to happen after your runs, then see a physio sooner rather than later to avoid doing any damage.

If you get bizarre minor twinges that come and go as you run, but don't interfere with your ability to run and don't persist when you stop running, then I usually wouldn't worry about them.

Lullymore24

seamus wrote: »

A knee support may help.
Specific strengthening exercises may help.

But nobody here can really give you advice that will work for whatever your specific condition is. Only a good physio can do that, so go see them.

Twinges in the knees are not uncommon with running. If you find that your knee pain is persisting after your session (don't confuse it with DOMS), or it's causing your to limp or slow down while running, then stop immediately and do not run again while your knee is sore. If it continues to happen after your runs, then see a physio sooner rather than later to avoid doing any damage.

If you get bizarre minor twinges that come and go as you run, but don't interfere with your ability to run and don't persist when you stop running, then I usually wouldn't worry about them.

It's more of a tingle than a spasm.
I don't have any pain after I stop.

I was running on a thread mill as I try and avoid road running to reduce impact stress.
I wear asic's Runners and I get a massage once a week, and have started doing acupuncture recently also.

I was just wondering is there any way of building muscle to support the knee and make it stronger?

username123

I have old knee injuries and 2 surgeries on one knee including removal of around half the medial cartilage, also a patch of wear (arthritis) on the back of the kneecap.

Yes, you can do strengthening exercises but what you need to address also is the stress of the impact of running.

You need to watch the surface you run on. I run in the woods on mulchy ground, or on tarmac, never on concrete and I never run above 5k as I dont want any more damage than I already have!!!

Id be reluctant to wear a support unless specifically advised by a medical professional. Why not visit a physio and discuss your concerns?

Lullymore24

username123 wrote: »

I have old knee injuries and 2 surgeries on one knee including removal of around half the medial cartilage, also a patch of wear (arthritis) on the back of the kneecap.

Yes, you can do strengthening exercises but what you need to address also is the stress of the impact of running.

You need to watch the surface you run on. I run in the woods on mulchy ground, or on tarmac, never on concrete and I never run above 5k as I dont want any more damage than I already have!!!

Id be reluctant to wear a support unless specifically advised by a medical professional. Why not visit a physio and discuss your concerns?

I might go to a Physio when I get the chance.
I never run on Roads, I do a lot of field work.

I was just wondering would specific weight training improve knee strength and thus less susceptible to pain

kingQuez

seamus wrote: »

Twinges in the knees are not uncommon with running.

An occasional twinge isn't extraordinary, but if you're getting them regularly then its a sign that something is up (be it with you knee, your balance, your strength, progressing too fast before your body adapts to getting back running etc.) so I'd scale back until you figure out what's up.

How long did it take you to build up to running straight for 50minutes?

There's various conditioning work you can do to avoid injuries when running.. first off is improving balance and individual foot strength. Stand on one leg, stand on one leg and close your eyes, stand on one leg but bend over to touch each of the points of a compas around you (N//S/E/W). Boring, but if you have bad balance then you're going to put more stress on things unnecessarily. Second you can improve your core stability, to avoid transferring unnecessary stress down through your body onto your knees and feet as you run.. plank/side plank/superman/glute raises would be the staple exercises for that.

Generally if you know you've a problem with your knees it wouldnt be a bad idea to go to a sports physio who is into their strength work to do an assessment for you and give you a strength routine specific to your current weaknesses. Its probably the best route to avoid running into problems.

username123

Lullymore24 wrote: »

I was just wondering would specific weight training improve knee strength and thus less susceptible to pain

Not in the sense of preventing impact stress or injury. Many old weightlifters and wrestlers have knee problems and theyve got plenty of muscle! It could be how you run as opposed to how strong you are. It could be wear and tear from old injury, it could be nothing!

But youd be far better talking to an expert who might take a look at how you run. You could need to work on your core strength, if youve a weak core you could be putting unnecessary strain on the lower back, down through the hips and then the knees. If you are over pronating you could be compensating and hurting the one knee. There are so many variables.

Will Heffernan

Lullymore24 wrote: »

I might go to a Physio when I get the chance.
I never run on Roads, I do a lot of field work.

I was just wondering would specific weight training improve knee strength and thus less susceptible to pain

It would absolutely help and that is why every good runner from sprinters to marathon runners do weight training and in particular do work that people would consider prehabilitation if they have been informed or coached properly.

You are not realistically going to be able to modify your running technique a great deal from being coached...what you could do though is to make sure your musculature is balanced and well conditioned.

Do you have tight glutes? Are your glutes strong enough to control rotation at your hip during striding? What's your quad to hamstring strength ratio like....you know that obviously once there's a greater than 70% differential your risk of injury goes through the roof of course? How's your soleus strength and flexibility? Have you been making sure your ITB has been stretched properly so you don't get any irritation over the knee? You stretch your quads right? But what about your rectus femoris do you make sure you isolate and stretch that? If you don't you can get some anterior pelvic tilt issues that throw of your gait because if you haven't been stretching it you probably haven't been stretching your hip flexors. You see where this is going?

Anyway...a simple and balanced weight training routine and a stretching routine that takes into account any specific restrictions you might have may not fix your problem but it sure as hell won't hurt.

Lullymore24

OK far too much Latin Medical Terms for me.
I stretch the way I was trained to stretch for circuit training That I once used to do.

My Thighs are very strong, so are my calves.
I leg press 200kg with ease these days.

I think it is the patella that is the weak spot from an old injury.
It is my Achilles heel for lack of a better word.

Will Heffernan

Lullymore24 wrote: »

OK far too much Latin Medical Terms for me.
I stretch the way I was trained to stretch for circuit training That I once used to do.

My Thighs are very strong, so are my calves.
I leg press 200kg with ease these days.

I think it is the patella that is the weak spot from an old injury.
It is my Achilles heel for lack of a better word.

Well unfortunately your patella doesn't exist in isolation.

I'll simplify my last post for you:
It would absolutely help and that is why every good runner from sprinters to marathon runners do weight training and in particular do work that people would consider prehabilitation if they have been informed or coached properly.

You are not realistically going to be able to modify your running technique a great deal from being coached...what you could do though is to make sure your musculature is balanced and well conditioned.

Anyway...a simple and balanced weight training routine and a stretching routine that takes into account any specific restrictions you might have may not fix your problem but it sure as hell won't hurt.

Good luck.

Lullymore24

I'm back in the Gym Sat. I'll ask the Instructor to help me with some specific machines.

I'll see how it goes.
this Gym stuff is addictive lol

nice_guy80

what is your knee injury?

I suffered with an injury for two years
doing specific warm up, stretching, mobilisation, and other exercises helped to alleviate a lot of the pain

I was very quad and hamstring dominant.
Now I focus far more on getting the glutes firing and working

you need to talk to a person with decent knowledge in this area.

Brian?

Lullymore24 wrote: »

I'm back in the Gym Sat. I'll ask the Instructor to help me with some specific machines.

I'll see how it goes.
this Gym stuff is addictive lol

Why get yourself assessed properly rather than relying on the unknown qualifications of a gym trainer?

As Will alluded to there are a number of things from your lower back down that could be the cause of your knee niggle. I wouldn't put my faith in a gym instructor spotting them. There is also a chance that a badly constructed gym program could make the problem worse e.g. If you're quad dominant leg pressing is going to make you more quad dominant.

The sooner you get to the heart of your dysfunction the easier it will be to fix. This is an issue very close to my heart, I've had knee issues on and off for years.

Lullymore24

I had a fall off a dirt Bike as a Kid and ever since, if I get a slap on the front of the knee I get leg Locked.

sometimes if I twist it out hiking I get the same pain, so I wanted to see if making stronger would improve it

Brian?

Lullymore24 wrote: »

I had a fall off a dirt Bike as a Kid and ever since, if I get a slap on the front of the knee I get leg Locked.

sometimes if I twist it out hiking I get the same pain, so I wanted to see if making stronger would improve it

Making your glutes stronger might help it if you have weak glutes. The quad on the injured knee might be weaker than the other leg, so strengthening that might work. But then neither of them would do you any good if you have tight IT bands that are causing the problem. You see where I'm going with this?

My advice is get yourself looked at. There might not be anything wrong with the knee itself, that could be a symptom. It could also be something wrong with your knee that no amount of strengthening things attached to it will fix. There is no way of knowing.

Spend the money on a decent physio and get some peace of mind.

Lullymore24

Brian? wrote: »

Making your glutes stronger might help it if you have weak glutes. The quad on the injured knee might be weaker than the other leg, so strengthening that might work. But then neither of them would do you any good if you have tight IT bands that are causing the problem. You see where I'm going with this?

My advice is get yourself looked at. There might not be anything wrong with the knee itself, that could be a symptom. It could also be something wrong with your knee that no amount of strengthening things attached to it will fix. There is no way of knowing.

Spend the money on a decent physio and get some peace of mind.

I might go day after tomorrow to a the Doc and see if he can refer me to a specialist.

nice_guy80

Lullymore24 wrote: »

I might go day after tomorrow to a the Doc and see if he can refer me to a specialist.

doctors - waste of money. and overpaid, as are many specialists.
you need a decent physio.
just saying.

Dermighty

Crosstrainer works for me instead of running, though I lie running I cut it down to once a week or less.

Will Heffernan

Just to clarify...what I was getting at below is that there are heaps of things to consider and a tonne of stuff you could do should you be of a mind to with regards 'sorting yourself out'...I will leave it at that as you seem to be on your way now.

Will Heffernan wrote: »

Do you have tight glutes? Are your glutes strong enough to control rotation at your hip during striding? What's your quad to hamstring strength ratio like....you know that obviously once there's a greater than 70% differential your risk of injury goes through the roof of course? How's your soleus strength and flexibility? Have you been making sure your ITB has been stretched properly so you don't get any irritation over the knee? You stretch your quads right? But what about your rectus femoris do you make sure you isolate and stretch that? If you don't you can get some anterior pelvic tilt issues that throw of your gait because if you haven't been stretching it you probably haven't been stretching your hip flexors. You see where this is going?

This wasn't a list of things to do...just a random list of 'stuff'.

Ante9

First of all,if u have ANY knee problems you should not take running as your cardio, that's the way it is. Better invest some money in good bike and force yourself on daily biking scheme.
That's the best solution.
Second is that you run only on beach or forrest roads.

TimeToShine

just to add running on a treadmill is just as bad as on pavement, grass is by far your best option.

Ante9

Agree BUT for now is best not to run at all.