5 Ways to Improve Knee Pain In Runners
1. Increase your leg strength Do wall sits, knee extensions, toe raises, hip side-lifts and more. Speak with one of our professionals for how to perform these exercises correctly. 2. Improve your patella (kneecap) tracking Your patella needs to glide to actually form a C pattern when you bend your knee. Do leg lifts with your whole leg rotated outwards to strengthen the inner thigh and knee muscles. Make sure to stretch your kneecap up and down, side to side, to ensure gliding. Most patellofemoral pain comes from poor patella tracking and a physical therapist is the expert to diagnose and treat this problem. 3. Maintain and improve flexibility With running and exercising it is very common for the powerful muscles in the leg to become tighter. For example, the hamstring and outer tissues of the leg (iliotibial or “IT” band) can become very tight, altering the mechanics of the knee causing pain. Stretch after every time you run and do adequate warm ups prior. Try integrating yoga and stretching into your routines. 4. Improve your balance and coordination Do balance exercises to build up your proprioception (sense of balance position). Exercises such as standing on one leg with and without eyes closed are important. Don’t forget to make sure you setup for safety when performing balance exercises by having a steady surface nearby to hold onto when needed. 5. Improve your agility Many casual runners simply run, but do not perform other types of important exercises such as strengthening, balance and agility training. Mix up your workouts to include these other types of exercises.
Seeing a Specialist If you have recurring knee pain or discomfort for more than 3 days, it is time to see a specialist. The ideal specialist to see is a physical therapist as they are medical experts in joint movement and function (kinesiology). A thorough evaluation needs to be done of your movement, walking patterns, strength, joint mobility, patella tracking and proprioception. Only then, can the true source of the pain be found, treated and help you understand what you can do to prevent it from returning. In addition, if you are an avid athlete, a physical therapist is key in helping you discover new ways to improve your movement and function, helping you improve your game. Get on the path to healthy knees and call us today for a free joint movement analysis. Discover how liberating it can be to run or exercise pain free.
Relieve Leg Pain In Minutes Try this movement if you are experiencing leg pain.
Trail Mix
INGREDIENTS •1 cup raw almonds • 3/4 cup raw cashews
Strengthens Legs
www.simpleset.net
STRAIGHT LEG RAISE Sit on the ground. Stretch your legs out in front of you. Bend your uninvolved knee to 90 degrees, foot flat on the ground. Keeping your knee straight, lift your foot about 10 inches off the ground. Gently lower your foot back to the ground.
• 2/3 cup raw pumpkin seeds • 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds • 2 tbsp unsweetened dried cranberries, chopped • 2 tbsp dark chocolate chips • Sea salt for taste
INSTRUCTIONS Chop any large ingredients if necessary to make everything about the same size. Give the dried fruit a light sprinkle of sea salt before you mix it in (it sticks better), or sprinkle the whole mix with salt if you prefer. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
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