For all the avid runners out there, knee pain from running is certainly not uncommon. While knee pain can be stressful physically and mentally, don't think it'll be there permanently. It can be effectively dealt with and I'm not talking about in months and years but in a much lesser span of time.
It is imperative nonetheless, that in order to proceed forward towards the curing part of your knee pain (which by the way will require a lot of effort on your part), you need to understand the workings of your muscles, how running affects them and how we perceive it is affecting them.
To begin with, absorb the fact that our knee joint is an embodiment of one of the complex workings in our body. It is the place where four of our leg bones come together, one from top, two from the lower limb plus the knee cap. The smooth movements of our limbs are made possible by support system built upon tendons, cartilages, muscles and ligaments. We never feel all these components at work which is why we never pay attention how our activities are taking advantage of them.
Running is a sport in which almost half of the population is involved. There are numerous advantages to running which most of us are aware of. Other than providing a release of energy, keeping us fit, reducing health disorders, running also creates a euphoric feeling. However where running does help us in keeping the body fit, there are muscles which it doesn't work upon. These muscles, over time, become stiff and reduce in flexibility.
Our knee is capable of moving in more directions than one; running on the other hand exercises our leg muscles in forward and backward movement only, thereby utilizing only those muscles which help in this unilateral movement ignoring those which can allow sideways movements.
Knee pain does not evolve due to a single incident, but is triggered due to a history of strain on some of the muscles. Use of continuous running as the only physical exercise creates muscle imbalance or 'overpronation.' This can be accompanied with inflammation of the area around the knee cap. Runners suffering from this are referred to training exercises which strengthen the other muscles like hamstring, thigh and calve muscles. The basic idea is to reduce pressure from the trouble area and shift it to other muscles.
Sadly, this is not the only kind of knee pain triggered by running. Tendonitis or overuse of our knee tendons leads to inflammation of this area. Then our knee shock absorbers or the cartilage cushioning can also be torn due to excessive use. Whatever the conditions, the patient is usually prescribed rest and muscle strengthening exercises.
Lately though, fitness experts have turned to Pilates for runners. Pilates is a compilation of exercise program which was developed by Joseph Pilates in Germany. Though he originated this system a century ago, more people are becoming aware of it now. This system trains the body to use what is known as the core muscles. This core strength tones the muscles into a leaner built, providing the whole body with more power and stability.
Author Resource:
This article is written by Coty Ray, a fitness entutiast which like to give hints and tips for different exercises and sports. You can read his latest blogpost here: Knee Pain From Running
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