RUNNERS KNEE why it happens and why weight training for runners can help

There are many medical terms involved with knee injuries, but hopefully I can simplify it.

I'm no doctor, but with the internet it's possible to find relevant information to pass on to my Ironstruck visitors. I make every effort to find the best sources I can.

Whenever I did research in the past for my own benefit for certain aches and pains I was feeling when it came to running, I often found there was not sufficient information out there that was set out in layman's terms. It can be frustrating.

Basically, the pain from runners knee is caused by the cartilage under the kneecap wearing away and eventually cracking.

It almost seems like the cartilage has become like sandpaper because the kneecap is not riding over the knee properly. The end result is normally quite a lot of pain and swelling.

So the symptoms you should look for are pain below the kneecap or pain on the sides of the kneecap.

You can usually spot symptoms when doing deep knee bends or after sitting for a long time.

There is a good chance that the very first time you become aware of the pain while running is when you are running downhill. Soon after that it will pretty much be evident whenever you run.

Take action as soon as you begin to feel pain that might be symptomatic of runners knee. This will go a long way to diminishing the seriousness of the injury.

As soon as you become aware of pain in your knee that could be runner's knee take some time off running as rest is the best initial treatment.

In the resting phase you might try some medication like Ibuprofen that will help reduce swelling. It also would not hurt to see your doctor and he may prescribe something else that will work better.

This would also be a good time to begin some strength exercises so you can fortify the muscles surrounding the knee. I will talk more about that to follow.

TEMPER ENTHUSIASM WITH PATIENCE

As I mentioned on an earlier page, most running injuries can be avoided if running strength and endurance are built up over a long period of time.

Once some people take up the sport of running they become hooked and go headfirst into running and often will give little regard to rest. It's not a bad thing to enjoy running and developing a passion for it, but that enthusiasm should be tempered with patience.

It's a shame to see many people new to running develop injuries like runners knee early on in their foray into running that discourages them and often makes them give up running completely. You will become a better, healthier, more efficient runner if you ease yourself into it.

I know, because I did everything wrong in the initial years of my running career and was one of the first athletes in Canada to have an Arthroscopy on my knee. I simply ran myself into the ground back in the early days before we never knew any different.

I'm talking about 100 mile weeks and often several months at a time with no rest days. Eventually I ended up having surgery on the other knee as well. So don't do as I did. You will be far better off if you do as I suggest and take it easy.

COMMON CAUSES OF RUNNERS KNEE

Of course the most common cause of runners knee is overuse. It is so vital to take rest days even if you feel great. Often a running injury develops over time and there might be little indication early on that anything is wrong.

If the muscles surrounding the knee are weak, your knee may not be getting the support it needs. This in turn will but more stress on it and eventually a knee problem may develop.

One of the main causes of runners knee besides over-use is having weak quadriceps and/or tight hamstrings or calf muscles.

It seems that runners knee is more likely to develop once a runner begins to run over 40 miles per week. So before you begin to run longer distances, be sure you have worked your way up to that point slowly.

It's also a good plan to take a rest day before and after the days you tackle longer runs.

WEIGHT TRAINING FOR RUNNERS

I know, I know......most runners simply do not like hitting the weights.

Over the years I have learned that the right weight training routines can do wonders for distance runners and those involved in the Ironman 70.3 or Ironman Triathlon distances.

Not only will it make you a better runner and cyclist, I truly believe it will help prevent many injuries.

As I just mentioned, weak quads and tight hamstrings and calf muscles can be causes of runner's knee and probably many other injures as well.

Yet there is a good chance that 15 minutes a day/three times per week doing some lower body weight training can do wonders when it comes to avoiding many running injuries.

Even if you could do three sets of hamstring curls, quad extensions, calf raises and squats twice or preferably three times per week for say.......12 or 16 weeks of your training program leading up to an Ironman or marathon I think it would help keep you avoid injuries like runner's knee and might pay dividends on race day as well.

I always did lots of reps with weight that I could easily handle. It's not necessary or even preferable to use heavy weights.

For instance, one winter while training for an upcoming Ironman Canada I was doing weights three times per week. As I got to within 4 or 5 weeks of the race I was doing 50 squats using 200 pounds. It was about 60% of the maximum I could squat for 5 reps.

I did one set of ten and two sets of 20. I did half squats as I felt full squats were not a good idea as they put too much stress on your knees.

So say you are a woman and the most you can squat is 100 pounds. In that case you would do your workouts using around 50-60 pounds.

The Puntos twins from Montreal were the early woman stars of Ironman Hawaii and claimed their biking never really improved until they began to do squats. They did lots of reps with a weight they could handle.

I did them quickly and my goal was to build up strength and endurance and hopefully help avoid training injuries like runner's knee.

I had no injuries that year and never felt better coming off the Ironman bike and ran a 3:34 marathon and had a personal best Ironman by almost two hours. I was in my forties.

The biggest changes to my training that year from other years was the weight training, so I have to think it was a big reason why the race went so well and I stayed injury free.

So there is no doubt in my mind that when it comes to preventing injuries like runner's knee, the key components are gradually building up your distance, taking enough rest days, and incorporating weights into your training for at least part of your training leading up to your big race.

You can't really lose by trying it for one season at least just to see if it helps you or not.

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