Runners Knee

appaerntly single leg lifts - lay on your back, tense your leg, point your toe, lift leg a bit off the floor and back down, slowly 20 or so times on each leg

I don't do any exercises that isolate the knee but I do the leg press, knee extensions and a leg curl one leg at a time. I do some other exercises two legs at a time. I ice my knee. I will do a 500 yd. kick in the pool with my fins and that seems to help. My physical therapist said that the lifting with easy weights, rest and placing the ice on it will help. Make sure your doing daily stretches so that your leg is nice and loose.

Mike

I have had some severe knee pain and no money for sports medicine, and have figured out how to fix mine. Here's what I found out:


Almost ALL knee pain is from pronation. Even if it's too little to show up on your shoes, just a little sideways pressure (tendency to "bow" out) over time and exercion will cause all kinds of pain and complication. About the only exercise I found specifically for knee pain involves the feet, odly enough. Lay a towel on a hard floor (or carpet if you're buff!) and sit with your feet at one end, with only your toes on the towel and the rest in front of your feet. Now pull the towel to you, scrunching it up by grabbing it with your toes. This simply strengthens the muscles in the feet with keep them straight and will help your footfalls land more straight.

The other thing I do, which has pretty much cured me up, is similar to form work. In fact, that's exactly what it is. I just pay really close attention to my knees and consciously hold them in to keep them from bowing out. Granted, I don't squeeze so hard that I get tired or cramped. I just pay attention to it. Eventually it became second nature and know I'm pain free. Even at first when I had to concentrate on it, the results began to show quickly. My legs straightened out and I could feel myself landing on my foot squarely. I never paid attention to this stuff before.

I also paid attention to my knees when I was laying on the couch, stretching, or whenever it occurred to me. It has really helped. Mabey it can help you.

I've done some theraband exercises. You tie one end to something (i use a table leg), the other end in a loop around your ankle. Standing, you can do four different exercises. Leg out, leg back, leg to either side, all with knee slightly bent. I think there is a better description in this month's InsideTri.

Make sure that any leg workouts you do don't cause significant knee pain. My PT said don't do anything beyond a 4 on a pain scale of 1 (none) to 10 (dying).

You should also avoid running on concrete surfaces. Doing strength training helps too, leg curls, leg extensions, half sqats, calf raises, strengthen all muucles around the knee

cycling helpes a lot, it builds up the muscle around the knee, and the muscle protects the knee from pain

A bunch of years ago, I went to my MD for the same and he told me to work on with squats and leg extensions. In my case, my legs simply needed more strength to hold the weight. I wasnt' heavy at the time but everybody's....body is different and my legs simpley needed a bit more muscle in them. I almost immediately felt a positive difference. Never had a problem since.

I suggest a visit to a physiotherapist to see if there are any particular muscles that you need to work on. In my case it was the inner quads. My knees would not tolerate squats and most weight machines, so the physiotherapist designed a program for me using mostly therabands. Good orthotics also helped in reducing my pronation. My knees are good now so this problem can be defeated.

Hey,

There are a few misconceptions in the posts on this thread, so I thought maybe I could help out.

First, disclaimer: Don't take anything I write as medical advice. My first advice is for you to go see your doctor/an appropriate sports specialist and get diagnosed, if you have not already. You need to make sure you have what you think you have. (There is an article on my site about how to get good care for your sports/other med problems, if you are interested in that sort of thing).

"Runner's knee" might be a couple of things, but we usually think of it as "patellofemoral pain syndrome". Currently, it is thought to be the result of an imbalance of strength between the quads and the hamstrings. For a long time, it was thought that it could be treated by "preferentially" treating one part of the quad...which turns out not to be true. This is because eletrical studies of the muscles have shown that when one part of that muscle fires, all of it does.

The latest treatment seems to be hamstring stretching combined with quad strengthening, and it can take weeks-months to work, so people who go that road should not get discouraged.

Best option is to see a doc, and get appropriate PT for whatever the problem is.

FWIW,
Phil

There are many issues with regards to patellofemoral syndrome. I'm a PT and commonly see this in people. I'll be honest and tell you that it is very difficult to treat with only moderate outcomes. I suggest taking anti-inflammatories as suggested by the label, as well as seeing your MD and asking for a PT referral. Many different exercises are available to strengthen quad and hamstring musculature. It is true that it is impossible to isolate your VMO, there are quad strengthening positions that preferentially strengthen that musuclature. ITB tightness can contribute to the problem, as well as foot and knee alignment. There are braces available if your patella is not tracking correctly. Taping is also available. As you see there is more than one answer to the question, so I would recommend seeing a PT whose focus is on sports medicine to do a complete evaulation and set up a program especially designed for you. They will be your best bet.

That is interesting. My PT is still giving me exercises that she says are designed to isolate my VMO. Thanks for the update.

DaveH

Thanks everyone. I just got back from the Ortho and it seems that I have an early stage of arthritus. My bones are starting to rub. Shots were recommended along with some of the exercises you all recommended. Thanks again.