Why do my knees hurt during and after running? The doctor named 5 main reasons

Running is the most popular form of physical activity among those who have decided to take care of their health. It is practiced by millions of people all over the world, regardless of their professional skills and interests. In addition to favorable effects on the whole body, it has a positive effect on the psychological state.

What are the benefits of running?

A charge of positive emotions. Remember how pleasant it is to go out for a morning or evening jog to your favorite music. And even the weather does not always spoil the mood and throws off the mode. During a running workout there is an opportunity to distract yourself, to find the right solution to a difficult question that has been tormenting for a long time.

Improving the quality of sleep. Evening jogging is also useful for people who suffer from insomnia. Activity before bedtime saturates the body with oxygen, relaxes the body and brain. After a light, quiet workout, you will fall asleep more easily. Many people notice positive dynamics and wake up less often in the middle of the night.

Classes almost do not require serious financial investment. Yes, for professional training may require special equipment from hygroscopic, windproof fabrics, but at the initial stages will be enough comfortable quality shoes. It should be selected based on the individual characteristics of the foot.

However, beginners, as well as experienced athletes can encounter a number of troubles after running. Often after a month of intensive training they begin to worry about their knees and calves.

A slight discomfort turns into painful conditions, jogging ceases to bring satisfaction. Do not miss the first calls, it is necessary to understand the problem.

Appear unpleasant symptoms can arise for various reasons. Accordingly, and treat in each specific case of injury will need to be individualized.

What are the causes of pain in the knees after running?

Non-compliance with rules and techniques

Despite the apparent simplicity of physical activity, like any sport, running requires certain skills. Beforehand, it is necessary to consult with an experienced coach, listen to recommendations and learn techniques.

You can study sports forums, blogs of professionals and people who have been immersed and practicing a useful habit for more than a year. Often people neglect such advice, which leads to unpleasant consequences.

Do not rely on the knowledge gained back at school in physical education classes, if you were given it at that time. Running in adulthood gives a strong load, here you are already engaged at your own will, and the muscles, joints are involved to the full.

Due to violations of recommendations on running technique from professionals often occur injuries in the knee joint and rupture of tendons. This happens because amateur athletes do not follow the position of the foot, putting it forward.

• Affects the painful sensations and incorrect posture: the back during running should be straightened, you can not tilt the body forward.
• Many people forget to watch the position of the head – it is not necessary to tilt it forward or, conversely, to lower it down. Like the back, the head should be kept straight.
• Some people try to make a strong overhang of the shin, which also negatively affects the health of the knees.

Professionals advise you to record your movements during workouts on a camera. You can try running for this purpose on an exercise machine. A clear video will help you more quickly analyze the mistakes made and work through the technique.

To aggravate the painful situation during training in running can pathology of the foot – flat feet. The load in this case is distributed unevenly. The incorrect position of the foot adds work to the knees. People with such diagnoses should undergo a consultation with an orthopedist before starting to engage in physical activity.

Lack of warm-up

Another common mistake made by runners. Muscles and joints should definitely be warmed up before every workout.

An unprepared body will fatigue faster from a strong load, and this increases the risk of injury. In addition, preparatory exercises will help you recover faster after the end of training.

Before jogging, it is best to do small power blocks, half squats, lunges backwards, abs exercises. This way you will strengthen your whole body and protect yourself from unwanted sprains. Start at the head and end at the fingertips.

Stretch blocks are an indispensable part of the warm-up. They increase the distance between the vertebrae, which reduces friction. But do not be overzealous – your goal is not to sit on the twine, but to stretch the muscles.

The main exercises that will help reduce the risk of injury:

1. Neck rotation. Activates blood flow to the head and reduces dizziness during jogging.
2. Body rotations. Reduce strain on the back.
3. Body tilts. Stretches the spine.
4. Hip rotation. The exercise is an excellent prevention of cramps.
5. Rotation of the knees. Allows you to achieve greater mobility of the joints.
6. Jumping out. Exercises prepare the calves.
7. Jumping rope. Do not accelerate the pace, keep it normal. Jumping trains the cardiovascular system, preparing it for the challenges ahead.

Incorrect choice of load

Often runners fail to correctly calculate the forces and take the level of a professional on their body. People are driven by the desire to reach heights faster and stand out from the rest. But the wrong speed is a sure path to injury.

To protect yourself from painful conditions, it is important to determine a comfortable pace of running. If after the load there are unpleasant sensations in the knee, it means that it does not correspond to your body. Take pity on your joints and go back to a lower level.

When choosing the appropriate pace, you should be guided by your heart rate and breathing. If the athlete can talk calmly during the movement, does not feel discomfort – it means that the speed corresponds to the level of his training.

Experienced runners advise starting with a fast walk. After – you can begin to introduce jogging, gradually increasing the pace. Watch the state of your respiratory system and the reaction of muscles and joints to the increase in speed.

If at first it is difficult to control your heartbeat on your own, use a heart rate monitor for this purpose. A special device will help you monitor your heart rate and adjust the intensity of physical activity.

Mistakes in choosing running shoes

One of the main causes of torn and sprained ligaments, damage to the meniscus in the kneecap is the wrong choice of shoes. After preparing and warming up the body, it is worth paying close attention to this point.

specialist in running technique, master of sports international class in track and field.

Buying comfortable and suitable running shoes is one of the main conditions for a successful training session. Take the choice of running shoes seriously, beforehand familiarize yourself with reviews. Opinions of athletes about the quality of shoes can be seen in professional publiki, or consult with coaches, look closely at what is running on the street. It is important that the sole of the sneakers was soft, not stiff, so that the impact in the knee joint was not so strong.

After choosing the right sneakers, it is important to follow the technique of running in them. I advise before training to run at home first barefoot and feel how your foot moves. As said above, the condition of the kneecap depends on it.

Many people put on sneakers and run as they are used to walking – hard, pressing the heel into the surface, as most often on the streets of cities asphalt. In this regard, there is a very strong load on the knee joint.

Run at home on the pads of your feet. Softly, so that you can’t be heard by your family. That way, you’ll understand how to move.

Running is created in the flight phase, with your feet slightly lifted upwards, as if you were jumping all the time, springing on the foot. When going outside in running shoes, you need to remember how you used to run at home.

Genetic traits

But not only the wrong choice of shoes and failure to observe the technique and load distribution can lead to knee pain. Discomfort can be associated with genetic predisposition and physiological features of the runner.

Traumatologist of JSC “Medicine” (Clinic of Academician Roitberg)

Among patients, there is often a hereditary predisposition to diseases in the joints. If there are some problems in parents, grandparents, there is a probability that this diagnosis will manifest itself in children and grandchildren. The personal factor makes a big difference.

Running is an impact workout, despite its simplicity of execution. Unlike walking, there is an element of flight followed inevitably by a landing phase. In people who have physiological peculiarities, knee pain and other pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, running can aggravate diseases.

Therefore, athletes who have problems with knee joints, it is better to try to reduce the load or at all replace running with swimming, cycling or other, more relaxed types of physical activity.

In any case, it is important to consult a doctor and designate the permissible loads. If the first pain in the knee, it is better not to self-medicate and resort to folk remedies. Only a specialist will refer for examination, prescribe the necessary adequate treatment and tell about contraindications.

What happens if you ignore pain in the knee after running?

Having identified the main causes of pain, together with specialists, it is possible to develop the correct treatment scheme. But if you do not pay attention and continue to move actively, despite the pain syndrome, there is a chance to launch the process and bring the joints to surgery.

Alexei Repetyuk

sports medicine doctor, traumatologist at Sechenov University

Athletes-runners experience tremendous physical stress on the musculoskeletal system. This leads to wear and tear of large joints 10-15 years earlier. As a result, the cartilage thins, the congruence (form conformity) of joint surfaces is disturbed, and osteoarthritis (joint disease) develops. Without timely treatment and prevention, this disease can lead to surgical intervention – joint replacement.

Do not neglect and another problem – crunching in the knee joints. Many who are engaged in physical activity, miss this symptom. Yes, indeed, in healthy bone joints, crepitation – crunching – is not systematic. But such a condition of the joints can indicate diseases.

Clicking on a constant basis with every movement speaks of a violation of the production of collagen, which provides strength and elasticity of the cartilage tissue of the joints. As a result of this disease, an imbalance occurs within the tendons and an inflammatory process occurs.

To prevent these diseases, it is necessary to consult with a doctor-traumatologist and include a food supplement – “live” collagen and vitamin D in the diet according to the recommendations of the specialist.

But remember that in the presence of joint diseases, some exercises in the gym are contraindicated, but physical activity must necessarily be maintained. In order for activity to bring only benefit, you need to contact a doctor LFC (therapeutic physical training).

The specialist will select the optimal set of exercises that will engage the right muscle groups and joints, and will also help you learn to move correctly and safely every day.

Effective ways of treatment in the knees

Once again, we remind you that any physical activity, including running, even if it is not of a professional nature, should be coordinated with your doctor and performed under the supervision of an experienced trainer. This way you can avoid unnecessary injuries and choose an individualized set of exercises.

If you neglected the advice and got unpleasant consequences after running, consult a specialist. Independently prescribe drugs and resort to treatment is dangerous. The doctor will conduct the necessary clinical tests, prescribe additional studies in the form of ultrasound, X-rays, MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). Only after this, together will be selected a treatment regimen and prescribe medications.

It also happens that pain in the knees after intense running training is temporary in nature and does not require serious medical examinations. For example, during physical activity, the athlete overdid it and gave the load more than it should be. In these cases, discomfort can be relieved:

cold compresses. To pass swelling and pain, cool the knee for 20-30 minutes every three hours. After a few days, you will feel better and you will be able to resume training;

Keep your joints in a relaxed position. Let yourself rest and do not load your knees with exercise. This applies not only to running, but also to other activities. You should not do lunges and stretching exercises for a few days. You can keep the leg in an elevated state during this time, for example, by placing it on cushions when sitting;

taping. Applying an elastic bandage – a taping – will improve blood circulation and lymphatic drainage. However, this can only be achieved if it is applied correctly. The bandage will lift the skin over the muscle tissue and ligaments, making room for better circulation. If you are not previously familiar with teeping, seek the help of a professional. He or she will be able to properly make an application that will bring the expected effect.

If painful sensations do not go away within a few days – your case requires a doctor’s examination.

Remembering the folk wisdom, we would add that prevention of diseases is better than any treatment. By following the doctors’ instructions, you will not have to seek medical help.

Prevention of knee pain

1. Proper nutrition

It is important for the body to receive nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates and vitamins during training. The athlete’s task is to supply them in a timely manner. This also includes the rule of drinking water.

Water is important for the joints. And it is necessary to drink enough water not only during and after training, but also when you are not engaged in physical activity. On average, this amount is not less than two liters per day. But many experts agree that you should drink without waiting for dry mouth and thirst.

2. Observation of body mass index

Overweight people are more prone to knee pain when running. That is why it is so important for the athlete to establish a dietary regimen, excluding high-calorie foods. Excess pounds put pressure on the joints.

3. Change running shoes

You need to choose sneakers for training every four months. The process in professionals is regular, and you should not neglect it. From strong influences and friction with the asphalt, the sole of the shoes of the runner wears out quickly, lose shock absorption and stabilization, do not retain the proper support for the foot. On average, it is recommended to change sneakers after running 500 kilometers.

4. Variety of training

To reduce pressure on the joints, change and alternate physical activities. Do not constantly engage in one type of activity. Excellent for this purpose will be cross-country skiing, bicycling, swimming.

5. Massage

Do it with the help of special rollers and not during inflammation and acute pain. As a rule, oil and creams are not used for better blood movement. Specialists use methods of stroking, rubbing, tapping.

Following simple rules and preventive measures, you will enjoy evening or morning jogging, and your knees will not give you discomfort.