Running Series Part 2: How to Stop Knee Pain with Running

Here’s how to stop knee pain when running without skipping a day of training. Or even better, prevent knee pain altogether. 

In part 1 of this blog, we talked about the common belief that running leads to "wear and tear." and I answered the questions:

• Is running bad for my knees?

  
  

• Is running going to lead to "wear and tear" and more pain later on in life?

In case you missed it, catch up here!

How We Help Charleston Runners Overcome Knee Pain

In Part 2 of our Knee Pain with Running blog series, I'll tell you how we help our Charleston physical therapy clients get rid of their knee pain with running -- without skipping a day of training. I'll also share some specific exercises that have worked for our local runners!

But first...

I'm a big believer that to find the right solution, we have to understand the actual problem we're trying to solve. 

The Most Common Causes of Knee Pain in Runners

Picture an 8 ounce cup.

Now, imagine pouring a gallon of water (or liquid of your choice) into that cup.

What will happen? It’ll overflow! 

But it's not that the water was BAD, right? It's just that there was too much.

That's exactly how it works with knee pain and running.

Here's the thing: Your knee is simply going to respond to the stresses you place on it.

The trick is, you want that to be a positive response. You don’t want the cup to overflow. 

Too much stress can break us down. Too little stress will make us weaker and less capable over time.

Remember goldilocks? The right amount of stress will make us better and more prepared for that stress with time - which means your knee will get more capable of the demands of running.

Why Runners Experience Knee Pain

Running isn't a bad thing. It's the amount that matters. The devil is in the dosage.

When we boil it down, the most common reason why runners in Charleston experience knee pain is doing MORE running (aka MORE stress) than their knees were prepared for.

Our cup is overflowing because it's not big enough to hold the water we're pouring into it.

The load of running is exceeding our CAPACITY. Here's 3 simple steps to get rid of your knee pain and prevent it from coming back:

1. find your baseline capacity

2. follow an appropriate training plan based on your capacity 

3. avoid excess running (this is relative based on your capacity)

*there isn’t one right amount because everyone is different and this will change over time as your knee gets better at running.

If you want to run without knee pain, simply run an appropriate amount for your current capacity. Avoid large spikes in training, avoid huge fluctuations, and gradually increase volume over time as your capacity improves. If you're experiencing pain, that's probably your body telling you that you're doing more than you should.

I know - that's not sexy or fun at all, but it's one of the easiest, simplest, and cheapest ways to run without pain. It doesn't have to be fancy to work. You just have to do the right things over enough time consistently. 

BUT running without knee pain isn’t just about running.  We wanna build a bigger cup by preparing our knees for the stress we want to place on them, right?

Don't worry, I have a hack for that:

Resistance & Plyometric Training 

Most people make the mistake of only viewing running as a cardiovascular exercise. They don't realize that running is a series of repetitive jumps that actually place a lot of stress on our muscles and skeletal system. 

If you’re running right now and dealing with pain, the simplest solution is to slightly scale back your running volume and start sprinkling in a few specific exercises.

WHY?

We want our knees to be able to handle the stress we place on them, so we need to be training for that specific stress.

You can be the best swimmer in the world with the most amazing aerobic capacity, and running is still going to suck for you if you're not used to the specific demands of running.

Running requires repetitive muscle contractions, power production, and force absorption, over and over again.

By doing resistance and plyometric training, you're creating more capacity in your muscles, tissues, and joints for the loads and demands of running.

As an example, here's some exercises that I gave my Charleston physical therapy client just last week:

I love using these as a way to assess baseline knee strength AND to start increasing knee strength.

STRENGTH EXERCISES: KNEE FOCUSED

Forward Step Down

Knees Over Toes Split Squat

Heels Elevated Wall Squat

PLYOMETRIC EXERCISES: KNEE FOCUSED

Single Leg Multidirectional Pogo Hops

Single Leg Plate Jumps

Depth Drop

If you’re a runner dealing with knee pain in Charleston, don’t panic. You don’t have to stop running.

Want a step-by-step progression for returning to pain-free running? Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series!

At Made 2 Move, we help runners get back to doing what they love without worrying about pain or injuries. Our physical therapists work with all levels of runners: from competitive athletes to weekend warriors to grandparents who just want to keep up with their grandkids!

In a world where most doctors will tell you to stop running, we'll help you get back to running safely and confidently.

At Made 2 Move Physical Therapy in Charleston, we'll help you stay active, pain-free, and healthy. Don’t let a sedentary lifestyle hold you back. Contact us today to schedule your consultation and take the first step towards a more active, healthier you.