Three Unexpected Ways Runners Can Prevent Knee Pain

Knee pain is one of the most common complaints among runners. Whether it's the dull, behind-the-kneecap ache of runner's knee that tends to affect new runners, or the dreaded ache of IT band syndrome, which can plague even the most experienced athletes, knee pain can leave you sidelined for weeks while you watch your friends train and compete.

Common recommendations for avoiding knee pain include running in properly fitted shoes and not increasing your mileage too quickly. In addition to following these trips, you can also try these three more unique methods of preventing knee pain.

Visit a chiropractor.

Wait – chiropractors are for backs, right? If that was your reaction, then you're not alone. It's a common misconception that chiropractors only treat back pain. However, they're actually experts at keeping all of the muscles and joints in your body properly aligned. A common problem in runners is that the hips end up sitting unevenly after running for miles on banked roads. This places uneven stress on the rest of the joints, including the knees. Your chiropractor can keep your hips properly aligned to help you avoid injuries.

Avoid running hard downhill when possible.

Running uphill is great for increasing your aerobic capacity, but descending a hill is pretty hard on the knees. They have to absorb a lot more shock than when you run on a flat surface or up a hill. To reduce your risk of knee injuries, pay close attention to how you do hill repeats. Run hard up the hill, and then jog very easily down the hill as your recovery for that interval. When you're doing a long run on the streets, try to play your route to avoid long downhill segments, as these are also tough on the knees.

Run some of your track workouts the "wrong" way.

Continually running counterclockwise on the track can lead to muscle imbalances that can contribute to knee injuries. You put more pressure on your inside leg than the outside leg when running in a circle around the track. If you do a lot of track workouts, make sure you're doing about half of them clockwise.

The other runners on the track might look at you strangely or think you're inexperienced because you're running the wrong way, but if you explain to them why you're doing it, you'll be passing on important knowledge and saving your reputation.

Almost all runners suffer from some knee soreness or injury during their careers. If you feel some knee pain coming on, take a day or two off and ice your knee before it gets worse. Running through minor pain tends to turn it into a major injury. To learn more, contact a company like Reading Chiropractic with any questions or concerns you have.