Running is stupid...

[D1cko]

Thanks for your replies guys, I have good shoes, I think some of you are onto something with the IT band....and yep I live 500m from the beach so I'm going to do that, when I'm up and camp I'll run on the grass instead of the pavement
Chocchill- thanks, see my replies below

Dicko, when you sprint you will naturally strike the ground with your midfoot or forefoot (mostly forefoot).
this lessens any pronation you might be susceptible to and should be easier on your ITB and therefore your knees.

Where on your knee is the pain mostly? Outside of the knee joint?
Spot on...the outside is where most of the pain is, and actually even tender to press now...

Running on sand can be a blessing or a curse, depending on your running form. Poor form on sand and overstriking when you run can lead to injuries on sand.
Running on grass is a good place to start. Concrete is really hard on the joints.
Asphalt is a little better but grass is tops for beginners.

Running can be enjoyable and really good for fitness but it pays to work on your form.

1. Are you wearing the right shoes for you to run? I own a pretty good pair of Nike's, and actually just bought another pair of runners ZOOM STRUCTURE+ SHIELD BLK GRN | Nike Shoes | The Athletes Foot
2. Do you pronate or supinate? Umm what does this mean? lol
3. Are your glutes activating correctly when you run? I don't know, I think so...
4. Do you strike on forefoot/midfoot or heel? I think heel...maybe too much by the sounds of it
5. Do you keep your torso upright, shoulders back and arms relaxed? Yes
6. Do you strike the ground under your centre of gravity and kick up? i.e long strides are not necessarily good. mmm...I'd say I have more of a plodding action...but I'm gonna google this

you probably have better form when you sprint and you might need to adjust to mimic this when you slow down. it can feel weird at first but as you adjust you will find that you feel more comfortable and your speed might increase too - without running out of puff (efficiency through less work).

Foam roll your ITB and see if it's tight...one of the most common knee pain causes if there is no pre-existing knee issue. IT band DOES feel tight...I will roll this more often!

hope this helps a little

 

[Bradders]

Probate your feet roll in supinate your feet roll out,

 

[Jungnaut]

I have flat feet and my knees tend to hurt from running. After seeing a podiatrist and having custom insoles made up, I don't feel the pain (as much). Obviously if I start slamming my heels down or indulge in other variations of crap form then pain will follow. If you don't wanna fork out $800 for a custom insole then get shoes designed to correct feet pronation. The Addidas Salvation is one example.

 

[dave]

If you don't know what pronation and supination are then you most likely don't have good shoes for your feet. Very basic explanationronation is a flat foot, supination is a rolled out to the side foot. There are a lot of good running shoes out there for either.

Important info in regards to the ITB being tight, you need to work on the tissue around the ITB and not the ITB itself. The reason is it is just a band of connective tissue and its tightness is controlled by what is attaching to it and what is occurring above it at the hip. Work on your outer quads, around your hip, try rolling yourself across a foam roller along the ITB not up and down. Stretch your quads and hip flexors to make sure you're not tightening up there.

Technique correction will really help. Don't be a heal runner, it is bad enough for most but even worse for us big guys who generate a lot more force when hitting the ground. Viv gave you some good info. Don't overstride. Quicker shorter steps are better and easier to control and will remove any feeling of needing to land on your heal. They are also generally more efficient.

 

[Undercover]

You missed a word, this annoys rapey.... Or is that the point because you said running and "reading"...?

No Will goes on about how reading enhances live as well, I just cut the last bit off.

 

[Bazza20]

If you don't know what pronation and supination are then you most likely don't have good shoes for your feet. Very basic explanationronation is a flat foot, supination is a rolled out to the side foot. There are a lot of good running shoes out there for either.

Important info in regards to the ITB being tight, you need to work on the tissue around the ITB and not the ITB itself. The reason is it is just a band of connective tissue and its tightness is controlled by what is attaching to it and what is occurring above it at the hip. Work on your outer quads, around your hip, try rolling yourself across a foam roller along the ITB not up and down. Stretch your quads and hip flexors to make sure you're not tightening up there.

Technique correction will really help. Don't be a heal runner, it is bad enough for most but even worse for us big guys who generate a lot more force when hitting the ground. Viv gave you some good info. Don't overstride. Quicker shorter steps are better and easier to control and will remove any feeling of needing to land on your heal. They are also generally more efficient.

Good info Dave, explains a few things for me. I had often been told to foam roll up and down the ITB, while it hurt like anything it never seemed to help. I'll try going across.

Been stretching hip flexors of late and the first few times were agony because I was so tight. Getting better now and it seems to be helping my patella tendonitis. Also stretching tight calves.

 

[Bradders]

Good info Dave, explains a few things for me. I had often been told to foam roll up and down the ITB, while it hurt like anything it never seemed to help. I'll try going across.

Been stretching hip flexors of late and the first few times were agony because I was so tight. Getting better now and it seems to be helping my patella tendonitis. Also stretching tight calves.

My calves are my biggest problem I have found... the foam roller does nor do much but a cricket ball, massage ball seems to do the trick especially the tendons and muscles on the top outside of the calf!

 

[chocchillimango]

My calves are my biggest problem I have found... the foam roller does nor do much but a cricket ball, massage ball seems to do the trick especially the tendons and muscles on the top outside of the calf!

calves are a sign you're running on forefoot/midfoot so on the money. they will get used to it.
a tennis ball, rumble roller or the spiky massage ball are all good but lol OUCH.

 

[chocchillimango]

If you don't know what pronation and supination are then you most likely don't have good shoes for your feet. Very basic explanationronation is a flat foot, supination is a rolled out to the side foot. There are a lot of good running shoes out there for either.

Important info in regards to the ITB being tight, you need to work on the tissue around the ITB and not the ITB itself. The reason is it is just a band of connective tissue and its tightness is controlled by what is attaching to it and what is occurring above it at the hip. Work on your outer quads, around your hip, try rolling yourself across a foam roller along the ITB not up and down. Stretch your quads and hip flexors to make sure you're not tightening up there.

Technique correction will really help. Don't be a heal runner, it is bad enough for most but even worse for us big guys who generate a lot more force when hitting the ground. Viv gave you some good info. Don't overstride. Quicker shorter steps are better and easier to control and will remove any feeling of needing to land on your heal. They are also generally more efficient.

+1 on the ITB advice ... I roll glutes in 2 directions as well as 2 directions for the ITB. Ditto stretching.
Always warm up before and stretch after a run, even a short one.

 

[Bradders]

calves are a sign you're running on forefoot/midfoot so on the money. they will get used to it.
a tennis ball, rumble roller or the spiky massage ball are all good but lol OUCH.

Yep! I ended up learning a lot about my foot anatomy for doing that, after getting all sorts of pains in my feet... not realising that the tendons in calves like the Peronus Longus reaches from your knee to little toe! and massaging the top of the eased the foot pain...

The human body is an interesting thing.

 

[IRON TANKS]

Choc & daves advice is sound. Yes, the heavier you are the bigger the chance your knees are going to take a beating. I am 96kg@5'10 and haven't had too many problems if I don't go for longer than 4-5km. Anything more and I start to feel it. When I have cut to 82-85kg these issues seem to dissipate.

Kevin Netto @ Deakin Uni who was his PhD in Biomechanics put us through a full lecture on on footwear and running. For the life of me I can't find it, but I will have a look. The general consensus was that you don't need to spend a fortune on running shoes - find a decent one in the mid range, and it's preferable to change them over more often than having spent $250 and keeping them for 3 years. We did all sorts of stuff using their new force plate, was quite interesting.


Anyhow running + the knee is a complex issue, could be patella tracking/your running style/foot wear/and a culprit - the iliotibial band because it's involved in lateral knee stabilization. It's a good idea to get a physio to check your running gate because they'll tell you exactly what is going on. I told my missus to do the same because she runs like a spaz, and has knee pain every now and again whenever she breaches a certain running threshold. Years of wearing high heels don't help a womans cause for foot/knee pain.. although she does have mighty developed calves.

 

[Bradders]

And once you know what shoes you want... buy them from oversea's for 1/2 - 1/3 of the price

 

[chocchillimango]

And once you know what shoes you want... buy them from oversea's for 1/2 - 1/3 of the price

yes!

Bradders, I injured my soleus years ago (still paying for that one) and my hip in 2010.
Both due to my left side being less strong and stable .. soleus tight and gluteus medius not firing properly. This caused quite a bit of torsion in the hips, which is apparently not uncommon in women.
Took months of rehab to address it and it's only this year that I've made great strides (no pun intended) in fixing it whilst taking a break from regular running.

At the point where I have to attempt really low pistol squats to show up the difference between left and right (and it shows). But running form is much better...ergo I've started serious sprint training.

Mostly we only discover weird anatomical stuff when we test ourselves in the field, so to speak. True, yeah?

 

[Bradders]

yes!

Bradders, I injured my soleus years ago (still paying for that one) and my hip in 2010.
Both due to my left side being less strong and stable .. soleus tight and gluteus medius not firing properly. This caused quite a bit of torsion in the hips, which is apparently not uncommon in women.
Took months of rehab to address it and it's only this year that I've made great strides (no pun intended) in fixing it whilst taking a break from regular running.

At the point where I have to attempt really low pistol squats to show up the difference between left and right (and it shows). But running form is much better...ergo I've started serious sprint training.

Mostly we only discover weird anatomical stuff when we test ourselves in the field, so to speak. True, yeah?

Interesting... but yes very true...

Something I need to work on seriously is my general balance, it is really terrible even the physio said so, which also isn't helping my running.. I think doing pistol squats i'd just end up on my ass...

 

[Bazza20]

My calves are my biggest problem I have found... the foam roller does nor do much but a cricket ball, massage ball seems to do the trick especially the tendons and muscles on the top outside of the calf!

Yeah my calves are a problem too. My issue is because of a couple broken ankles and many torn ligaments my ankle flexibility is so poor I struggle to stretch my calves out properly.

 

[chocchillimango]

Interesting... but yes very true...

Something I need to work on seriously is my general balance, it is really terrible even the physio said so, which also isn't helping my running.. I think doing pistol squats i'd just end up on my ass...

lol i regularly end up on the floor on my toosh doing these

 

[taurus]

I love my road runs, but as a few of you said, my legs and calves get real sore and pumped after anything past 4-5km.
Hill sprints or a good set 200s can be just as beneficial, if not more so, than a long road run.
I'm 100kgs, and I see plenty of bigger guys than me doing laps at centennial park or the coogee to clovelly run. They must warm up better than we do!!

 

[vonfram88]

Distance running will detract from your limit strength capability. That's a terrible sacrifice to make.

 

[D1cko]

Distance running will detract from your limit strength capability. That's a terrible sacrifice to make.

I reckon you're right mate...I'm looking at something like swimming maybe for my fitness...I used to swim ALOT and I think I'll enjoy it more...I could barely walk on my left knee today and it's all started since this running caper

 

[lex]

I need some general advice on knees...
I have started running to get a bit of fitness in addition to my strength training. I also thought I'd like to give tough mudder a crack.
Trouble is, my left knee gets so painful...it's probably a combination of past football, and me being rather heavy.
Could it be my running style? It just feels like I'm really plodding/pounding hard into the pavement when I jog. And when I sprint I feel fine, but I can't keep up that sort of pace for 10k's (my goal)...as soon as I slow to a jog, that heavy pounding feeling goes through my knee again
Any idea's??

Doing any flexibility work ?
How tight are you legs ?

I used to get lots of trouble with the knee caps on both knees getting pulled out of position due to one lot of muscles/tendons being a bit to tight.

If it causing pain stay off the pavement and run on grass/dirt.

swimming or aqua aerobics - aqua aerobics can be a good perve
as was my yoga class last night .

Did my first bikram yoga class yesterday. Hard, painful but will be going back.Some damn gorgeous women in there.
went to this one in brookvale
Bikram Yoga Brookvale, Manly, Balgowlah & Northern Beaches


Looks like there are a few Bikram yoga places in Perth
Bikram Yoga Perth • New Students
$20 for 10 days
Bikram Yoga Perth • New Students • Introductory Pass

Bikram Yoga Scarborough
Bikram Yoga Joondalup | Perth Yoga
1st Timers Offers | Bikram Yoga Victoria Park