I feel pain in my knee when I run… What to do? – GOOD SHAPE

Running is an accessible and very pleasurable physical activity – but it can bring some discomfort, such as knee pain.

We spoke with the personal trainer Rafael LundCEO of Lund Trainers Personalized Training Studio, to better understand why this happens and what to do in such cases.

WHY DO WE FEEL PAIN IN THE KNEES WHEN RUNNING

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The race is very democratic, that’s a fact. anyone can go out on the street and start running, as there is no need to go to a specific location or use any special accessories to practice. However, this advantage can also be seen as a disadvantage, since, according to Lund, this makes people start the practice without any guidance. “This is perhaps the biggest problem that makes injury rates in running so high when compared to other sports,” he explains. Here are some reasons that lead to pain due to lack of proper guidance:

One of the main risk factors for injury is training volume. Very high volumes, or rather, an exaggerated increase in the distance covered in the week, is undoubtedly one of the main causes of injury.

“The second factor I find the most when evaluating runners is a lack of strength or function in the glutes, causing increased knee overload. Either because of uncontrolled mechanical changes (such as dynamic valgus – that little knee coming in), or because of the lack of propulsion capacity, which increases the demand on the knee”, explains Lund.

slower musculoskeletal system

Our cardiorespiratory system recovers faster than our musculoskeletal system. This means that you can run more and more without tiring so much, but your joints, tendons and muscles may not be ready for it yet.

“Added to everything, we have the feeling of well-being that running provides, which further increases the idea that I can and should run more. I call it Too Much Too Soon,” he continues. “When we put all these factors together, high motivation generated by the feeling of well-being, disproportionate increase in cardio capacity over musculoskeletal capacity and lack of adequate guidance, we have a favorable scenario for an increase in the incidence of injuries”.

core weakness and lack of mobility

Collaborating for this picture there are still two uncommon factors: the weakness of the core muscles and lack of ankle mobility. They are dysfunctions in other parts of the body that affect the knee.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU FEEL PAIN IN YOUR KNEE WHEN RUNNING?

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“The first thing I would do is evaluate workout progression and movement mechanics. If these 2 factors are OK, a professional evaluation will be necessary, as each case is different”, advises the personal.

That’s why, to prevent these pains from getting worse or returning, the professional recommends strengthening the most affected regions mentioned above. This effort alone will drastically reduce the incidence of injuries.

“However, we can also take a more targeted approach, but in that case there will always be a need for a professional to assess where the person’s ‘weak link’ is and work more intensively on that factor”, he says.

Other than that, Lund also explains what cannot be missing from a healthy running routine:

Do a good warm-up / specific preparation before starting the workout;
Respect the progression of the worksheet (“Remember that the guidance of a good professional is fundamental here”, he says);
Complement your program with 2 days of strength training (“Nothing too extensive, just what you need to get well”, he explains).