Running is known to be rather hard on knees and other joints, but knee pain is a common malady among many athletes and recreational exercisers as well. The knee is one of the key points of absorbing all of that shock and pounding when your foot hits the ground, and for that reason it takes quite a beating. People may find they are more predisposed to chronic knee pain more so than others, but the truth is that there are things you can do to decrease you odds of coming down with a wailing knee.
The first thing is that by strengthening the muscles around the knee area and ensuring that they are also well stretched and flexible you can work wonders to keep pain at bay. The major contenders are of course the quads that sit right above the knee and then the calves which are the muscles at the back of your lower leg. But you want to ensure that your entire body is strong and in alignment to be most effective in your preventative care; this includes focusing not only on your calves and quads but your buttocks, core, inner thigh, and hamstrings too.
Along with incorporating strength training into your workouts done in your gym clothes you will want to stretch after your workouts when your muscles are already warmed up, loose, and most responsive. You should stretch all of your major muscles but focus especially on the quads, inner and outer thighs, and the calves. You also want to keep your IT band knot free, this tissue is located on the outer portion of your thigh and runs from your hips down to your knees; a great stretch for this is to sit on your bottom, bend your knees , and plant your feet about 18 inches from your bum. You will then take one leg and place the outside of your foot on the top of your opposite knee and then let that leg bend outwardly at the hip. Hold this position for about 20 seconds and then repeat it on the other side.
As we age, even those most avid gym goers wearing their fitness clothes will be more likely to be met with knee and other joint pain, which makes it even more critical for them to build up these muscles and remain as flexible as possible. Yoga is also a great thing to work into your regular routine as it will focus on both of these principles. Finally, if you still are still met with throbbing knees you should do less of the high impact activities like running and then do more joint friendly exercises like swimming, cycling, and getting on the elliptical machine. Eventually, as your muscles and tendons gain strength and get a much needed break you can then attempt to slowly increase the amount of time spent running and doing other high impact sports that you love.
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