Runners Knee: Avoiding and Fixing
Runners knee or Illiotibial Band Syndrome takes its toll on many
runners. Unfortunately, the lack of information on how to deal with
this problem before it happens causes it to last far longer than it
should, or to develop into a reoccurring problem. What is it? Runners
knee is a condition in which a sharp, burning pain manifests in the
knee or the hip. It occurs when there is irritation to the illiotibial
band, or IT Band, a band of fibrous tissue that runs from the hip,
along the outside of the shin bone to just below the knee joint. Its
function is both to provide stability to the knee and to assist in
flexion of the knee joint. When irritated or inflamed, it does not
glide smoothly and movement of the knee joint becomes painful. Usually
the pain worsens with continued movement. Over-training is said
to be the most common cause, but running on a banked surface,
inadequate warm-up or cool-down, or certain physical abnormalities may
also contribute. As usual we here in America tend to focus on
what is to be done after a problem occurs instead of taking a few
moments to learn about our sport and take some preventative
measures. So how about putting in a little bit of work on the IT band
to keep it supple and flexible? Why wait until you have a problem that
will take you out of the running loop for up to a month and make you
reduce your mileage drastically? I would tend to disagree that overuse
is the main cause. This is a half truth. The correct way to state this
would be that overuse without the proper foundations is the leading
cause of runners knee. You can run 50 miles without training and if you
have worked on the IT Band, it will not act up! Foam Rolling is
one of the best and fastest ways to keep the IT Band healthy, flexible
and supple. If you are an avid runner, this should be one of the
cornerstones of your routine. Foam Rolling the IT Band helps to keep
the knots and kinks worked out and is a tremendous aid in keeping it
flexible. If you have had problems with the IT Band in the past, this
is a godsend. Also, try to incorporate a good stretching routine into
your activities. Staying Healthy: If indeed you do
end up with runners knee, you have got to rest it. If you rush back to
running, you'll never break the injury cycle. Patience is tough, but is
required. When you do start back running, reduce your miles and ice
your knee frequently to reduce the inflammation. Work in light
stretching and foam rolling when pain does not force you to stop. It is
possible to keep running, but cut your run short as soon as you begin
to feel any pain. Reduce the amount of hill work you do until recovery
is complete.
Prevention is always top priority. Preventing an injury before it manifests will allow you to push your body harder to achieve new levels of fitness. It is extremely important to choose a fitness system that teaches proper body mechanics. The Dynamics of Motion System is a comprehensive system that will help to eliminate any and all bad habits before they cause debilitating injuries. It will reteach your body how to function properly to attain fast, safe results.
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