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Do you have recurring knee pain? Does it keep you from maintaining your regular fitness program?
The knee is one of the largest joints in the body, with many essential functions. Even simple walking, sitting, squatting, and climbing stairs become difficult when it’s painful to use.
If you’ve had pain in your knee in the past and want to prevent it from occurring again, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll break down some running tips to alleviate the effects of knee pain while running.
Running Tips on How to Ease Knee Pain
Running is a high-impact exercise that can place a lot of strain on the knees. Over time, this can lead to pain and injury. There are several things you can do to reduce knee pain when running.
Avoid High-Impact Activities
It is essential to avoid high-impact activities that can lead to knee pain when running. Low-impact activities put less stress on your knees and are more likely to prevent or reduce knee pain.
Some low-impact activities you can do instead of running include walking, swimming, and biking. If you choose to run, warm up properly and start slowly before increasing your speed. Also, wear shoes that support your feet and give you good traction.
Strengthen the Muscles Around Your Knee
One of the best things to reduce knee pain when running is to strengthen the muscles around your knee when working out. This will help to support the joint and take some of the strain off of it. You can do several exercises to achieve this, many of which can be done at home with little to no equipment.
Increase Your Flexibility
If you have knee pain when running, increasing your flexibility may help. When you are more flexible, your muscles can better support your joints. This can help reduce the stress on your knees.
You can stretch, foam roll, and use a lacrosse ball to increase your flexibility. This will help take some of the load off of your knees. Click here for more information on knee pain and how to help your knees be healthy.
Use Proper Form
Always use the proper form to stay fit and reduce pain when running. Keep your head up, back straight, and your stomach tight. Take shorter strides and land on your midfoot, not your heel.
Keep your knees slightly bent, and don’t let them collapse inward. Build up your mileage slowly, and don’t run through pain. Strengthening your hips and legs with exercises like lunges and squats can also help prevent knee pain.
Give Your Knees a Break
It is no secret that running can put a lot of strain on your knees. This is why giving your knees a break from time to time is essential.
Take a few days off from running each week. This will allow your knees to rest and recover.
Have a Pain-Free Knee!
To reduce knee pain when running, it is essential to strengthen the muscles around the knee, use the proper running form, and cross-train to minimize the impact on the knee. Wearing knee support can also help to reduce pain. Be sure also to warm up and cool down properly.
Following these running tips can help keep your knees healthy and pain-free! However, if you still experience pain, you must see a doctor to rule out other underlying issues.
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