In this video, I’m going to show you three quick exercises help you get overcome Runner’s
Knee and return to running stronger than ever.
Ok, so if you’re currently struggling with knee pain when you run, the first thing I
have to mention is that you need to get it checked out.
There are a number of different potential causes for knee pain in runners, from ITB
Syndrome and Patellofemoral Pain to Patella Tendinopathy and Meniscal Cartilage tears,
just to name a few…
You need to know what you’re dealing with before you can effectively correct the problem!
So in this video I want to share three simple exercises with you, that will help with the
most common causes of knee pain in runners.
So let’s get into it!
One common trait I see in runners who present with classic runner’s knee - patellofemoral
pain - or ITB syndrome is tightness in the quads muscles of the front of the thigh.
Tight quads can create imbalances around the patella (the knee cap) and increase forces
experienced by the patellofemoral joint of the knee.
This simple side-lying quads stretch is an easy way to work on reducing this tightness.
Lay on your side and slightly bend your bottom leg to createa more stable base.
From there reach back and grab the ankle of your top leg and pull your foot towards your
butt.
Keep your core engaged and push your hips forwards as you perform this stretch, so as
to focus the stretch on the front of your thigh, rather than simply arching your back.
Once you can feel this stretch, keep your thighs parallel and hold the position for
30 seconds 3 times each side.
You’ve probably heard it before, but many of us runners need to learn to use our butt
muscles more!
The glutes are so important not just as hip extensors, but also in their role of providing
hip stability.
If a runner isn’t good at stabilising their standing hip, the knee is usually the joint
that pays the price.
Before we move onto an exercise to practice stability on weight bearing, this second exercise
will help you engage those butt muscles more effectively!
To begin with, lay on your back with your heels positioned close to your butt and your
knees close together.
With a resistance band placed around your knees, push down through your heels and clench
your butt as you raise your hips into a bridge position.
Once at the top of the bridge, pull your knees apart against the resistance of the band.
You should feel the muscles around the sides and back of your hips working hard here!
Hold that 'knees apart' position for a slow count of 5 and repeat this for 10 repetitions.
Do this once through to begin with, and over time you can build to 2-3 sets each session.
Before I show you the third of these exercises, it’s important to point out that these are
just three of a whole host of different exercises that I might use to rehab runner’s knee.
In reality any effective rehab programme has exercises that progress over time to rebuild
your body and address your individual weak links.
I’ll leave a link in the description to the list free of knee rehab resources on the
Kinetic Revolution website.
Be sure to check that out - we’ve got so much great free content on the site!
We’ve even got a free download there for you, so be sure to get your hands on that...
So it’s all well and good working on quads mobility and engagement of key muscle groups
such as those glutes.
But one vital piece in the knee rehab puzzle is teaching your body to improve control of
the knee dynamically when standing on one leg, just as we would be when running.
This simple exercise achieves just that.
Standing on one leg on a raised platform, first reach forwards with the swinging leg
and touch your heel on the ground in front of you, then slowly reach back and touch your
toe on the ground behind you.
This movement of once back and forth constitutes one repetition.
You should be aiming to perform 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
The key here is balance and control.
You’ll be working hard around the hip and ankle to provide stability for the knee.
Many runners will feel the knee drifting inwards towards the typical ‘knock-kneed’ position.
We want to avoid this!
You may well find it helpful to perform this exercise in front of a mirror to monitor the
position of your knee throughout the movement.
I hope you’ve found these exercises helpful.
Give them a go at home, and remember - if it hurts - stop!
Good luck with your knee rehab.
Don’t forget to check out all the free resources on our website.
The link is in the description!
Speak to you soon