How to Avoid Knee Pain For Runners

If you’re a runner, I’d be willing to bet a sizeable chunk of change that at some point you’ve suffered from some degree of knee pain. It’s almost a certainty for most of us, unless you’re either very lucky or very well-prepared! 

How to Avoid Knee Pain For Runners

How to Avoid Knee Pain For Runners

-

Reading Time:
  • 7 minutes
Points of Interest:
  • Lack of strength, poor technique and biomechanics
  • Weak glutes and corrective exercises
  • Weak posterior chain and corrective exercises
  • Weak core and corrective exercises
  • Problem footwear causing poor biomechanics

If you're a runner, I'd be willing to bet a sizeable chunk of change that at some point you've suffered from some degree of knee pain. It's almost a certainty for most of us, unless you're either very lucky or very well-prepared!

Knee pain needn't be the case though, because with effective management you can protect your knees against the vast majority of running related injuries.

Before we get into the details, we have to establish the different types of knee pain, because all of the corrective exercise in the world won't do anything if you have an underlying condition. If you have something like arthritis, that's an issue that will need specific professional help.

If any other issues are ruled out, then read on and remove your runners knee pain for good – it won't be as difficult as you think.

Avoiding Knee Pain for Runners

Most of the knee pain otherwise healthy runners will experience will stem from one of two areas…

    Lack of strength in particular muscle groups, leading to poor technique and biomechanics
    Problem footwear, contributing to poor technique and biomechanics

In this article we're going to look at the ways we can correct for these issues and provide you with a series of specific exercises and suggestions to help you eradicate running-related knee issues for good.

Lack of Strength, Leading to Poor Technique and Biomechanics

For those of you who don't know, the word biomechanics relates to the study of movement in living structures. When we refer to biomechanics in relation to running, we mean technique, joint angles and overall movement quality because these have a knock-on effect on other areas of the body.

When we have weak muscles, they lack the ability to stabilise and support joints effectively. Many runners shy away from strength training through fear that they'll bulk up and add too much muscle, but that needn't be the case if it is done correctly.

Weak glutes in particular contribute to the vast majority of knee issues in runners. Weak glute muscles allow the knee to ‘cave' during the midstance/impact/absorption (depending on the terminology you like to use) phase. Over time, this causes pain and injury.

How to Tell if you Have Weak Glutes

Stand in front of a mirror and perform a body weight squat – if your knees ‘cave in' or move to the middle of your stance, you have a glute weakness issue.

Perform the same test with single leg squats and see what happens. You'll probably see either one or both knees cave in during the single leg squats.

Corrective Exercises for Glutes (2 x 20 of all)

    Single Leg Squats Glute Bridges Walking Lunges Single Leg Deadlifts Banded Lateral Lunges

The quadriceps (front thigh muscles) are also responsible for knee stability. Making sure you have strong quads also helps to off-set a lot of the impact forces on the knee. Performing the single leg squats and walking lunges will help this issue, so they won't need additional exercises.

Weak Posterior Chain

You have your ‘show' muscles and your ‘go' muscles. The show muscles are the ones that we like to show off on the beach – think your typical gym goer. For runners, the ‘go' muscles are arguably more important – they're known as the posterior chain and include the calves, hamstrings, glutes and muscles of the lower back.

These help us to accelerate, but they also apply the brakes. If your posterior chain is weak it can affect running technique, which has a knock on effect onyour running biomechanics and ultimately, helps to contribute to knee problems.

Corrective Exercises for the Posterior Chain(3 x 12 of each)

    Kettlebell Swings Stiff Leg Deadlifts Calf Raises

A Weak Core

If you have a weak core, you can allow too much rotation in your upper body as you run. Given your core and hips are all attached, the upper body rotation affects what happens in your lower body, so there's a secondary issue there.

The muscles that both create and resist rotation in the core are the obliques, so by strengthening those as part of an overall core training strategy you'll correct this problem.

Corrective Exercises for the Core

    Pallof Press Side Plank Swiss Ball Roll Outs

Problem Footwear Causing Poor Biomechanics

It's important to remember that your running shoes aren't fashion – they're equipment. Your choices shouldn't be informed by what you like, they should be informed by what you need. There's huge variety in running shoes – different levels of shock absorption, sole materials, upper materials, impact areas and sole shape.

If you're suffering from knee pain and have already employed a strength training programme to eradicate any muscle weakness issues, the next step will be your footwear choice. If the footwear doesn't suit your biomechanics it could be making your problems worse.

Take the time to visit a specialist running shop to have your gait assessed – you may be wearing the wrong shoes for your requirements. If you over-pronate for example, there'll be certain brands or sole shapes you should avoid.

Once you know what you should be wearing, you'll effectively remove footwear as being a cause of knee pain.

Avoiding Runners Knee Pain: Concluded

It's likely that your knee pain comes from a multitude of factors, rather than a single cause. Making sure you're strong where you need to be, running smoothly and with good technique whilst wearing the right shoes should see the runners knee pain disappear.

Check out our running range for additional running performance improvements.

Heading

Why Infrared Clothing Could be Your Secret Weapon

Read Next:

Cold Weather Warm Up for Runners

Heading

Runners – Learn How to Improve Your Tendon Health

« Back to blog

{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "articleBody": "\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nReading Time: \n\n7 minutes\n\nPoints of Interest:\n\nLack of strength, poor technique and biomechanics\nWeak glutes and corrective exercises\nWeak posterior chain and corrective exercises\nWeak core and corrective exercises\nProblem footwear causing poor biomechanics\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nIf you’re a runner, I’d be willing to bet a sizeable chunk of change that at some point you’ve suffered from some degree of knee pain. It’s almost a certainty for most of us, unless you’re either very lucky or very well-prepared!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nKnee pain needn’t be the case though, because with effective management you can protect your knees against the vast majority of running related injuries.\nBefore we get into the details, we have to establish the different types of knee pain, because all of the corrective exercise in the world won’t do anything if you have an underlying condition. If you have something like arthritis, that’s an issue that will need specific professional help.\nIf any other issues are ruled out, then read on and remove your runners knee pain for good – it won’t be as difficult as you think.\nAvoiding Knee Pain for Runners\nMost of the knee pain otherwise healthy runners will experience will stem from one of two areas…\n\n\nLack of strength in particular muscle groups, leading to poor technique and biomechanics\n\n\n\n\nProblem footwear, contributing to poor technique and biomechanics\n\n\nIn this article we’re going to look at the ways we can correct for these issues and provide you with a series of specific exercises and suggestions to help you eradicate running-related knee issues for good.\nLack of Strength, Leading to Poor Technique and Biomechanics\nFor those of you who don’t know, the word biomechanics relates to the study of movement in living structures. When we refer to biomechanics in relation to running, we mean technique, joint angles and overall movement quality because these have a knock-on effect on other areas of the body.\nWhen we have weak muscles, they lack the ability to stabilise and support joints effectively. Many runners shy away from strength training through fear that they’ll bulk up and add too much muscle, but that needn’t be the case if it is done correctly.\nWeak glutes in particular contribute to the vast majority of knee issues in runners. Weak glute muscles allow the knee to ‘cave’ during the midstance\/impact\/absorption (depending on the terminology you like to use) phase. Over time, this causes pain and injury. \nHow to Tell if you Have Weak Glutes\nStand in front of a mirror and perform a body weight squat – if your knees ‘cave in’ or move to the middle of your stance, you have a glute weakness issue.\nPerform the same test with single leg squats and see what happens. You’ll probably see either one or both knees cave in during the single leg squats.\nCorrective Exercises for Glutes (2 x 20 of all)\n\n\nSingle Leg Squats\n\n\nGlute Bridges\n\n\nWalking Lunges\n\n\nSingle Leg Deadlifts\n\n\nBanded Lateral Lunges\n\n\nThe quadriceps (front thigh muscles) are also responsible for knee stability. Making sure you have strong quads also helps to off-set a lot of the impact forces on the knee. Performing the single leg squats and walking lunges will help this issue, so they won’t need additional exercises.\nWeak Posterior Chain\nYou have your ‘show’ muscles and your ‘go’ muscles. The show muscles are the ones that we like to show off on the beach – think your typical gym goer. For runners, the ‘go’ muscles are arguably more important – they’re known as the posterior chain and include the calves, hamstrings, glutes and muscles of the lower back.\nThese help us to accelerate, but they also apply the brakes. If your posterior chain is weak it can affect running technique, which has a knock on effect onyour running biomechanics and ultimately, helps to contribute to knee problems.\nCorrective Exercises for the Posterior Chain(3 x 12 of each)\n\n\nKettlebell Swings\n\n\nStiff Leg Deadlifts\n\n\nCalf Raises\n\n\nA Weak Core\nIf you have a weak core, you can allow too much rotation in your upper body as you run. Given your core and hips are all attached, the upper body rotation affects what happens in your lower body, so there’s a secondary issue there.\nThe muscles that both create and resist rotation in the core are the obliques, so by strengthening those as part of an overall core training strategy you’ll correct this problem.\nCorrective Exercises for the Core\n\n\nPallof Press\n\nSide Plank\n\nSwiss Ball Roll Outs\n\n\nProblem Footwear Causing Poor Biomechanics\nIt’s important to remember that your running shoes aren’t fashion – they’re equipment. Your choices shouldn’t be informed by what you like, they should be informed by what you need. There’s huge variety in running shoes – different levels of shock absorption, sole materials, upper materials, impact areas and sole shape.\nIf you’re suffering from knee pain and have already employed a strength training programme to eradicate any muscle weakness issues, the next step will be your footwear choice. If the footwear doesn’t suit your biomechanics it could be making your problems worse. \nTake the time to visit a specialist running shop to have your gait assessed – you may be wearing the wrong shoes for your requirements. If you over-pronate for example, there’ll be certain brands or sole shapes you should avoid.\nOnce you know what you should be wearing, you’ll effectively remove footwear as being a cause of knee pain.\nAvoiding Runners Knee Pain: Concluded\nIt’s likely that your knee pain comes from a multitude of factors, rather than a single cause. Making sure you’re strong where you need to be, running smoothly and with good technique whilst wearing the right shoes should see the runners knee pain disappear.\nCheck out our running range for additional running performance improvements.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeading\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nWhy Infrared Clothing Could be Your Secret Weapon\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRead Next:\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCold Weather Warm Up for Runners\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nHeading\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nRunners – Learn How to Improve Your Tendon Health\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https:\/\/kymira.com" }, "headline": "How to Avoid Knee Pain For Runners", "description": "If you’re a runner, I’d be willing to bet a sizeable chunk of change that at some point you’ve suffered from some degree of knee pain. It’s almost a certainty for most of us, unless you’re either very lucky or very well-prepared! ", "image": [ "https:\/\/kymira.com\/cdn\/shop\/articles\/unnamed_3c3f073b-d3f5-42ce-bc7c-025059841ab1.jpg?v=1667507275\u0026width=3000" ], "datePublished": "2020-03-09T13:23:11Z", "dateCreated": "2022-11-03T20:21:39Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Hoyles" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "KYMIRA" } }