Any advice for running tightness causing knee pain?

[AvrilH]

I am a struggling runner/exerciser. I am really frustrated bc I spent the spring waiting for plantar fasciatis (sp?) to heal. The pain in my foot is gone, but now I have a new pain in my knee. A trainer at my Y talked to me about it, and told me he thinks that I have extremely tight tissue connecting my hip to my knee and that is what is causing my pain.

I'm also pretty sure I need new shoes.

Can anyone advise about loosening up my leg? The trainer has me lying on a foam roller and rolling up and down my leg on it (unbelievably painful, btw). Are there any other remedies? Massage? Stretching? (The trainer is now on holidays, so I can't pester him).

And what about running on it while my knee hurts? I have been doing up to 15 minutes on the treadmill, and then switch to an elliptical. Is that a bad thing? SHould I not run at all through the pain?

[Valerie226]

If it specifically hurts to run , I wouldn't do it. Could you walk for 15 minutes instead, maybe on an incline instead of flat, or an up & down course if your treadmill does that. I would make gradual changes, you don't want plantar fasciitis to come back. you can use hand weights to get your heart rate up a bit more when walking. I'd warm up before doing anything, maybe a stationary bike for 10 minutes. I would gently stretch before and after doing whatever you do. (alot of people don't recommend stretching beforehand, but others do. the same thing is probably not going to work for everyone). I can't recommend specific stretches, but things involving front & back of your legs, lower back, and hip area. If the elliptical doesn't cause pain I would focus on that while working on stretching. Yoga might be good too.
Knee pain is tricky & could be caused by dozens of things, from your shoes to biomechanical issues. If I were you, I'd back off til the pain is gone and then slowly start up again by alternating walking and running. Get some good shoes that fit well. If the pain comes back maybe an evaluation at a sports medicine clinic? someone who can actually see you moving & who you can show exactly where it hurts and when. Just some thoughts. pain is nature's way of telling you not to do something.

[jenmezzo]

Hi Avril,

I was in the midst of posting yesterday and got sidetracked by kids. First off, the diagnosis from your trainer is Iliotibial Band Syndrome--yes? This means that the pain in your knee should be on the outside of the leg, slightly below the knee joint at the end of the tibia where the band inserts. If the pain is elsewhere please seek further professional advice as to the cause of your pain.

That said, do make sure you are wearing shoes that are no more than 6 months to 500 miles (depending on your usage) old and that they are the correct version for your foot/gait type. Find a running specialty store to be properly fit (a good sports med MD can also give input on this issue) because the wrong type of shoe can CAUSE aches and pains that you would not otherwise have. My experience having been buying a motion control shoe that happened to be on sale at a "warehouse" type store. Absolutely the wrong shoe for me--caused pain in both knees and hips from not allowing my high arched, rigid foot to properly roll through (pronation).

Once you know for sure that your injury is ITB and that your shoes are the correct type for you, there are several steps you should take to improve the condition. Don't stop running. Cut down on duration and intensity and gradually increase those as the pain subsides. Stopping completely will make you feel like the pain goes away but it will likely come back full tilt the minute you resume running without proper attention to mobility and stretching--particularly in the hip. Seems strange perhaps that hip stretches are needed to alleviate knee pain, but remember it is all connected. The ITB run from the upper point of the pelvis--the Ilium--all the way to the top of the Tibia. Hence, the name Iliotibial Band.

Two great hip stretches are the one where you lie on your back and cross one leg over the other (ankle to knee) and pull in slightly on the bottom bent leg until you feel a stretch in the opposite hip/buttock. Another is actually a yoga pose called "pigeon". I would ask a yoga person about that or perhaps google it as a proper description is beyond me and it is important to do it properly.

Anyway, there is my 2 cents worth. This is a condition which I have and these stretches are a daily part of my running routine (deep stretching after running when your muscles are warm). Hope I have been of help--best wishes for healthy running!

[MaryH]

Sorry to hijack, but Jen out of curiousity what type shoes do you wear? (I have Mizuno Creations because of the cushioning - also a very high arch person - but have been thinking of trying the Saucony's or something else.)

[615bride]

I had major IT Band issues when training for my marathon and will say if this is what you have, don't fool around with it. Make sure you're in the right shoes and take it easy. I had to run a later marathon because of it. No fun. PM me if you have any specific questions- there are good stretches and things for IT Band Syndrome.

[AvrilH]

Thanks for all the responses. I have been following pretty much everyone's advice already. My runs have been limited to 1.5-2 miles for a couple of weeks due to the pain. Ugh. It is going to be a long slow climb back up to more.

I still don't know why this came out of nowhere! But I will continue to work on my stretching and hopefully things will improve.