Knee Problem
Question:
Hi I am 57 and ran a 10k earlier this month in 56mins. I would like to do a half marathon once and have signed up for the Glasgow one in September. After the 10k I had sore knees walking downstairs and am a bit worried that they are going to cause me problems when training for the half marathon. My knees weren’t swollen after the 10k but I am still aware of them 3 weeks later. Should runners wear a knee support? Also I get twinges in my lower back when running and am just ignoring them. It is all new to me thus the reason I signed up for your website. Thanks Jane
Answer: Dear Jane, it’s possibly that your Iliotibial bands (ITB for short!) are tight. This is a connective tissue that runs from tops of the outer hips to the outer knee. When it tightens it causes a slight displacement of the knee caps, which in turn causes the pain especially walking downstairs. A foam roller is a great piece of equipment for self-massaging the ITB. You will also need to strengthen your gluteal (buttock) muscles. This will improve your knee control for running. If you consult a sports physiotherapist, they will be able to advise you on the correct exercises.
Kind regards
Angela Benjamin MSc MCSP Chartered Physiotherapist
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