Running and aching knees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check with a doctor to make sure you don't have an injury as compared to just soreness.

Most of the time when your knees hurt it means that you increased your mileage too quickly. You should not increase your distance (or time) by more than 10% per week. You risk overuse injuries if you try to increase too quickly.

I would also consider trying different shoes. Strengthening your quad muscles might also make a difference. And ice your knees down after you run.

I am a marathoner. My knees are in horrible shape from years and years of long-distance running. I love running more than I hate the pain, so I just deal with it. My sports med doctor put it pretty simply: "The knee only gets so many miles per lifetime. And you used yours up years ago".

Great point! As much as I'd love to run a marathon and know I could, I actually think running is horrible for your body when done more than a few miles at a time. I too love running, especially outside. I'll do that any day over the gym. However, because of the damage it will infict on your body and maybe make it impossible to exercise later in life, I've learned to love cycling just as much. I'm a walk to the W&OD trail and do that all the time now.

[Anonymous]

You might also try other shoes, even though the ones you got were fitted. For me, aching knees mean I'm wearing the wrong shoes, or it's time to buy new ones. And I have never had much luck getting fitted - they always recommend something that doesn't wind up working. I get better results from just trying 6 or 7 pairs and seeing which ones feel the most comfortable regardless of what the salesperson says is "right" for me.

[Anonymous]

OP - didn't read all the responses but this happened to me when I first started running. The solution - I went to a running store - Fleet Feet in DC - and was properly measured for running shoes. Bought a pair of asics and never had the pain again. I actually was giving a size 8 running shoes and I ususally wear a size 7-7.5 shoe. Worth a try