Anonymous wrote:Been a runner for 20+ years. I do the shoes, stretch, 10% build up etc. But biggest thing that allows me to run pain free - is core/weight training - which I learned from a great PT/atheletic trainer. Strengthen the hips, core, and muscles - tightens the form - less issues for hips/knees. If I stop, I can feel the pain return to my running in less then a week. Benefit is I'm much faster.

You don't need to do a lot - even a few simple exercises help. Ideal is 1-2 sessions a week of decent training.

PP here: Bridges, squats, lunges, , push ups, pure abs such as planks, . I do more than abs - for example, bridges etc do core with hips. You can do the basic ones in front of the television for 5-10 minutes. I do a gym workout 2x a week, which helps more.

Different poster. Links to some simple core workouts.
http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/fast-abs?page=single
http://www.ultrarunning.com/ultra/8/8_2/core-strengthening.shtml

thank you-- this is exactly what I needed.

OP, I think you have been doing too much too soon. You need to build up your muscles slowly to support the high impact of running.

Different poster. Links to some simple core workouts.
http://www.runnersworld.com/workouts/fast-abs?page=single
http://www.ultrarunning.com/ultra/8/8_2/core-strengthening.shtml

PP, can you give some tips on what type of core exercises help you? I'm not the OP, but I am always looking for good core/hip exercises to help my running form.

TIA.

Been a runner for 20+ years. I do the shoes, stretch, 10% build up etc. But biggest thing that allows me to run pain free - is core/weight training - which I learned from a great PT/atheletic trainer. Strengthen the hips, core, and muscles - tightens the form - less issues for hips/knees. If I stop, I can feel the pain return to my running in less then a week. Benefit is I'm much faster.

You don't need to do a lot - even a few simple exercises help. Ideal is 1-2 sessions a week of decent training.

You are doing everything right, but can I add that you should ice as well. Seriously, it can make such a difference in your recovery.

Anonymous wrote:OP here, thanks everyone for all the great advice!

I ended up resting my knee for almost a week, first run today -- 3 miles, slow easy pace, tried to keep from "pounding" the ground. Felt a slight stiffness before, did some stretches/walking after; also felt stiffness after, though less than at start, so I've taken some ibuprofen and will take a rest day tomorrow.

Overall I'm going to plan to run 4 days a week for the next month or so, Tues, Thurs, Sat, Sun, building in some squats and lunges on 2 of the "rest" days. I will also look into visiting a running store to get my run analyzed & determine if new shoes/orthotics will help.

I did notice one PP said they had the same issue and after rest for a couple of weeks was able to just continue their regular running, would love that to be me, but I'm being careful for the next few weeks.

Thanks again!

OP here again, just wanted to give an update -- after the run mentioned above, I still had some knee pain, so I the next day I went to Pacers Logan Circle, where the fabulous Jessie spent a good hour with me to find the right shoes. Turns out I'm a neutral runner (I was told years ago at another running store I was an over-pronator) and I got shoes with good cushioning and of course Superfeet inserts .

In the spirit of letting things really heal I only took one more short run last week, after which knee felt much better but still a little stiff.

This week I've started incorporating some cross-training -- walking and elliptical-- on off days and that seems to be making a big difference as well. I've also decided to stick to just 3 miles a day on runs for the next few weeks rather than try to build on distance. When I do add distance, I'll be following another poster's rule of adding slowly, 10% a week.

Thanks again for all the responses, DCUM is definitely changing the way I run!

I used to have a ton of knee problems when I ran.

I recently began running after a couple years off, and surprisingly have not had any problems this time around and I'm running more and further now than I ever have before.

I think what made the difference for me is getting fit for a pair of shoes at a running store and building up my mileage very slowly. I think they say you shouldn't be increasing your mileage by more than 10% a week. When I first started out I was really itching to do more and felt like I could handle it, but after doing a lot of reading on proper training, I convinced myself to take it slow and it has really paid off in terms of injury prevention.

OP - you might consider doing what I do and running every other day. Then you get 7 days of running every 2 weeks, which is almost 4 days a week. I do lower-impact cardio (the Arc trainer) plus weights on the other days. Running on back-to-back days can be hard on the joints, and I don't do it unless I'm on vacation. Also consider having two pairs of shoes in rotation and using them on alternating runs, which gives the cushioning more time to bounce back.