Here are ten top tips for runners from Mr Bobby S Anand, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and specialist in Knee Surgery and Sports Injuries at Ashtead and North Downs Hospitals.

Knee problems are very common for those that run regularly. However, they can have a significant impact on your quality of life whether you are a high level athlete or just want to get on with your day to day activities pain free.

Knee pain can start from an injury or poor muscle conditioning or even be genetic and one of the most common causes of pain as we get older is called osteoarthritis. This results in joint inflammation through advanced wear of the cartilage of the knee causing bone to rub on bone as you move. 

Other common causes of knee problems in younger people include tears to the meniscus “cartilages of the knee” and tearing the anterior cruciate ligament. In addition, problems with the knee cap “anterior knee pain” are very common and are often incorrectly diagnosed. As a specialist in knees and sports injuries, Mr Bobby Anand can help you with these disorders, but you can reduce the chance of developing some them by considering some of his top ten tips below.

1. Stay Active

It is vital to keep the muscles around your knee strong. Strong muscles around the knee provide both a shock absorbing effect and ensure that the knee cap functions properly. One of the best exercises is cycling as this helps strengthen the muscles around the knee without causing too much impact on the knee joint.

2. Control your weight

Carrying more weight than your body was designed to cope with puts a lot of extra stress on your knee joint. In particular the knee cap is very sensitive to extra weight and can become painful. Losing 1 Kg of weight can take 5-10 kg of weight off your knee and therefore simply losing excess weight can ease the pain. Swimming is a great exercise to help lose weight as it does not place any strain on joints.

3. Diet

A healthy, balanced diet helps with your weight and is likely to contain higher levels of nutrients that help your body restore its natural defences. Research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine has shown that reducing processed and fried foods can reduce inflammation. A diet rich in super foods such as broccoli, blueberries, garlic and oily fish can help maintain vitamin levels and nutrient support for bone health. Vitamin supplements can help but do not replace a good diet.

4. Footwear

The knee is usually the first part to struggle if the body is put into incorrect alignment. Often this can be due to your feet. Keeping the feet in the correct position can take a lot of force and load off both your knees and your spine. Wearing high heels is a common cause and I would advise sensible use of high heels for short periods of time. If you have problems with your knees it is best to wear small heels or avoid heels altogether. Another common cause is the use of worn out shoes/trainers or incorrect trainers for your feet. It is worth investing in good quality trainers for running and having the shape of your foot assessed by a sports store specialist to ensure you are buying the correct trainers for your feet. Ideally trainers should be changed every year.

5. Posture

Our bodies are remarkably adaptable and can be put into all sorts of positions. However, they are designed to maintain a specific posture for the majority of the time. Maintaining a good posture, with your shoulders, hips and knees, your muscles and skeletal system work together and put less strain on your joints. Poor posture often leads to back pain which can set off problems in the hip and the knee and can often become a vicious cycle. The best way to prevent this is to work on your posture with the help of a physiotherapist/osteopath if needed to keep these problems at bay.

6. Warm up and cool down

It is very important to warm up the body before going out running or doing any form of exercise. By warming up, blood flow to muscles is increased and stretching tells your brain and muscle fibres that they need to be ready to get moving. This helps loosen things up and prepares your muscles and tendons for activity, reducing the chance of injury. The type of warm up needs to be specific for the activity planned and should take five to ten minutes. For a runner this will typically be five minutes of jogging followed by five minutes of stretching the large muscle groups that are going to be use. By doing this the mind and the body should be ready to deal with the energetic demands to come.

The cool down period after any sport or exercise is equally important and helps gradually return the body to normal function. Cooling down will help reduce light-headedness, fainting and muscle cramps due to the build-up of lactic acid. Walking for 3-5 minutes will get your heart rate back to normal. You should then follow this with 5 minutes of stretching to get the muscle groups you have used back to normal length.

7. Change your exercise program

Often high demand athletes have knee problems. Some have injuries that need surgical treatment but many have problems due to the training program they are undertaking. It is important to vary exercises undertaken by not only changing the muscle groups that are used from day to day but also to change the type of exercise that each muscle group has to do. A simple example for the knee would be to mix up high impact activity such as running with low impact activity such as swimming. While both exercises work similar leg muscles it allows muscles to develop in more balanced way.

8. Don’t ignore pain or swelling

Your knees produce fluid when they are damaged or irritated in some way. It is the body’s way of telling you that something is not right. If swelling is persistent or occurs on a regular basis you should get this checked out by a specialist. Likewise, persistent knee pain should not be ignored. Early diagnosis is important in both preventing more severe damage and treating any problems earlier with better results. It is worth seeing your GP or a knee specialist so that they can assess you, examine the knee properly and get some x-rays and an MRI scan done to fully assess the knee.

9. Rest

Modern day life is hectic and busy. It’s vital you get enough sleep as this is the chance your body gets to heal and recover from the demands placed upon it. Simple things like regular sleep, drinking 3 liters of water a day and making time for to relax can have a very positive effect on your joints and long-term wellbeing.

10. Work/life balance

Work to live is better for you than living to work. There is growing evidence that ensuring you get a balance between work and life helps control stress levels and feeling of happiness. This also has a biological effect on your body affecting your body’s ability to heal and allows muscles to relax.

For more information go to:

www.ashteadhospital.co.uk

www.northdownshospital.co.uk