What is the best way to keep your knees from being injured while runing?
107853
I'm training right now and I rotate between outside and the treadmill (treadmill is easier on the knees).  Remember to strech.  Get fitted with a good pair of running shoes from a running store that actually examines your stride.  And get running socks.  If you are running distance go with marathon socks.
1130849
Stop running. \nGet new running shoes. This to fix the angle your foot hits the ground and to provide cushioning. \nGet orthotics. This to fix the angle your foot hits the ground.  Get a knee brace or support strap. This to keep your patella in its track. Taping. This is where taping is used to get the patella back into its track. Stretch. Some doctors recommend knee drops to build up the muscles around the knee. Weights. This to strengthen the muscles around the kneecap so it tracks properly. Avoid bent knee exercises. Straight leg raises and posterior (hamstring or calf) muscle stretches are best.\nMassage. Icing. Take anti-inflamitories. Try Glucosamine Sulfate.  They say it helps with joint pain and arthritis.  Try ginger.  A tea made of fresh ginger taken 3 times a day is supposed to help reduce inflammation.  Prolotherapy. This is where they inject some gunk into your knee and hope your body will react and cure the cause of the pain. Acupuncture. This is where needles are used to stimulate the body to repair itself. Physiotherapy. This is where the muscles are manipulated to bring the patella back into its track. Arthroscopic surgery. This is where they cut a hole and take a look around at what's actually going on under the skin\nShaving the patella. This is where they get in and smooth the surface of the patella with a knife. Lateral release. This is where they get in and cut ligaments to shift the way the patella sits.
670031
YES.  Concrete (i.e. sidewalks) are the hardest ground you will ever find and you should avoid running on it if you possibly can.  It's true that your bones have reparative capabilities, and having good muscle strength in your legs will help protect your joints as well (get thee to the gym and do thee some squats!) but you also need to do your part by running on the lowest impact surfaces that you can find.  Asphalt (i.e. the side of the road) is a much softer alternative than a concrete sidewalk and dirt trails or tracks are even better.
489585
Generally it is good to do sports that will strengthen the muscles around your knee without putting on much pressure. Jogging, aerobic and sports with much jumping or heavy lifting can really damage a weak knee further, because of the pressure and harsh movements!!\nSports like swimming or pilates can help you build up the muscles without adding too much pressure to the weak knees.\nAsk a physiotherapist.
716755
Make sure you don't extend your knees past your toes when exercises (squats, plyometrics, etc.)  Also make sure you are incorporating stabilization exercises in your work out. Try squats on balance discs.  This will help employ and strengthen the muscles around your knees and make them stronger.
736760
I have had the same thing happen with my right knee. When the weather changes to cold or if it's going to rain it just aches.\nSome simple easy things you can do to help.\nPurchase one of those cheap ace bandage knee supports. This will help to hold everything in place and aid your ligaments from the stress. Buy or make your own ankle weights. The little sandbag type, depending on your physique start from 2-5 lbs. Sit on a surface that is high enough to allow your legs to dangle, and just raise your legs from 90 degree angle to 180 degrees start off with 2 sets of 10 and work your way up. This will strengthen muscles around your knee. When you lay down to relax you can apply alternating daily hot and cold packs while laying with your legs elevated above your heart simple as using the pillow for your leg instead of your head. This will increase circulation and reduce swelling.
891799
Butt kicks.  Run knees up. Get thighs horizontal.  Sprint up hills really fast(steep hills) Do sprinting for a long period of time. Make your legs and heart and lunges stronger.  Lift weights with your legs. they have machine that does that.  If you don't do some strengthening of the legs you will injure you self and won't be able to practice. Trust me I know.  All of these techniques worked for me.
821439
keep ur knees in hot water for a few minutes.\nIt will give a lot of relief
549161
the most important thing is to keep running on a regular basis. try to build up your endurance first, then speed. try to run at least 5 days/week. increase your total weekly distance/time by 5-10% per week, with a week of staying the same about once a month to help keep your body from overtraining. work on your endurance by doing a long run once a week; if your race distance is 2.1 miles, your long run should be at least 5 miles with 10 miles running nonstop being ideal. you can also do a variety of flexibility and speed drills such as fast feet (take very short steps as fast as possible over a certain distance, maybe 50 yds), high knees (exaggerate the height of your knee as you walk/jog; basically try to bring your knees up to your chest, same distance as fast feet), and striders (try to take the longest strides you can over the same distance as before; try to imagine yourself leaping like an antelope). intervals/fartleks - run at a comfortable pace, then go faster for a time, maybe a minute, then back to comfy pace; cycle fast/slow for 20-30 min. repeats - choose a distance, maybe 200 yds to 1/2 mile, and run it at full speed; walk/jog until you're ready to do it again; ~5 should be a good workout with a long warmup and cooldown (at least 15 min jog each for warmup and cooldown). stretch after running or at least after a warmup of no less than 5 minutes or you'll risk a greater chance of injury. don't do speed work more than twice a week unless you're in racing shape. for that matter, don't do much speed work when you're increasing your base/weekly mileage. There's a link to a comprehensive running website below that includes forums. Feel free to ask away and you'll get lots of advice; just be careful to weed out the bad advice you'll sometimes get.
1034773
A little soreness would be normal but pain is not.  When running make sure you have the right kind of shoes for your feet and style of running.  Observe how the bottom of your heals wear so you know how much stability and what kind of support you need with your shoes.  Also make sure you buy new shoes at least twice a year as they wear out quickly.\nRemember to stretch both before and *after* you run to help prevent injuries.\nYou might also want to take a look at *how* you are running.  If you can hear your feet slapping the ground loudly then you need to work on your form.  Consult a trainer at your local gym about improving your form.\nLastly take a look at the surface you are running on.  If you are running on hard surfaces all the time it does a number on your knees.  Try to stick to dirt paths or tracks that have more give to them then sidewalks and pavement.\nI'd also recommend speaking with your doctor as you might, like me, have lose tendons meaning your knee cap can end up where it isn't supposed to and thus case you even more pain.  A knee brace can help stabilize your knee and dramatically reduce your pain while running.\nI would also recommend biking and swimming as alternatives to running if you are doing this as simply an aerobic activity.  Both biking and swimming provide the same great benefits and they are very low impact on your knees.
73504
RICE -- Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Really, the only way to heal a sprain (which is a stretch or a tear of a ligament), or a strain (which is a pulled muscle) is to rest. Continuing to exercise will only irritate the affected area more, and lengthen the healing time. \n\nSprains can be very serious injuries, resulting in a complete tear of the ligament. If you continue to have trouble walking or moving the joint, or the swelling has not gone down, see a doctor. \n\nYou can also take over the counter anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs - Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) to help reduce swelling and control pain. Common ones include ibuprofen and Aleve. \n\nYou can help to avoid sprains and strains by stretching thoroughly before and after exercise, and being aware of your body and its limitations.
519625
try doing squat excersises like standing up on the floor, bending your knees just far enough to reach the ground with your hands next to your feet and then go down another 3 inches and hold it for a minute... do this many times and for longer and longer periods. You can also try doing that same thing but instead of holding it jump up as far as you can and then as soon as you hit the ground jump again and agin for about 25 in a row. To better improve jumping power and your kick, jog bringing your knees as far up to your chest as you can , or do that jogging in place. One final excersise is more extreme and will produce amazing results, put your back against a wall and go down with your knees at 90 degrees. pretend your sitting in a chair. try to go as long as you can and push yourself past the pain limit...dont hurt yourself now :)    . Those exercises will greatly improve your Quadriceps (front of your thigh/leg area muscle) which are a must for kicking and jumping.
954995
Running 30lbs overweight is nothing, but don't ignore pain in your legs or knees.\n\nFIRST you need to have your shoes professionally assessed. If you're not sure about the type of shoe you're wearing and you're experiencing knee pain that's the most likely culprit. You can go into specialty running or sports stores and the staff can watch you run in your current shoes, videotape you on a treadmill in neutral tread shoes and recommend to you the best footwear for your footfall (overpronator or supinator etc). Your current shoes may be fine and they'll tell you, but it's worth the trip. Cheaper than a doctor's visit.\n\nFor the knees or shins, you can use RICE to attack the pain after the run Rest Ice Compression Elevation.  Use anti-inflammatories but never before running. See the website http://www.coolrunning.com for more advice and support for runners. I'll try to include an injury/footwear link. I'm more overweight than you, started running the first time in my life 5 months ago, do it 3-5 times a week up to 6 miles, no injuries very happy. Weight is a risk factor for injury but running is the best exercise for weight loss and has the best return on calories burned and endorphins earned. I HATE when people get on a pedestal or give me unsolicited advice, telling me I need to be walking instead of running (I too can't keep that up because it's not intense or exciting). \n\nKeep up the good work and see a doc if it continues to get worse!
426780
In the long run, the ACL will start to deteriorate, and you will not be able to fix it.  The ACL keeps your tibia and fibula from moving forward when the knee is still.  So running on hills, playing basketball (quick starts and stops), or other such activities will be much more difficult, and if you do something that knocks the knee out, you run the chance of ruining other ligaments in the knee.  You have good health insurance since you're in the navy, so get it taken care of now instead of later.
318860
I have the same problem. I went to my doctor and he said that I have bursitis of the knee. I also have tendinitis. I run Cross Country and Track for my high school and I didn't want to stop running so he told me that as long as I'm careful I can keep running. There are special braces I guess you would call them available at Academy. There's also a link on line where you can find them. I also take glucosamine chondroitin which really helps to rebuild joints. I hope this helps you out. Let me know how you feel.
1120240
Extensive jogging on roads and other cemented areas can do damage to your knees because there is no "give" in cement and your feet just keep slamming against it.  A better place to run is on trails that are just dirt.  The dirt is better in terms of impact for your knees.  As far as how long you can run, it really depends on how in shape you are.  Don't overdo it on the first day.  Listen to your body on that one.
560847
Look at the wear pattern on your shoes - if it is uneven you may need orthotics \n\nIce you knees after running for 10 mins and make sure you are really warmed up before you run\n\nlook at knee braces if your knees are not stable and get a therpaist to show you how to develop your vastus medialis muscles \n\nfinally try and run on soft ground for at leats half the time or have aday off where you run in a pool instead of on the pavement