What is the cause of my knee pain after a weeks time of work out? & whats a good running shoe?
ok so everytime I start to run i am fine but ALLWAYS at the end of a full week after a hour of running everyday I am in so much pain I wakeup to stepping down from my bed nearly in agony it herts so much I can hardley lift my knees to step!! what could this be?? I can not go to a doctor because i have no insurance and def cant afford a doc bill so im kind of stuck with this its been about 4years of this. . is it because im now over weight to heavy for my legs? im 5'3 175 . . && ALLSO what are the best running shoes?? what can I do to protect my knees from this pain?
Public Comments
1. It could be a lot of things. I will try to help you out, though I will stress seeing a physio is the only way you'll sort it out quicker (and possibly more effectively).Are you overweight? You ask if you are, and perhaps your BMI is slightly too high, but if you're muscular, that will be a contributing factor. If you honestly are overweight, and want to change this, take a look at your diet. Replace fast foods/unhealthy foods with fresh fruit and vegetables, and try to cook meals from scratch. Drink plenty of water, and if you eat too much sweets or chocolate, gradually replace them with healthier choices (fruit, vegetables, nuts ...E.T.C). You don't have to give up your favourite foods, just remember to eat everything in moderation.
If there a history of knee problems in your family? Ask relatives, and see if it's a reoccurring problem. It may be hereditary. The problem I would immediately think of is flat feet. Having seen a physio about mine, I now realise if you do nothing about it, it can affect your knees and hips in the long run. Try to find a pair of insoles, that have a step for the arches of your feet (i.e. it pushes your fallen arches up). You can also do certain exercises with your feet to help. Take a towel, hold each end and put it under your foot, at the arches. Then, keeping the towel in place, stretch your foot to the left and then right. You can probably find more information online.
Last thing; how decent are your trainers? Cheap trainers, that aren't running trainers, will damage your feet. Invest in a good pair will benefit your feet, knees and body in the long run. To find a good pair, simply go into a sports shop (or shop that sells trainers) and ask for the best pair. They'll likely help you out. Also, make sure you warm up fully before running. You might have pulled something.
2. I would say that your pain is caused by two things: 1. overuse and 2. being overweight.
People who run more than their body can handle will experience this kind of pain, and being overweight is really tough on your joints. I suggest cutting back your mileage just a bit and taking a few weeks off. Time off really can work wonders. In your time off, make sure you bike a lot to keep in some sort of shape.
The best running shoes are Brooks, Mizuno, Nike, and New Balance. I suggest going to a running store and having them see what shoes are best for you.
However if your knee pain is excruciating, you could have cartilage damage and in that case you would need to see an orthopaedic doctor. Best of luck to you!
3. While weight and not being in condition can contribute to aches and pains, most likely knee pain is due either to severe (and not simply 'I started running') biomechanics, or the wrong type of shoe for your feet. You might almost be starting out too fast, putting in either too many miles or having too long a stride, which can put pressure on your legs. Doing simple stretches after your runs can also help your leg muscles cool down.
There is NO best running shoe out there - do not go simply by brands. You need to see what kind of gait you have so that you can therefore get into the right type of shoe for your feet. Many specialty running stores (the better known name is Fleet Feet - don't go to a store like Sports Authority) will perform a gait analysis, usually by having you run on a treadmill barefoot and then they can show you what kind of gait you have and suggest a few shoes for you. Yes, they'd love to sell you the shoes they have there, but it is not a requirement, and if they even charge a minimal ($40ish) fee, it's still cheaper than a doctor's visit.
EVERY brand of shoe that touts itself as running usually have three different types to choose from - motion control (usually for either heavier or flatfooted runners), stabilty (overpronators - feet turn into the central plane), neutral (those lucky few with perfect feet), and there are also shoes for underpronators - those that land with the outside of the foot. You may have been in the wrong shoe for your feet all this time - even at your weight, for all you know you could be in neutral shoes, and simply something with a little bit of stability can help. And shoes have a lifespan. Even if you are in the correct shoe for your feet, they will wear out, sometimes even if they look perfect from the outside. Mine give out after 350 miles, which is considered low, but I'm slow and heavy, and I know when it's time to replace them when my shins start aching.
Lastly, I wonder at your pain threshold if you can run every day - you do know that you should give your body a total rest from running at least 1-2 days in every week? Otherwise you're overtraining and just not allowing your body to recover. I wonder if you can manage to see a doctor even at a local low-cost clinic to be sure that you do not have more serious issues with your legs. It might take a while to save up (I understand; medical bills can add up in a hurry), but is it really wise to perhaps damage your legs over a span of 4 years yet still managing to run?
So to summarize (sorry; I'm always pretty long-winded):
You might need to slow your pace.
You should give your body a day or two of rest per week.
Get your gait analyzed to be sure you're in the right shoe.
Replace the shoe if they're past it.
