Painfull joints from running - help!

[Chocolate Teapot]

Hi all

I've recently taken up running, probably been about 10 times so far over the past 2/3 months.

The problem I am having is my knees and ankles are in agony after I run sometimes making another run impossible for a week or more afterward.

I'm 6ft 5" and weight around 19st, I am fairly stocky with a little bit of extra weight. Much of the advice I've seen so far has been centered around doing something that is not as high impact on my joints, however this isn't really an option as I have a fitness test that is imminent where I have to achieve level 5.4 on a shuttle run.

I went to a really well recommended local running shop and had some proper running trainers fitted which I have been using for probably the last 3 times I have been out but they aren't really helping yet.

Me and my mate usually run for about half an hour, we do a good 80m run then walk 40m then repeat.

Also, for further information I have never ran in my life! (other than the odd time at school whilst playing football etc) I used to do a lot of cycling and used to spend a fair bit of time at the gym but even throughout school and whilst at the gym I never took part in any running activities.


Any advice?

[elster]

Find something else to do other than running.

[Crusoe]

Try running on grass or other soft surfaces till your body gets used to it.

Edited by Crusoe on Monday 10th November 14:06

[10 Pence Short]

If you're running on the pavement/road, try and find some softer ground to run on.

[MrTom]

Stop running on concrete if you are. Otherwise drop some weight swimming or somethng.

[Steve McQueen]

if it hurts your doing too much.

walk first, then introduce small run sections into the walk. Get Galloways book on running and read it thoroughly.

Get into the habit of doing something (walk/run) almost everyday and set an easy target - next month i want to run one mile, then keep moving the target as you achieve them e.g. next month i want to run a mile in under 10 minutes.

take as small a step as you can, concentrate on short length high turnover strides rather than long and rangey. imagine its like your dropping gears on a bike. in a set distance you might now do 1200 paces rather than 1000 so the impacts are less.

Edited by Steve McQueen on Monday 10th November 14:11

[Robatr0n]

Get yourself over to a decent running store like the Sweatshop. They will put you on their pressure pads and find a pair of trainers that sort you.

Sorted out my knee/ankle/shin splint problems.

[303Hound]

My knees tend to get really hot after running or wakeboarding and would put me out of action for a week or so, i was told that i had a muscle imbalance and the best thing to do was to get on the old exercise bike as it is a great way of sorting out this imbalance. Nothing to fierce, about forty minutes a day.

I'd recommend getting them checked out properly though.

[rhinochopig]

Chocolate Teapot said:

Hi all

I've recently taken up running, probably been about 10 times so far over the past 2/3 months.

The problem I am having is my knees and ankles are in agony after I run sometimes making another run impossible for a week or more afterward.

I'm 6ft 5" and weight around 19st, I am fairly stocky with a little bit of extra weight. Much of the advice I've seen so far has been centered around doing something that is not as high impact on my joints, however this isn't really an option as I have a fitness test that is imminent where I have to achieve level 5.4 on a shuttle run.

I went to a really well recommended local running shop and had some proper running trainers fitted which I have been using for probably the last 3 times I have been out but they aren't really helping yet.

Me and my mate usually run for about half an hour, we do a good 80m run then walk 40m then repeat.

Also, for further information I have never ran in my life! (other than the odd time at school whilst playing football etc) I used to do a lot of cycling and used to spend a fair bit of time at the gym but even throughout school and whilst at the gym I never took part in any running activities.


Any advice?

I'm the same height as you, but a chunk lighter, and unfortunately the issue you have is that you're just too heavy to start out running at that rate. At that weight it will put an enormous strain on your knees and ankles. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but you need to lose some weight if you want to run for any distance.

Given that, your best option is to combine some brisk walking with some serious sessions on the rowing machine 30-40mins three/four times a week. The rower will easily give you the CV fitness to achieve the desired bleep level and the long walks will help build up the strength in you legs. If you have some steep hills near you, even better, get slogging up them as this will work wonders for you leg strength and CV.

[richardxjr]

Yes, start with walking first.

Excellent newbie running guide here: http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/advice_beginner...

And there is only one 'l' in 'painful'

HTH

[nlldavies]

Same weight .... er, not as high and I used to suffer the same. Found taking 400mg of Ibuprofen 30 minutes before a run helped me quite a lot.

It took me 6 months and a half marathon before I got rid of the pain all together after training sessions.

[King Herald]

nlldavies said:

Same weight .... er, not as high and I used to suffer the same. Found taking 400mg of Ibuprofen 30 minutes before a run helped me quite a lot.

It took me 6 months and a half marathon before I got rid of the pain all together after training sessions.

I'm no doctor, but if you have to take pain killers [i]before[i/] you exercise, it means something is not quite right within. Your body is telling you something, the pain is not there for a larf!

OP, are you doing a bunch of stretching and warm ups before you start? I spent years thinking warming up before exercises was for girls, but it isn't!

[skinner05]

Correct me if im wrong, but do you mean 5.4 on a bleep test?

If so, you dont need to do any training for that, its still walking pace at 5.4

[BiggusLaddus]

Have you considered a set of robot legs?

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[rhinochopig]

King Herald said:

nlldavies said:

Same weight .... er, not as high and I used to suffer the same. Found taking 400mg of Ibuprofen 30 minutes before a run helped me quite a lot.

It took me 6 months and a half marathon before I got rid of the pain all together after training sessions.

I'm no doctor, but if you have to take pain killers [i]before[i/] you exercise, it means something is not quite right within. Your body is telling you something, the pain is not there for a larf!

OP, are you doing a bunch of stretching and warm ups before you start? I spent years thinking warming up before exercises was for girls, but it isn't!

Interestingly, the latest sports science research shows that pre-ex stretching has little to no positive effect. Post-ex, however, does. Who'd a thunk it?

[MitchT]

Make sure you’re wearing proper running shoes - They’re designed to provide the proper cushioning for running. Many people think that any old trainers will do and wear tennis trainers, basketball trainers, etc. These are bad for running as they’re designed to provide more lateral support which compromises the cushioning quite a bit and cause shocks and jarring. Proper running shoes will not have this effect as they are specifically designed to protect you from the type of repetitive ground impacts that are inevitable when running.

Edited by MitchT on Monday 10th November 14:39

[Chocolate Teapot]

Thanks for the advice so far, I will definitely try the softer ground approach.

I know I am probably trying a bit to much too fast but it's just so frustrating as I don't feel that knackered after a half an hour or so of running 80m walking 40m its just the joint pain that stop me.

What would you suggest I do about this shuttle run? I have less than 2 weeks now to prepare, it's not the end of the world if I don't pass first time but it would make me feel better would it be best to limit my running between now and then or do a few more runs?

[Chocolate Teapot]

MitchT said:

Make sure you’re wearing proper running shoes - They’re designed to provide the proper cushioning for running. Many people think that any old trainers will do and wear tennis trainers, basketball trainers, etc. These are bad for running as they’re designed to provide more lateral support which compromises the cushioning quite a bit and cause shocks and jarring. Proper running shoes will not have this effect as they are specifically designed to protect you from they type of repetitive ground impacts that are inevitable when running.

got some proper running shoes fitted by a specialist shop in Alderley Edge, They watched me run in about 15 different pairs until they were happy with them.

skinner05 said:

Correct me if im wrong, but do you mean 5.4 on a bleep test?

If so, you dont need to do any training for that, its still walking pace at 5.4

I downloaded the test and it definitely isn't walking it's a 15m length, I think the bleep test is a 10m?

Edited by Chocolate Teapot on Monday 10th November 14:27

[nlldavies]

King Herald said:

nlldavies said:

Same weight .... er, not as high and I used to suffer the same. Found taking 400mg of Ibuprofen 30 minutes before a run helped me quite a lot.

It took me 6 months and a half marathon before I got rid of the pain all together after training sessions.

I'm no doctor, but if you have to take pain killers [i]before[i/] you exercise, it means something is not quite right within. Your body is telling you something, the pain is not there for a larf!

OP, are you doing a bunch of stretching and warm ups before you start? I spent years thinking warming up before exercises was for girls, but it isn't!

No pain before the training session, I just take one before and it has helped with the recovery afterwards. But, you are right ... if in pain before the run then you shouldn't run as this means your body is still repairing itself.

[OJ]

rhinochopig said:

Chocolate Teapot said:

Hi all

I've recently taken up running, probably been about 10 times so far over the past 2/3 months.

The problem I am having is my knees and ankles are in agony after I run sometimes making another run impossible for a week or more afterward.

I'm 6ft 5" and weight around 19st, I am fairly stocky with a little bit of extra weight. Much of the advice I've seen so far has been centered around doing something that is not as high impact on my joints, however this isn't really an option as I have a fitness test that is imminent where I have to achieve level 5.4 on a shuttle run.

I went to a really well recommended local running shop and had some proper running trainers fitted which I have been using for probably the last 3 times I have been out but they aren't really helping yet.

Me and my mate usually run for about half an hour, we do a good 80m run then walk 40m then repeat.

Also, for further information I have never ran in my life! (other than the odd time at school whilst playing football etc) I used to do a lot of cycling and used to spend a fair bit of time at the gym but even throughout school and whilst at the gym I never took part in any running activities.


Any advice?

I'm the same height as you, but a chunk lighter, and unfortunately the issue you have is that you're just too heavy to start out running at that rate. At that weight it will put an enormous strain on your knees and ankles. I know that isn't what you want to hear, but you need to lose some weight if you want to run for any distance.

Given that, your best option is to combine some brisk walking with some serious sessions on the rowing machine 30-40mins three/four times a week. The rower will easily give you the CV fitness to achieve the desired bleep level and the long walks will help build up the strength in you legs. If you have some steep hills near you, even better, get slogging up them as this will work wonders for you leg strength and CV.

+1

I'm also tall and heavy, although not 19 stone (anymore). If you're too tight to pay for the gym membership, run shorter distances more often. When I started running on the road after treadmills for a long while before I injured my feet virtually every time I went for a run. In the end I realised my muscles and joints were used to soft machine training and weren't up to the pounding they get with real running, so I had to run foor only 15-20 minutes for a while before I built it up and went all out and ran for the 40-50 minutes that I was 'capable' of doing