Runner's Knee and Chi Running

The Captain picked blackberries on our walk yesterday afternoon, so this morning I washed them and had them waiting when he started making our Saturday morning pancakes today.

My plate, waiting for it's cake!

I love blackberries.  He mashes them and puts them in the batter, which makes it a lovely purple, and he always saves a few for the top of my cake.  They are so sweet!

Beauty!  Let me at it.

Just look at the color of that cake.

While I waited for my breakfast to settle I started reading about Runner's Knee.... the symptoms, the causes, the prevention, and most important to me right now... the treatment.

I learned a couple of things that are pertinent to me:

1. Women tend to suffer from it more than men because of the way we are built

2. It usually comes on over time and not immediately (so I won't blame my trail run any more)

3. It might be aggravated by striding out too far

4. It can be helped by keeping the body over the foot as it strikes the ground

5. It may be helped by strengthening the quad muscles and the outer hip muscles and the core

6. Ibuprofen and ice may help

The book I looked at, The Runners' Body, actually suggests side planks (Jill will like this), along with lying leg lifts and calf raising/lowering on a riser.

I have looked at some web sites that suggest curtsy lunges as well.

And the main thing... listen to your body.  If you have pain, don't do the things that cause the pain.  All righty then.  No more daily 5 mile walks, for the time being at least.

But my knee was not aching today, so armed with all of this informtion, I got dressed and laced up my running shoes and off I went... promising The Captain I would quit if I felt any pain and that I wouldn't go more than 3 km. 

I ran the 3km route in the opposite direction today, just for a change of pace.  Interesting how different the neighborhood appears on a Saturday... people in their yards, more traffic on the streets.

I loped along and started thinking about the Chi Running technique that I learned a few years ago... lean forward from the ankles so that the foot comes up behind you and you are not striding out... oh yeah.  That feels good. So much less impact. 

I continued on thinking about that and before I knew it, I was back at the marina and hadn't even done my usual 1-minute walk break after 9 minutes of running. 

I did a really good stretch, making sure to stretch my quads too (still working on that flat-footed squat without holding on - cannot do it yet) and did some standing leg lifts afterwards.

W2 R19.5 W3
stretch 6 minutes

Then I came in and drank some water, cleaned up and ...  green smoothie anyone?

Banana, vanilla Almond Breeze, spinach, Splenda.

A couple of hours later, I am still feeling good.  And I am going to re-read Chi Running to brush up on the technique.

Have you ever experienced Runner's Knee?

Any advice for me?

Have you tried the Chi Running technique?