Knee Maintenance and Care for Runners: Go Easy!

The human “second gear” is perhaps the most natural, simple, and effective form of exercise for our species. Walking, of course, is an excellent way to improve heart, respiratory, joint, muscular, and digestive health. Running simply pushes this benefit to a higher level. The whole body clicks into overdrive: it is the flight response used for centuries by our ancestors. Add some adrenaline to our run, and we leave our pursuers in a cloud of dust. These days, we mostly have a “personal best time” as our adversary. Yet we must also be careful; other adversaries exist that cannot be ignored.

One of the main complaints of both first-time runners and their seasoned counterparts is knee pain. Running puts considerable strain on the knee joint. If a runner is new to the sport, it is easy to over-train at the beginning. Take it slow, build your leg and joint strength. Establish a base of knee stability to prevent injury down the road. Experienced runners who are working on adding mileage for a new race distance should also take care: 10-kilometer conditioning and strength needs to be carefully modified if a 26-mile marathon is the goal. Knees will adapt to this new challenge if given the stability to do so. If two miles of moderate running cause pain at first, back off and rest. Give the knees time to stabilize.

Stability is essential to keep the knee working properly. Correct leg muscle development, obtained through gradual increase of mileage and intensity, will create stability. The quadriceps (on the front of the thighs) and hamstrings (on the back of the thighs) work in conjunction with each other, pulling on different areas of the knee at the same time. If these muscles are developed correctly, the knee joint will glide over and under itself without undue strain. Let’s not forget the tiny, yet indispensible patella, as well. This engineering marvel glides over the front of the knee, adding stability and providing a liaison between thigh and lower leg bones. Thus the knee has been described by medical literature as being three articulations in one: draw a circle in the air with your toe, and you get the idea.

If more than a casual couple of miles per week are the runner’s goal, it is mandatory that he or she invest in correct running shoes. People come in all shapes and sizes. Some people pronate, or roll the weight of their body to the inside edge of the foot. Others supinate, or roll the weight to the outside edge. Men and women even have different angles from hip to knee. This is why there are specific running shoes by gender. The best way to be fitted for running shoes is to visit a store that provides treadmill analysis. A shoe fitter will watch, or even video, the runner’s heel strike to determine what kind of shoe is best to support the customer’s body and running style. Yes, these shoes will probably be twice as expensive as the bargain-rack pair. However, to a runner, healthy, pain-free knees are well worth the price.

Bone Health – When Concussion is a Good Thing

Our bones are the framework of our lives. Face it – without our bones, we would be little more than puddles on the ground. Our bones not only frame our bodies, they provide an essential factory for bone marrow. They are a calcium store for our bodies to tap when the mineral is needed by the muscles. They protect our vital organs from injury. They even provide a root base for our teeth.

Maintaining our bones is vital to our good health and survival. Like many other healthy habits, caring for our bones wisely has many other “tangent” benefits. Exercise is perhaps the biggest boon to bone health; cardiovascular, muscular, and digestive health are also boosted by exercise. But for bones, exercise can sway a “make or break” scenario. Astronauts in zero gravity must do resistance exercise daily to keep osteoporosis (demineralization, or weakening of bones) at bay. Why? Because bones need concussion.

Both aerobic and weight-training exercises help to improve bone health by providing concussion. Concussion produces periosteal bone activation – in other words, the microscopic compromise to bone structure will cause the bone matrix to “mineralize,” making the bones stronger. Bone minerals consist of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium fluoride, calcium chloride, and magnesium phosphate. Intermixed with these minerals is a more flexible structure of collagen, or white, fibrous tissue. A good balance of minerals in bone will produce both strength and the correct amount of flexibility. However, upset this balance with poor diet (lack of adequate dietary minerals) and the bones become brittle, spongy, or, in the case of the disease rickets, bent or curved. Lack of minerals will leave only the collagen structure to support the body – even the muscles can pull the bones out of shape. The framework can’t stand without minerals!

It is important to get plenty of calcium and other minerals from food. If the body is lacking in calcium, it will “borrow” it from the bones. Adequate intake of calcium can prevent this. Dietary minerals, especially calcium, are readily found in a variety of foods. Dairy products, green, leafy vegetables, peas, salmon, and beans are good sources. Even an orange can provide calcium – and vitamin C, as well. Supplements also can provide calcium to the body, but should not be the sole source for the mineral. Vitamin D goes hand in hand with calcium absorption into the bones, so food or supplements that include vitamin D are a good choice. Add a good exercise program, with both aerobic and strength training, and you have a recipe for excellent bone health.