Embrace Rest As Needed
Your mind has to do a lot of work in running to convince your body to keep going. But some days your body is driving the train and you best get on board.
Dont worry about what other runners are doing. They very likely wont understand what you mean when you say youre fatigued or achythey think its normal.
ITS NOT!! Runners arent supposed to feel run down all the time.
So dont get sucked in to that cycle or think you need to just toughen up.
- Consider a 10 day training cycle, it allows more time between hard days
- Implement a cross between hard days and really easy days like yoga
- Remember that its not about the number of miles you run, its about enjoying them
Great reminder from Meg that you need to keep taking care of your body post run. Tight muscles could also pull on the joints.
Make Running With Arthritis Safe With Tips And Modifications
Although running is a high-impact activity, a regular running routine can benefit your joints if done safely. Use these tips to make it happen.
Running is a great aerobic exercise. It improves your heart and lung health, helps control weight, strengthens muscles and builds denser bones. Because running is a high-impact sport, some doctors do not recommend it for those who have arthritis in the weight-bearing joints. However, it also can benefit your joints: A regular running routine compresses and releases the cartilage in your knees, helping circulate synovial fluid that brings oxygen and nourishes your joints, and removes inflammatory waste products.
Many people with arthritis tolerate moderate running. And with these joint-specific tips and modifications you may, too. First and foremost, listen to your body. Make adjustments or modifications to your running schedule, your running form, your warm-up and stretching routine, or the running surface as needed to prevent injury. And talk to your doctor and physical and occupational therapists about other tips and modifications that may help with your specific joints affected by arthritis.
Joint-Friendly Running Tips and Modifications
Wear the right shoes. Appropriate footwear is very important. Minimalist shoes, toe shoes and barefoot running may not be tolerated due to such arthritic changes as ankle pronation, bunions and hammer toes. These complications often require shoe orthotics to provide support and repositioning.
What Should You Do If You Already Have Been Diagnosed With Arthritis
People with a Diagnosis of OA should be encouraged and supported to, at the very least maintain current activity levels or even increase their physical activity.
The American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation recently published their recommendations in the 2019 Guideline for management of Osteoarthritis.
Listed below are their top recommendations for the management of Arthritis:
These are all things good healthcare clinicians can help you with.
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Tip : Recovery Recovery Recovery
All runners need to have recovery days to allow their bodies to repair and adapt to the exercise theyve done. The younger and fitter you are, the shorter the recovery period needed. As you get older the body naturally takes longer to repair itself.
Check if you need to maybe give your knees more recovery days between your run days. Do your knees feel better if you just run twice a week, rather than 3 times?
Will Running Ruin Your Knees Here Are The Facts
Why runners are less likely to get knee arthritis, and how to otherwise keep your knees healthy.
Youll know youve arrived as a runner when you get your first lecture on how youre going to destroy your knees. This advice is usually based on the idea that running increases your risk of developing osteoarthritis in your knees. But the truth is, it doesnt.
Below well look at the evidence and explanation for why thats the case. Well also examine how best to lower your risk of incurring the most common running-related knee injuries. Armed with this knowledge, you should be able to be a living refutation to the idea that running will eventually ruin your knees.
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How To Practice Deep Lunging
For people with knee osteoarthritis, lunging poses the same benefits and risks as deep squatting.
Lunges are a great way to improve your overall leg and hip strength, but they may cause unnecessary pain when practiced incorrectly.
The trick, Bell says, is to make sure your knee doesnt extend past your ankle.
You may also find it helpful to practice lunges while holding on to the back of a chair or table for added support.
To do a basic lunge:
During your practice, its important that you take note of any changes in pain or discomfort. If you begin experiencing more pain than usual, you should stop lunging for the day and move on to another form of exercise.
Running can increase your overall wellness and help control weight. This can reduce the amount of stress on your knees and lessen the overall effect of osteoarthritis.
However, some caveats do apply:
No one with arthritis should start running, she says flatly.
To minimize symptoms:
How Can We Help You
At Melbourne Sports Physiotherapy our goal is to get you moving pain free as soon as possible.
But, we also want you to actually move better and live a healthier, more active and fulfilling life!
If your sports, fitness training or work has been wearing your body down, book in with one of our expert massage therapists so we can help you reduce your pain or stiffness.
If you are showing some signs of this condition or simply want help prevent this from happening in the future then book in with one of our highly experienced Remedial Massage Therapists today!
You can make an appointment by calling or booking online.
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How You Run Is A Factor In Developing Knee Problems
When it comes to knee pain and running, technique is important the biomechanics of how someone runs, says Guillem Gonzalez-Lomas, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at New York University Langone Medical Center. How their foot strikes the ground if they pronate when they foot-stride if they dont have strong hip stabilizers those are all important, Dr. Gonzalez-Lomas says. There are ways to modify most of these things dynamically, like making slight modifications to your stride or orthotics, which might shift the weight a little bit when your foot hits the ground, he says.
Will A 100km Trek Make My Osteoarthritis Worse
Q) I hope you can give me some advice. I’m a 67-year-old female who has been teaching fitness classes for nearly 30 years. I’ve had patellofemoral problems for about 10 years now, with full thickness loss in both knees. Now I’ve been told I have moderate osteoarthritis in both my hips.
I’ve signed up for a charity event – a 100km trek that I’m hoping to finish in about 30 hours. My question is is this a good thing to do? Is this challenge likely to make the osteoarthritis worse? I take co-codamol and am happy to walk through the pain, but don’t want to make things worse by taking this on. Thanks for reading this.
Val – 2017
A) It looks like you are someone with a good base level of fitness, but the event you’ve signed up for would be a very serious undertaking for anyone. Only you know whether this is a realistic ask.
Looking at the total distance your joints and body will cover in a lifetime, 100km isn’t a long way. The main issue here is trying to cover it in one go !
It’s critical to allow plenty of time for thorough preparation, to avoid injury and a flare-up of your joint pain. The only way to see whether your body and joints are up for the challenge would be a gradual controlled increase in each training session, so your body becomes accustomed to the additional activity. Mixing walking, flexibility exercise and perhaps some low-impact aerobic exercise should improve your endurance.
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Running With Arthritis: 13 Training Strategies
I am an endurance runner three weeks away from running the Napa Valley Marathon. I was just diagnosed with mild arthritis in both hips. I am feeling devastated, and don’t know what to expect for my running future. I can live with this being my last marathon, but I can’t even begin to wrap my brain around not running distance. Would a 25-mile weekly base with a weekly longish 10-mile run be out of the question? Thanks! –Jodi
Hi, Jodi.
It sounds as if it is an early diagnosis. That’s great news, because there are plenty of options to explore to continue your running life. That said, it’s always a good idea to communicate with your doctor just how important your running and fitness life is to you and collaborate with him or her in developing a routine that works for you.
From a coaching standpoint, here are a few ingredients that you could experiment with while developing your running recipe.
- Cross-train with low-to-non impact activity. Alternating your running workouts with low- or no-impact cardio activities like elliptical, cycling, swimming, dance, and more will allow you to maintain fitness, decrease the overall impact on your joints, and can even improve your running life as well. For example, you could experiment with three core runs per week and alternate with two to three cross-training days.
Happy Trails…
Ways To Work Out With Arthritis
Get help finding your preferred joint-friendly exercise for arthritis to help get you moving, relieve pain and make joints more flexible.
When your joints hurt, youre probably not eager to exercise even though youve heard time and time again that you should. Not only does exercise keep joints strong and flexible, it also promises pain relief for a host of conditions, including osteoarthritis , rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. It also keeps pain from starting, helps you shed pounds and reduces stress.
If you havent felt inspired to start an exercise routine, you may not have found the activity that suits you. We went to experts for the low-down on low-impact, joint-friendly and, dare we say it, fun ways to shape up. Whether youre an exercise newbie, or just want to spice up your fitness menu, youre sure to find an activity that gets you excited to move.
1. Water Walking
Why Its Good:Do It Safely:Cautions :
2. Water Aerobics
Why Its Good: Do It Safely:
3. Swimming
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4. Bocce Ball
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5. Golf
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6. Shuffleboard
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7. Treadmill Walking
Why Its Good:Do It Safely: Cautions:
8. Walking Outdoors
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9. Cycling
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10. Cross-Country Skiing
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11. Elliptical Machine
Why Its Good:Do It Safely:Cautions:
12. Pliates
Why Its Good:
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Knee Arthritis Is Not Caused By Running
We know that osteoarthritis is not caused by running. As a matter of fact, runners develop arthritis less commonly than their non-running counterparts. Truth! Your risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee is lower than the risk in your sedentary friends. It turns out that cartilage likes the cyclical loading associated with running. As I discussed in this post, which I strongly suggest you read, osteoarthritis is mostly a biological issue. That means that the knee joint lining and other cells in the knee start to manufacture chemicals that are hostile to cartilage. Running usually decreases the concentration and amount of those more toxic chemicals. This post goes into detail about how knee pain sufferers with osteoarthritis can remain active, and also feel better!
Can I Run With Hip Arthritis
Ive just been diagnosed with moderate osteoarthritis of my left hip. I have achy upper thighs and groin pain my doctor said is referred pain from my hip. I want to continue running three to four miles every other day, and maybe some longer runs on the weekends. When I trained for a marathon last year I dropped 14 lbs. My doctor said I may need a hip replacement if I continue to run frequently and suggested I take up another sport. Running is my emotional outlet I don’t feel the same connection with other sports. Im wondering if I dropped the running to every other day with some less frequent longer runs if I could still run. What do you think?Debby
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Can I Run With Knee Arthritis
Arthritis is characterized by inflammation and pain, and it can affect virtually every joint. There are over 100 different kinds of arthritis. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are among the most common. Risk factors for arthritis include:
- Heredity
- Smoking
- Joint stress or overuse
A knee arthritis diagnosis is tough for anyone, but if you previously enjoyed an active lifestyle that depended on having healthy knees, it can be especially devastating. Knee pain may tempt you to forget about doing any exercise at all, but a sedentary lifestyle will do you more harm than good.
The truth is, exercise can help arthritic joints feel better.
Running in particular may reduce your chances of needing surgery down the line. Better still, running is one of the cheapest forms of exercise out there all you need is yourself, a good pair of running shoes, and someplace to run.
For most people, running with knee arthritis is safe. However, use common sense, talk to your doctor first, and pay attention to your body. If running worsens your pain, stop and take a break before you try again. Work with your doctor to create an exercise regimen that works for you.
Know too that any type of activity is great. It doesnt need to be running. Walking briskly or swimming may be a better option for your body.
Better Safe Than Sorry
As always, people should check with a doctor before they start an exercise program. These check-ins can reduce the risk of injury or complications. This is especially important if someone has arthritis in the joints of their lower body. Or, alternately, if someone has undergone knee or hip surgery. It doesnt matter if the surgery was recent. The person should consult a doctor before they take up running.
The Benefits
Weve all heard about the benefits of exercise. Few people focus on the specific ways it can benefit people with arthritis, however. At a base level, exercise can help reduce body weight. A lower body weight puts less pressure on our joints. This, in turn, reduces inflammation and pain. But the benefits are much more far-reaching.
Moderate cardio and weight training will strengthen the muscles around our joints. The stronger these muscles are, the less strain they put on the joints. Exercise also helps us maintain bone density. Better bone health means better joint health. This, coupled with improved balance, means that falls wont do as much damage. And arthritis in the lower body increases a persons fall risk. Reducing fall damage is a great way to counter and combat this issue.
The Risk of Not Exercising
A little exercise goes a long way. A short walk or a light swim is better than no exercise. And, as they exercise, people may find themselves going further. A little patience will reap big rewards with less pain and lighter inflammation.
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Features Of Best Running Shoes For Arthritis
If you are an athlete or your run as a hobby, its likely that you will be exercising hard at times. In order to avoid damage to your joints and muscles, its a good idea to have good arch support in your running shoes.
A great arch support will help keep your bodys weight and effort off your knees, hips, and lower back, which can all lead to arthritis in the long run.
In general, the best running shoes for runners with arthritis should be one with soft flexible soles that will move with the motion of your feet and ankles and provide ample cushioning for your knees and ankles.
Your arch type will also make a difference when choosing the best and suitable shoes for you to wear.
Runners with high arches need to choose footwear that offers arch support, while those who have low arches can get away with footwear that doesnt have as much support.
If you are suffering from arthritis, what is arthritis? The best running shoes for runners with arthritis must meet the needs of this condition, while still providing the stability needed for an active lifestyle.
While most people think of swelling in the joints as being synonymous with arthritis, it is actually caused by inflammation and a loss of cartilage in the joint.
To find the best running shoes for runners with arthritis, it is important to take the time to speak to a medical professional and have the problem diagnosed before purchasing any type of shoe.
The Rumor: Running Is Bad For Your Knees
Whether you’re a neophyte runner trying to get in shape for your first 5K or a seasoned veteran who regularly cranks out 10-milers before breakfast, chances are you’ve heard that running is — to put it mildly — a tad rough on the knees. The notion is so widely accepted that the knee ailment patellofemoral pain syndrome is commonly called “runner’s knee.” And that would seem to make sense.
Running is a high-impact sport that puts loads of trauma on the joints, so the risk of injury and even arthritis would have to be high, right?
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