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Question for the big guys
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 2004-09-15 9:49 PM |
Member 26  NYC |  Subject: Question for the big guysI'm 5'10" weigh about 235 lbs. Sunday I did about a 4 mile run/walk. My knees are killing me still. Any advice? Will the knee pain subside as more weight comes off? I'm taking advil, and resting. The only thing I have done since Sunday was weight training. I should preface this by sayign I have lost about 135 lbs or so in a little less then 2 years, could this be permanant damage from those heavier years? Thanks, Jeff |
| 2004-09-15 10:06 PM in reply to: #62273 |
Veteran 221 Washington | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Not knowing where you were at previously, it is probably due to overuse, to much to soon. Try doing less running and more walking at first and then slowly work up the amount of time that you spend running. The couch to 5K is a good model.. |
| 2004-09-15 10:06 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| Veteran 221 Washington | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Congratulations on your weight loss so far!! That is a full adult person that you have lost. You should be very proud of that accomplishment! :-) |
| 2004-09-15 10:12 PM in reply to: #62273 |
Expert 1836  Lafayette, CO | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys The body is a pretty resilient thing: your doctor could tell you if you have permanent damage, but you certainly can mitigate any potential damage. Losing the excess weight is awesome (especially 135# so far!) and will help; building up your quads to help stabilize the knee will be very beneficial too. At this point, I'd recommend running on trails or grass when possible, as these surfaces are easier on the knees (watch out for hole if you run on grass though!) Running on grass is better than trails, trails are better than asphalt, asphalt is better than concrete. If you have a local track to run on, it might be 'rubberized', which would be easy on the joints, too. Many of us take glucosamine chondroitin, too. I know it helps my knees tremendously (although I forgot to get some at the store tonight!) You may want to look into using this supplement. Keep working on the weight loss, and as you build strength and endurance, you should see the knee pain disappear in time. Good luck! |
| 2004-09-15 10:29 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| Veteran 240 Denver | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I was at about 215 at my highest and my knees really gave me problems when running. Now that I am down to 180 I don't have knee problems at all. I would try to avoid and bumps up in distance, that can cause some long term damage. If you have access to a pool swimming is a great way to burn calories that is low impact on the joints. Great job on the weight loss. |
| 2004-09-15 10:34 PM in reply to: #62292 |
Got Wahoo? 5423 San Antonio | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Couple things Shoes are REALLY important. Don't skimp and get fitted properly. Your toes should not be able to touch the end of the shoe, but at the same time, your heel should be well contained. Knee pain can be caused by poor shoes. How much of an increase was the 4 miles over your normal excersize? If that is a longer distance than you are used to, that might be it as well. One pitfall many face is doing to much to fast. Your body has to get acclimated, build adequate musculature and that is best accomplished by a 10% max increase in distance on a weekly basis. More than that and youmight experience pain. |
| 2004-09-15 10:48 PM in reply to: #62273 |
Regular 134 Grand Rapids, Minnesota | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I just have to say GOOD FOR YOU for dropping 135# and going 4 miles on foot! |
| 2004-09-15 11:01 PM in reply to: #62303 |
Elite 3235 San Diego | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I would have to agree with Tom. Good shoes are very important. Running shoes should be for running only, not weight training or walking around the house or whatever. If your shoes are not fit correctly or too old, then that could lead to knee problems. |
| 2004-09-16 10:34 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Elite Veteran 970 Smyrna, Georgia | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Congrats on your weight loss so far. Definitely pay attention to the quality of your shoes, your running surfaces and whether you're increasing too much. Don't forget to ice your knees, though! Ice them for 10 -15 minutes right after you run. Bags of frozen peas work well. If you want to soothe your muscles as well and are up for a chilling experience, fill the bathtub with cold water and a bag of ice and soak in that for 10 -15 minutes. I would do that after my long runs and it works wonders. Of course, I have to wrap 2 towels around my upper body to be able to bear the cold. Good luck! |
| 2004-09-16 11:22 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Veteran 172 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys as mentioned earlier, check your shoes. you may have good quality running shoes but they may have broken down. i found this out myself. I had a pair of Brooks Beast that i had just been wearing around for a couple of years and when I started training I began to have really bad knee pain. Got a new pair and the pain went away literally over night. |
| 2004-09-16 11:24 AM in reply to: #62527 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys |
| 2004-09-16 11:25 AM in reply to: #62478 |
Resident Curmudgeon 25290 The Road Back Gold member | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys What do you do with the peas after you ice your knees? Do y'all eat peas every day? Or stick them back in the freezer? |
| 2004-09-16 11:30 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Master 2233 Mechanicsburg, PA | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Actually, I prefer frozen fuit instead of peas. That way, I can take the ones that are thawed out and add them to some cottage cheese for a 'recovery snack.' The rest go back into the freezer. -Frank |
| 2004-09-16 11:40 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Master 2233 Mechanicsburg, PA | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Oh, and to answer the original question... First, make sure that your shoes are appropriate and sound. That helped me a great deal. The other part is to make sure that you are biomechanically sound. Do you bounce or land hard on your heel when you run? Do your legs land way out in front of you? The way we think we should run, may not always be correct. Let me share an anecdote  I was out for a run a couple of weeks ago and was running along and snuck right up some people that were walking. They heard me wheezing and that gave me away, but a few minutes before that, there was a slight young lady running and I could hear her when she was 50 yards behind me. She didn't sneak up on the walkers either. Oh, sorry, the moral of the story is to run gently. You shouldn't be expending all of your energy landing your foot. Let gravity so that. I put a book review of ChiRunning in the Product Review thread yesterday. The techniques in it have helped me be able to run 5k without walking (I'm not fast though) without pain. I couldn't stand running because it always hurt so much, but now I think I'm really starting to like it. -Frank |
| 2004-09-16 11:57 AM in reply to: #62547 |
Expert 803 MD | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I agree with Frank - next time you run pay close attention to where your foot strikes the ground, and what part of your foot takes the impact. Your foot should land under your body, on the ball of the foot. If the foot is landing too far in front of your center of gravity, the impact is especially hard on your knees and shins. Similarly, if the impact is on the heel of your foot you will absorb a lot of impact in your lower leg, possibly affecting your knees in the way you describe. Check out some books or web sites that review running techniques and see if there are any corrections you can make to your stride. Maybe this will help some. Good luck and congrats on the lifestyle change! |
| 2004-09-16 3:27 PM in reply to: #62532 |
Elite Veteran 970 Smyrna, Georgia | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I actually do not use the peas since I ice down in the tub. If I did use peas, I'd get some really cheap peas and just refreeze them each time, but know not to eat them. I wouldn't throw it away until it stank. |
| 2004-09-16 9:09 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| Veteran 155 Houston, TX | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys First, congratulations on the weight loss. To lose that much you have to have been dedicated and I think that shows real character. Good deal! On your knees, be careful. If you are accelerating the amount you are running too quickly you can do real damage. I did exactly that about 2 1/2 months ago. I went from running 3 miles to 6 miles in a week and I got a stress fracture just below my knee. Now I'm not running at all and won't be for another month. When I went to the orthopaedic surgeon about my knee, there were a number of things the doctor thought could be the problem, because I was running with about 245 lbs. including a menicus tear or the stress fracture. I would take it easy for a few days and gradually get back into it. I have a new motto. I won't do anything today that keeps me from coming back tomorrow. Hope you get better! Brittain |
| 2004-09-16 11:36 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| Member 26 NYC | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys First off, thank you all for your responses. Let me see if I can re-cap some of the questions/suggestions. I bought a pair of Asics 2090's. I had the guy at Paragon fit me, but it isn't a runner's store, so maybe I should get properly fitted. I ice down after run/walking with a bag of peas. Same bag over and over again. I am following Jeff Galloway's "Run Injury Free", and not exceeding more then 10% a week. This past week was the longest I have gone, and maybe that had something to do with it. My technique may be flawed. I'm guessing that wouldnt be so uncommon. I dont really have alot of experience with runing, so the likelihood that I am doing something wrong-is great. How do I get someone how to teach me how to run correctly? I walked about 1.5 mi today, with no pain. It seems to be getting better each day, so maybe some more rest will help. I am also hoping to add swimming and biking very soon. With the additional weight loss, and the differant sport training, hopefully that will reduce the pounding on my knees, and make the discomfort subside. Thanks for all the nice words. I want/will lose about 50 more pounds or so. Edited by jguar 2004-09-16 11:37 PM |
| 2004-09-17 12:22 AM in reply to: #62886 |
Champion 13323 Gold member | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys i guess if all the above advice doesnt work, switch to the bike for now and start putting miles in 3x a week...don't be afraid to get your heart rate up on your short rides...just dont make the riding too easy once u get going...this will help lose some more weight (esp if your swimming too) and will allow your legs to be better able to withstand the running when u add it in several months (3-6?)later... i see a lot of big guys start out this way and they can really drop some weight while getting there bodies conditioned and especially the legs - assuming they are eating right. good luck. |
| 2004-09-17 8:31 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Champion 4902 Ottawa, Ontario | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys If your knees hurt, see a doctor. Also, scale down on your running. Try adopting a shorter stride and if that doesn't work, walk. Walking, fast or slow, will give you the same training benefits as running. Actually, I can fast-walk faster than I can run?!? And you can really feel the "burn" in the gluteus maximus. |
| 2004-09-17 10:14 AM in reply to: #62273 |
Elite 2733 Venture Industries, | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I'm about the same size you are, I try to run 4 times a week, twice a week on the road and twice a week on a treadmill at a 1% incline. I find the treadmill less stressful on my knees and ankles. |
| 2004-09-17 10:47 AM in reply to: #62273 |
| Member 54 | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I agree with the others, get good shoes. I like New Ballance brand. Try adding Glucosamine every time you take advil. If you're part of a gym use a ellyptical machine for workouts, maybe all at first then 2 out of 3, it will greatly reduce the impact on your joints and allow you to build endurance and get your joints used to moving. If you can afford it consider buying your own ellyptical, heres one we bought, it has the most natural low stress foot movement we found, and takes less space. http://www.octanefitness.com/index.cfm |
| 2004-09-18 5:39 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| Member 16 Vancouver,B.C. | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I had problems with my knees too and started wearing insoles to absorb more of the road shock, this helped a lot. I use Sorbothane and I know Spenco has some as well. These tend to be "heavy" but it is worth it; also you get a bonus of a small extra effort in your workout. I also found that I need to re-train without the insoles if I am not going to race with them in my shoes as the insoles tend to provide a bit of a heel lift; so when they are removed it stretches the calf a bit more. The insoles do add a bit of weight to the shoes and if you look at racing flats a big factor is that these shoes are light. Ideally you want a lighter shoe to race in.. that will still provide you with enough cushioning. Also picking running surfaces carefully; trails are better than roads, roads are better than sidewalks; watch for roads with bad camber(sp?). Cross training with more emphasis on activities where your weight is supported (biking swimming). Congrats on the weight lost |
| 2004-09-21 5:44 PM in reply to: #62273 |
| New user 3 | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys I am 5' 11" - 295 lbs . Here are a few things that helped me with my knees and running: 1. Get an assessment from a Physical Therapist who specializes in Sports Medicine. In Chicago, there is a company called Athletico that I went to. I too was worried about my knees. They gave me a free assessment and determined that I didn't have problems or damage in my knees. They did teach me some exercises to stretch out the IT band before running. The IT band connects your hip and the side of your knee. This is a common runner problem- when the IT band is really tight it puts pressure on my knees. Now that I have been stretching it before each run, I have been doing 100% better especially in the day immediately following my run. 2. Get the right shoes for you. Don't just buy any brand you have heard of. For me, I had high arches and tended to roll out when I ran. (Most people roll in.) They make different types of running shoes for each. I got some good advice from Jamie at http://footrx.com/.I told him how I ran and about my size and he recommended shoe models that were right for me. It turned out I needed a shoe with a lot of heal cushion and no motion control. 3. Talk to a trainer about your strength training program. The Physical Therapist commented that some of my leg muscles like my inner thighs were very weak. When the muscles around the knee are underdeveloped it can put more pressure on the knee while running. So I got some different types of leg routines into my program. Be careful with things like squats, lunges, and steps ups if you are feeling a lot of pain. I had to take it easy for a while and work them back into my program slowly. Good luck and keep up the good work! |
| 2004-09-21 7:24 PM in reply to: #62886 |
Veteran 275 San Diego, CA | Subject: RE: Question for the big guys Definatly have yourself checked for over/under proination. I did, got the right shoes, and it made all the diffeence in the world. A good running shoe store can do this for you. I have the Saucney GRID III runners, and love htem. I had a pair of Etonics, supposedly the best, and loved them too, but they wore out after about 250 miles. |
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