Knee Pain Running

ASK AN EXPERT: Questions on eye lesion, running and allergy symptoms

I have what looks like a tiny piece of clear mucus on my eye. It’s located on the white part of my eye, just left of my iris. It doesn’t seem to move. It also doesn’t hurt or itch or cause me any problems. I’m just wondering what it is and if it’s something that I should be worried about. I do wear contacts if that makes a difference. Thanks.

— No name please

The small bump or “clear mucous” on the white part of the eye is most likely what is called a “pinguecula.” This is a benign (harmless) proliferation (growth) of the conjunctiva, which is the clear tissue that lines the eye. Occasionally, these will become inflamed or irritated, at which point they must be evaluated by an optometrist or ophthalmologist. If the small bump is growing or getting closer to the iris, then it could be a pterygium, a growth of the cornea, which does need to be seen and treated by an ophthalmologist. There are several other very much less likely causes of such small bumps on the sclera, and for that reason, an optometrist or ophthalmologist or your family doctor should be consulted to examine the eye.

I’ve read conflicting information about whether running is bad for your knees. Some stories say running weakens the knees. Others say it strengthens them. Which is it?

— G.P. in Nashville

Making a running recommendation to a patient has to be individualized. When discussing strengthening and weakening, we are referring to the muscles around the joints, but not the joints themselves. Running actually can strengthen the muscles around the knee, and thus, may be helpful in preventing joint pain, particularly long-term. In addition, there is no substantial evidence that running causes knee osteoarthritis. Nevertheless, some patients with existing knee problems such as arthritis may find lower-impact exercise such as biking, swimming and use of the elliptical trainer easier to tolerate and associated with less knee pain. Knee pain in runners is often caused by one or more factors including muscular weakness and imbalance, inflexibilities, overtraining, prior knee injury, poor footwear and poor running mechanics. A sports medicine physician can often discover these factors, assist you in alleviating your symptoms and help you determine whether and how you should begin or re-initiate a running program.

Ways to Prevent Knee Pain Running | Health Book

Yearly, a great number of fitness lovers worldwide join marathons or running contests. People who have joined such events have already been running for some years. The main objective of these people is to have a healthy body and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Running has many benefits including elevating oxygen supply in the body and producing more endorphins that makes you feel better. Actually, many athletes claim feeling a runners high which is actually an endorphin rush in our brain. Nevertheless, the sport has downsides too such as knee pain running especially when practice becomes competitive. Alleviating knee pain running is one of the most sought out remedies that runners want. Generally, knee pain running begins when the cartilage under the kneecap has begun wearing away due to normal wear and tear. As a consequence, there is pain and inflammation which can really be debilitating. Usually, knee pain running is felt after years of jogging or running. The situation can further be worsened by heavy weight that adds extra load on the knees .

Probable causes of knee pain running are overpronation, weakness of the quadriceps, running on elevated surfaces, wrong footwear and too much training. Too much pronation occurs when the feet rotates too far inward thereby making the kneecap to twist sideways. In such instances, the quadriceps or group of muscles above the knees must be developed through resistance training. Running uphill or worse, downhill can really be bad for the knees causing knee pain running. A runner must also replace worn out shoes since this does not anymore provide protection and support to the feet. Choice of wrongs shoes that can be too flat or too arched can also be an issue. It is crucial to consider the shape and arch of your feet when selecting running shoes.

When knee pain running becomes chronic, the doctor suggests rests from running. Also, medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed which can be bought over-the-counter. In some cases, elevating one’s feet is also beneficial as well as having a massage to treat the muscles. Doing some exercises like squats can develop the quadriceps and lessen knee pain running. Truly, knee pain running can be avoided as long as you exercise in moderation.

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