Runners - a question for you

[DznyFan]

I'm a middle aged couch potato mom. I'm average height and healthy weight. I recently started the C25K program (on 2nd week now) and went and got my gait analyzed and a pair of wonderful shoes. I over-pronated and they put me in a Brooks shoe and some insoles. I love them - amazingly comfortable. Problem is, the 2 workouts I've done since getting them have made my ankles and knees hurt. Will correcting my body's alignment will make the joints hurt until the body gets used to things being properly aligned after they haven't been for who knows how many years?

I checked with my running store and they said that could very well be the case and to give it a week or two for my ankles and knees to get used to it. Just wanted to know if any of you have experienced this.

 

[APrunner]

Great to hear you are starting to run.

Definitely take it easy at first. Whenever I am breaking in a new pair of shoes, even if it is the same brand of shoe I am currently using, I always do a few easy runs first. If after a few runs you are still having problems, go back and talk to them again. The shoes are altering the way you run, and you may need a little time to adjust.

May also want to consider some exercises for strengthening your legs. This will make you less dependent on the shoe for correcting your form, and give you a better chance of preventing injuries.

By the way, what Brooks did they recommend?

 

[DznyFan]

APrunner - Adrenaline. I LOVE the shoes. It's the best my feet have felt in AGES (I also have Morton's Neruoma) but my ankles and knees are screaming.
I thought I was going pretty slow and easy - I'm walking/running and going back and forth between the 2 in 60/90 second cycles. I'm not totally out of shape, as I swim laps in the summer months to keep my legs in shape for diving. Just not used to running, and the impact.

 

[APrunner]

The adrenaline is a pretty stable shoe to begin with. What type of insole are you using?

Are you sore (muscle soreness), or is this pain (on the verge of being injured). Always listen to your body first.

I agree that getting a gait analysis is a good thing. However, I think there is a tendency for many to overcorrect.

Look at your running form as well. Consider strength training for your legs. Do not over stride. Keep your stride short, landing with the leg slightly bent and more under the center of gravity. I mention this because usually when you get a gait analysis, they try to find a shoe to help with how you run. However, it is rare to get advice on your running form, which is probably as important as the shoe.

 

[crewmatt]

100% agree with APrunner. First you have to decide whether this is just muscle soreness associated with fatigue. This would appear as a steady, diffuse ache across larger muscle groups (calves, quads, etc) - this is completely normal and you might just need to do some more warmup prior to exercise and cooldown and stretch afterwards to help your body start recovering. I also recommend chocolate milk following the workout.

Or is the pain localized and but still kind of dull. This would be symptomatic of some of the various little supporting muscles that you need to run being a little overworked. Best thing here would be again more focus on warmup/cooldown. Also working on form/etc.

Or is it acute and localized when performing a specific action. Does it hurt more going up or down stairs. In this case you might need to change your running stride as mentioned above. Short, quick, even, strides are the best, always land with a slightly bent knee, etc. Try to minimize vertical movement (run near a fence or other horizontal line and watch how much you bob up and down)

Maybe you want to just try the Adrenaline's w/o the inserts - they are pretty stable shoes by themselves. Try running on a track vs. the roads, that will provide for less impact.

 

[DznyFan]

APrunner - I may try without the insoles and see how it goes. Very localized and doesn't feel like muscle pain at all. My running form is likely not good, it's probably pretty funny to watch if I had to guess. Being close to a mid century and not having ever been a runner outside of gym class in high school...

crewmatt - localized and kind of dull. Not bad at all with no weight on, but when I walk knees and ankles both are very painful. Up and down stairs is not pleasant. I don't have a history of arthritis in my joints, but that's not to say that it just hasn't reared its ugly head. I do stretch before and after, and walk for 5 minute before the jog cycle. I don't know if you were serious or not, but I'm totally good with chocolate milk afterward. Sounds like my kind of post-workout treat!

 

[mccathy]

Not sure about the ankle pain... but I agree with what others have said. Make sure you work on leg strength. When I started running I had bad knee pain. I had two different personal trainers and my chiropractor both encourage me to build my leg muscles. If your legs are strong - your joints will have less work to do. (just to clarify - the personal trainers are friends of mine - I'm not wealthy enough to hire even one of them!)

The "experts" also talked about my IT band:

Also, make sure you are stretching. If your IT band is tight that will cause knee pain. Your IT band runs along the side of your legs. When I first started having my knee pain, my chiro rubbed along my IT band to the point where it was bruised. He was able to loosen the muscle and it really helped. Now, whenever I work out or run I stretch that band. I also use these big foam rollers they have at the gym to massage my IT band. Here's a link to some stretches for IT bands. http://www.ask.com/web?qsrc=2417&o=0&l=dir&q=how+to+stretch+your+IT+band (I just did a search on ask.com and there's a lot of good stuff there.)

Good luck - I just started running about a year ago - it is hard work, but you need to trust the plan (i also did an online training program). If you fall behind just pick up on that week again and keep going. When I started I swore I would never run again after my first 5K. Since then I've done two more... and now that it's getting nice out again I'm itching for another.

 

[crewmatt]

Yes I was quite serious, chocolate milk is one of the best post workout recovery food/drinks. Randomly had some after doing the NYC Triathlon (my company sponsors it and we have a giant tent where we can go afterwards, had some there post race and it was like night and day compared to the previous years I' had done it).

 

[Liz from Diz]

When I first started running I needed neoprene knee supports but after a few weeks was able to run without them. I think my body went into shock at what it was being asked to do.

I've run one WDW full marathon and one Goofy's Race and a Half Challenge since then!

 

[DznyFan]

Updated - I'm sidelined for a while! I've had the gait/shoes re-analyzed, and I'm in the right shoes. Finally gave up and went to the doc, the good news is no injuries, minimal arthritis and she believes it's a matter of my body compensating for the new alignment. I'm to wear my running shoes every day including at work (I work in an office), and continue ice and anti-inflammatories. So... wearing running shoes with my slacks at work (with dr's prescription to do so, so that my co-workers don't whine to HR) and still taking time off. She said it may be a few weeks but I will be training again.

 

[Tiger Lily 03]

Sorry to hear you are side-lined yet very glad you are doing the right thing. When returning to your plan, I would suggest maybe going at it a bit slower in the beginning. It is ok to repeat weeks as you build muscle strength.

Hope you are back at it soon!

I love the advice you've been given. Thanks to those offering. Great advice.

 

[DISaholic's]

Hang in there! Take the time off but don't give up.

Two years ago I was right where you are. A 40 something mom of three, trying to get into shape. I wasn't all that out of shape , 5'3" and 130 lbs, but had done no real exercise besides gardening in many many years. I have now done 3 5K's and a half marathon and an working towards a full marathon this fall. And oh by the way lost 10 lbs!! (wasn't really trying for that, but it was a nice bonus)

I too had many many pains and have had to occassionally take a couple of weeks or a even a month off due to knee/ankle pain. Good shoes and good advice from a great Physical Therapist got me back in the game. Just stay with it, keep it slow and easy and you'll be doing that 5K before you know it!

I'll be watching for your updates!!!!

 

[APrunner]

Hope you are running soon.

I just want to offer one word of caution:
Sounds like you spend alot of time at work sitting. Same here by the way. However, my view is that running shoes are for running. If you are standing alot, I do not recommend doing it in running shoes. Running shoes (especially the adrenaline) have a sizable heel to toe drop. This throws the body out of alignment, often putting more pressure on your back as your body attempts to get lined back up. Basically you will end up with a hurt back.

I am not sure how much the shoes are "correcting" alignment. They are designed to prevent the foot from rolloing in too far when running. Some shoes may push your foot out a little to prevent this, but that is not a good thing unless you are running.

Guess I would just be careful.

 

[solar]

I was put in shoes after my gait was analyzed...i ran in them and I had knee pain i had never had before...i went back and got a more neutral shoe...didn't use the insoles they sold me -- let my body find it's natural gait instead of overcorrecting me...pain went away, and i trusted myself.

I think it was an awesome experience to have my gait analyzed, but i knew what my body was feeling...it hurt in the new shoes, so i went with what "didn't hurt"...and have since done 2 half marathons in my neutral - non- overcorrecting shoes...i trust my gut and how my body feels first and foremost at this point...if you put on shoes and now have pain, those shoes may not be your answer...

another option is to walk around the house barefoot and see if you hurt...(natural gait, no correction)...I may go against the grain here, but i trusted myself and went back to the store and traded shoes for less corrective shoes and my feet and legs have thanked me