Q: I started running three months ago but find I’m always sore, in my shins, knee and sometimes hamstring. – Lisa T.
A: You are experiencing typical symptoms for a beginner – since you do not mention previous injury from another sport, I assume you are running after a long period of inactivity. There are two major areas of concern when starting from scratch.
The first and most difficult to change in the short term is weight loss, as this places a greater load on your joints, ligaments, bones, muscles and tendons. Do not stop running because of this, but understand you will need to build up slowly and employ cross training such as cycling, rowing, swimming or some other form of low-impact training to aid in improved cardiovascular function as well as increased kilojoule burn and therefore faster weight loss.
It is also important to ensure you are not undoing all your hard work with poor eating habits.
Secondly, due to the inactivity your body will have stopped functioning as it was designed to, and the same over-loaded tendons, joints and muscles will not be fully prepared. This will be coupled with the fact that some imbalances will have crept in if you spend a lot of time at a desk. The pains you are feeling in your knees and shins in particular will be directly related to this.
I encourage you to keep running, but in the short term you need to see a fitness professional to help you identify what these flexibility and strength imbalances are so you can correct them by doing the appropriate strengthening and flexibility exercises.
Lindsey Parry is a qualified biokineticist, Two Oceans silver medallist and 2:52 marathoner.
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I wish I had this advise! I was a new runner, excited to run further and not following the 10% rule, poor diet, lack of calcium and even lack of vit D resulting in a grade 4 tibial stress fracture. It was so severe I couldn’t walk without pain. It is now 6 months later and I am trying to get back into it…..VERY slowly this time!
I was running in a pair of elderly hand-me-downs, and was at least 12kg overweight. I constantly had sore knees, shins, and even feet, so much so that I seriously considered stopping running.
Investing in a good pair of running shoes has sorted all those problems out – except the weight – that is still there, but a bit more toned now.
I need to know how I can send a mail to Lyndsey via this website re a knee injury? Can you help please?
Since you are starting out, try minimalist shoes – but start very slowly. i was in the same position last year, ignored the aches and pains and ended up injuring my knee fairly severly. After 6 months out, i was starting from scratch again. I tried minimalist shoes and was pretty disciplined in not doing too much too soon. So far so good, I have not had a niggle for 6 months.
It is obviously not all in the minimalist shoes, but they have definitely altered my running style which definitely puts less strain on the joints etc. Read up about them and give them a shot. Would never go back to “normal” shoes again.
good luck
What’s the longest distance one can do on minimalist shoes, for instance….can one run the Comrades (where you need every edge you can get) on them???
I used to run a couple of years ago and have decided to get back into it SLOWLY. Whats the best training regime for this? At the moment I am following a 10 week plan combining walking and running for twenty min sessions three times a week. I found the plan on the runners word website. I am slight of build ad have invested in a good pair of asics.
Hi Tammy – have a look at our beginner training programmes and chose on that suits your best: http://www.runnersworld.co.za/category/training/training-programmes/beginner/
Good luck!
Hi would really appreciate some advice.
I am training for 9 hr Comrades, things been going well since Nov. Was doing the Sat (3hr) and Sun (3hr) stint over the weekend, and at 25km on Sunday developed pain on the top of my ankle?? Never before anything like it. Almost seems like the muscle used to lift up your toes or front of foot?? Any ideas what this may be? Pain was gone within 10 mins of stopping.
Hi, my problem is more on the sole of my foot at the side of my ankle, i got new running shoe and was told that should sort the problem, i’d like to know what exercises there is to help with the strengthening and recovery of my foot please.
thanks.