| There are obviously a thousand reasons that a | | | | warm. Both of those things did the trick as |
| triathlete may be having a knee problem that | | | | far as allowing me to continue running while |
| impacts their triathlon training and a short | | | | training. However, the problem wasn't going |
| article on knee issues couldn't possibly | | | | away and I didn't want to continue along that |
| cover all of them. Having said that I can | | | | path. Most importantly I didn't want to have |
| discuss my own knee problem which was | | | | to rely on the knee sleeve for the rest of my |
| occurring on runs where 10-15 minutes into | | | | life. Luckily for me Christmas rolled around. |
| the run the outside of my knees would start | | | | My new training plan hadn't kicked in yet |
| to hurt A LOT. I had guessed at the time that | | | | with a Jan. 1 start date. I had a ton of |
| it was an IT band problem. Basically the | | | | family obligations and my motivation for the |
| iliotibial band, or IT Band, is a fibrous | | | | couple of weeks surrounding Christmas was |
| band, kind of like a rubber band, that | | | | low. I didn't run once for 3 weeks. The New |
| stretches from your hip to your knee on the | | | | Year rolled around and off I went for a run |
| outside of your leg. As a quick side note, I | | | | incorporating a new minimal warm-up plan |
| have heard conflicting reports on whether it | | | | (walking for a few minutes before the run) |
| is a "thick" or "thin" band. This is | | | | and I planned on a good stretch after. Waddya |
| important because if you ice it when it hurts | | | | know… no pain. It's obvious I needed |
| and it is in fact a thin band then you could | | | | the recovery. Now that I have had the rest |
| be increasing the likelihood it could freeze | | | | and trained correctly I have been knee pain |
| and subsequently rupture when you move after | | | | free for over a year now. |
| freezing. Therefore, just be careful when | | | | |
| taking care of it unless you are certain of | | | | I have since learned a couple of reasons |
| its ability to handle the freezing. I know | | | | beyond stretching that may have contributed |
| using terms such as thick or thin is relative | | | | to my knee problem. One is that I ran on a |
| but it's important for you to be aware of the | | | | track 1-2 times per week almost always in the |
| potential issue. | | | | same direction. The other is that when I ran |
| | | | outside I would always run in the same |
| Triathlon training provides some alternatives | | | | direction over the same route. The problem is |
| within the training that allows for a variety | | | | that on a track the corners place added |
| in training for Triathletes. This training | | | | pressure on the outside knee. That continued |
| variety allowed me some options that allowed | | | | pressure will strain the muscles and |
| for continued training while avoiding pain. | | | | eventually cause a muscle imbalance. Running |
| The first step to recovery was to bike and | | | | outdoors causes a similar problem. Roads and |
| swim more. I began to focus on stretching as | | | | sidewalks are marginally slanted for |
| well and having a better warm-up that did NOT | | | | drainage. You don't really notice it but if |
| include walking or jogging. For example, I | | | | you run for an hour along a subtle sideways |
| would hop on a bike for 30 minutes, and then | | | | slant you will create muscle problems and |
| go for a run, if that wasn't an option then I | | | | imbalances. The answer? Go slowly around |
| would wear a tensor style flexible knee brace | | | | track corners and change directions whether |
| (sleeve) during the run so that my tendons | | | | inside or out. |
| and ligaments around my knee what remain | | | | |