The movement of bones, sensation in joints, and response of muscles are affected by the surfaces and conditions encountered by your body. Proper alignment allows independent joint function, enabling muscles to coordinate joint movement. In the absence of correct joint alignment, there is a risk of pain and serious injury. Running with misaligned joints is not advisable as it increases the potential for Runner’s Knee.
Engaging in running involves significant stress on joints, bones, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Nevertheless, by taking certain steps, you can prevent injuries that could sideline you.
Runner’s Knee (Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome) – What is it?
Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome encompasses multiple types of knee conditions that cause discomfort where the patella and femur meet, resulting in pain. The syndrome commonly affects the kneecap and causes damage to the cartilage beneath it. This change in the patella’s alignment alters its motion within the groove of the thigh bone.
Repetitive impacts during running can cause irritation to the soft tissues or lining of misaligned joints, leading to cartilage depletion and tendon strain. Runner’s Knee typically manifests as a dull ache around or behind the kneecap and can cause swelling on either side of the knee, as well as redness. Pain may intensify when walking or performing activities such as running, climbing or descending stairs.
What causes it?
Plain and simple, Joint misalignment is the root cause of Runner’s Knee. This problem is exacerbated by specific factors such as muscle imbalances in stabilizing muscles, mainly caused by hip muscle weakness, and poor running mechanics of the lower leg. Misalignment can create additional stress on the patellofemoral joint, intensifying the impact of factors like the hip width and angle of the femur interacting with the patella (Q-angle). Women runners are more prone to Runner’s Knee due to their wider hips and, consequently, a higher Q-angle.
Runner’s Knee is exacerbated by limited ankle mobility and weak arches in both genders. Additionally, excessive supination (outward foot rotation) and improper pronation (rolling of the feet inward or outward) significantly contribute to the problem.
If the foot lands fully and the thighbone rotates in the neutral, internal, and external planes, the knee should not be affected. Nevertheless, if the ankle is dysfunctional or if the thighbone is immobile, the knee will be compelled to rotate, which is not its natural movement. Stability is the notion behind the knee joint, while rotation is associated with the ankles and thighs. The knees become vulnerable if the hip is turned or inclined forward, especially towards the dominant side. Avoid such knee injury.
How to prevent it?
Make sure to keep an eye on your standing posture and running form. Have a friend record a video of you running and watch it with them to analyze. Seek a professional postural assessment and work tirelessly to align your running form with your goals. JackRabbit, a sports store, provides a complimentary video evaluation on a treadmill that will aid in enhancing your running mechanics. Although they may try to market shoes and insoles, use your discretion when considering purchasing them.
Regularly exercise to develop your thigh and glute muscles. Engage in basic stability exercises to enhance the strength of your lower leg, ankle, and foot while also lowering the impact. Embrace exercises such as stairs, squats, lunges, and sitting wall to help you tone your muscles. Make sure to maintain a hip-leaning posture and bend your knees when running to avoid any troubles in your lower back. When confronting a steep hill, go in a zigzag pattern while running up or down, or jog. Hills are challenging and require your full concentration. Being humble and aware aids in gaining favor from the hill gods, which will be beneficial to your knees.
Develop both your hip rotators and butt muscles, including not only the maximus but also the medius and minimus muscles. Utilize the exercises available on the Mini Menu section to enhance the strength of your gluteus medius, which will aid in achieving balance in your leg and knee. A robust and flexible gluteus medius is essential for runners.
What is alignment?
Simply put, human body alignment refers to the way we move and hold ourselves. This includes our posture as well as how we make movements. Katy Bowman, MS, a biomechanist and author of Alignment Matters and Move Your DNA, explains that our bodies are constantly exposed to various forces such as torque, leverage, and gravity, all day every day. Therefore, the alignment of our bodies is responsible for shaping both our physical appearance and our ability to perform in important moments.
According to Bowman, alignment is crucial because it affects not only your movements and current and future wellness but also determines your future health problems and injuries. Neglecting alignment can result in other body parts prematurely wearing out due to undue stress caused by movement, which eventually leads to injuries and diseases, which is far from ideal.
Regarding alignment, the way we move and our biology function in accordance with form.
Many coaches emphasize that proper movement is crucial for achieving optimal performance in any activity. To achieve this, it is essential to practice and master the correct form and alignment of the specific movements required. Without knowledge of and practice with the mechanics involved, one cannot expect to be successful, as in the case of throwing a curveball for a strike.
Every great performance requires alignment as it is the basis of movement.
We can conduct a small experiment to test whether alignment can have an impact on you. Locate an office-type chair and take a seat. Proceed to lower your chest, jut your chin forward, move your hips forward, and turn your feet sideways. Stay in that position for approximately 60 seconds before responding to the following queries: Do you feel self-assured? Do you feel stable? Do you feel intelligent?
Stand tall with toes pointed forward, squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips forward. Draw in your belly button towards your spine and shift your hips back over your ankle bones. Lower your shoulders and imagine placing your shoulder blades into your back pockets, as if strings are pulling your armpits down towards the front pockets. Tighten your abs and lift the top of your head towards the sky while pulling your chin back to your Adam’s apple. Release your jaw and calmly look at the horizon, aligning it with the midpoint of your vision. Does this make you feel confident, grounded, and intelligent?
Having good alignment is crucial to improve overall performance in life and sports. It is not solely about geometry or physics, nor merely the combination of joint angles and load or torque forces. Alignment represents an overview of how you move as a whole, including the integration of movement patterns and daily habits.
Examining the alignment of your body is a great beginning to creating practical motion that will achieve optimal efficiency for task-based performance in daily life.
