If you don't warm up sufficiently before running or if your protective measures are not in place during running, excessive stride can potentially lead to knee injuries. So what should you do if you injure your knee while running?
Treatment for Knee Ligament Injuries
If it is a ligament injury, immediately apply ice to the affected area or use cotton, bandages to apply pressure, while elevating the injured leg to reduce bleeding and swelling.
Remove the bandage after one day and use traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, or physical therapy for treatment, depending on the injury. If the anterior or posterior cruciate ligament in the knee is completely torn, temporarily immobilize it and seek immediate medical attention for surgical treatment.
Treatment for Knee Meniscus Injuries
After a meniscus injury, also pay attention to ice application and elevate the injured leg. If it is an acute meniscus injury and there is obvious joint swelling, indicating excessive blood accumulation, a doctor should perform aseptic aspiration followed by compression bandaging with elastic bandages. If there is joint locking, surgery may be necessary to release it. In the chronic phase, massage, acupuncture, and physical therapy can be used for treatment. If symptoms worsen and do not improve after physical therapy, surgical treatment may be required.
Treatment for Knee Cartilage Injuries
The cartilage has very little blood supply, so when injured, improvement of blood circulation and metabolism near the cartilage is mainly achieved through massage, tuina, acupuncture, traditional Chinese medicine external application, and shortwave infrared therapy. This helps to alleviate local discomfort and promote relaxation and pain relief. If the injury is severe, surgery is recommended for treatment.
How to Run Without Injuring Your Knees
1. Keep your body straight during running, with your back straight, head, neck, and back forming a straight line. Look straight ahead, avoiding unnecessary physical exertion and ensuring knee safety.
2. Although running is a lower body exercise, the upper body posture should also be maintained. Relax your shoulders, let them naturally hang down, and bend your arms slightly, swinging them naturally with the stride.
3. The buttocks are the center of body strength and the strongest muscles. During running, maintain the correct body posture and keep the buttocks tense to provide continuous forward momentum. If the body leans too far forward or the pelvis tilts forward, it can put pressure on the lower back.
4. When running, lift your legs moderately. Do not blindly pursue running frequency. Choose appropriate stride and running frequency, and try to ensure that each step lands directly below your body. Overstriding can lead to longer flight time, larger fluctuations in the center of gravity, and heavy landing, which can cause knee injuries.
Daily Knee Care Tips
Pay Attention to Keeping Warm
The knee area should be kept warm because the knee joint lacks abundant muscle and fat tissue protection. With poor blood circulation, if you do not pay attention to keeping warm for a long time, local blood vessels may constrict, reducing blood supply and weakening the metabolism and defense capabilities of the cartilage. This can lead to ischemia or even necrosis of the articular cartilage, causing arthritis.
Strengthen Muscle Strength to Protect the Knee Joint
The muscles around the knee joint provide good protection. If the muscle strength is strong, the knee joint will be more stable, reducing the likelihood of frequent injuries. Strengthening the quadriceps muscles through exercise helps maintain knee joint elasticity, promotes metabolism, and protects the knee joint.
