Right Adductor Injury

Sorry I have not posted recently, but on October 1, 2011 while training for the Chicago Marathon I pulled a Right Adductor muscle. I went to Orthopedic Associates Urgent Care because I thought I had injured my right knee. The Doctor informed me that I had injured the muscle right were it connects to the knee and that was why I thought it was a knee injury. They gave me some anti-inflamatories and told me that it should heal in its own without physical therapy. I am back to being able to run a mile and a half before the pain starts back up. I can walk 4 miles without any pain. Friday at work I was able to walk up and down stairs without any pain. Unfortunately it will be wait until next year for Chicago.

Runner's Knee

Runner's knee is pain around and sometimes behind the kneecap. It is one of the most common injuries among runners, runner's knee most often strikes as runners approach forty miles per week for the first time. Even after taking a few days off, the pain seems to come right back, sometimes even intensifying, after the first few miles of the next run. The pain often feels worst when running downhill or walking down stairs, and the knee is often stiff and sore after sitting down for long periods. You might hear a crunching or clicking sound when you bend or extend your knee.

The test for runner's knee: sit down and put your leg out on a chair so that it's stretched out straight. Have a friend squeeze your leg just above the knee while pushing on the kneecap. She should push from the outside of the leg toward the center. At the same time, tighten your thigh muscle. If this is painful, you're looking at runner's knee.

Treatment for runner's knee is as follows: First, relieve the pain by icing your knees immediately after running. You can use commercially available cold packs or simply put a wet towel in the freezer before you run. Wrap the cold packs around each knee for about fifteen minutes to bring down the swelling. Take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or aspirin after running, too, but only with food and never before running. Before bed, put heating pads or warm wet towels on your knees for half an hour.

Any other suggestions for Runner's Knee?

Shin Splints

Shin splints can be caused by sudden increases in mileage, walking uphill, over training, walking faster than normal, jumping, or running stairs or just to much distance. Medial shin splints occur on the inside of the shin. Lateral shin splints occur on the outside of the shin.

Medial shin splints are usually caused by excessive pronation or flat feet and often by pounding from running, or sports like tennis, volleyball, and other weight-bearing activities. If you have medial shin splints and flat feet a full length over-the-counter arch support can sometimes be helpful.

Lateral shin splints or anterior shin splints can be caused by suddenly increased speed or elevation. If you suddenly increase speed or elevation the muscle gets overworked and starts to cramp.

Treatment for shin splints includes rest, massage, ice, stretching, and strengthening. Rest and ice is sometimes the best treatment. You should also be stretching your calves and Achilles tendon. If you have the problem during running or walking, try warming up more and increase your speed slowly.

To stretch your calves:

1. Lean against a wall with one leg forward and the knee bent
2. Keep the rear leg straight, heel on the floor
3. Keep your back straight and lean your hips forward until you stretch in your calf. If you don't feel it too much, put your toe of the rear leg up on a tree limb, or dumbbell, or any other small object, so that you bend the ankle more. Your heel always remains on the floor. That will increase the stretch
4. To stretch the soleus muscle and Achilles (very important for shin splints), do the same calf stretch but bend the back knee slightly and you will feel the pull on your Achilles tendon

Any other suggestions for Shin Splints?