Running pain and injuries are common symptoms of patients we see at Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine. The pain can limit running distance and speed and make things like walking and climbing stairs more painful too. Areas we commonly see runners have pain include the outside of their hip, the front of the knee, and the back of the ankle. The muscles and tendons that cross these areas often get overused due to poor mechanics, lack of strength, or overuse. Here are 2 easy exercises you can do to address these issues and help resolve and prevent running pain and injuries.
Pretzel Stretch
This a great stretch for tight quads. Tight quads can cause compression and pain at the front of the knee when walking or running. Hold for 30 secs and do 3 times. Do this after you run for injury prevention, but once a day if you’re having pain.
Split Squat
This is a great exercise to develop quad and hip strength. Start with 2 sets of 10 reps and hold for 5 seconds at the bottom. Do these 2-3 days a week. Try to work up to 3 sets fo 10. When done correctly, these can help preserve quad flexibility as well, making you less likely to have quad tightness and knee pain.
The exercises above are good ways to start you down the pain free path. However, if you’ve tried these and you’re still hurting, we’d love to help you! At Solutions Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine, we’re experts at evaluating running pain and injuries and will develop a plan to help you overcome them.
Call our office at 703-299-3111, or click here and a member of our team will schedule you an evaluation with one of our highly skilled physical therapists.
