Erik Schlimmer tells the story of how he learned to fastpack the Adirondacks, a grueling 110 miles and 19,000 vertical feet of climbing, in five days with only 11 pounds on his back.
When this issue hits the gyms and stores, the story that inspired this column will be old news, but I’m writing about it anyway because I think it raises some really important issues in the active community.
Dear Fitness Guru,
I recently started running for exercise. I have been doing really well but for the last couple of weeks, my knees have started hurting. What can I do? I don’t want to stop because it is really the only exercise I enjoy. —Denise, Park Slope
Denise, so many of my clients come to me with the same problem: they are finally into a rhythm with their running and their knees start to hurt. Here are three things to think about:
A lot of knee soreness (though, granted, not all) is due to imbalances in the muscles of the upper leg. Your quadriceps become overdeveloped and the inner thigh and hamstring muscles are relatively weak. Warming up the inner thighs and hamstrings before you run can go a long way to rebalancing the joint. Try adding this exercise to your pre-running routine:
1. Lie on your right side.
2. Let you left lower leg lie flat on the floor in front of you.
3. With your right leg straight and the inner thigh turned upward lift and lower the leg as many times as you can. Rest for 2 minutes then repeat.
4. Switch legs.
Also, in addition to a nice long stretch after running to release some of the tension that builds up, you can buy a Styrofoam Feldenkrais roll and roll out the tension in your quads.
Finally, you should go to a store that specializing in running. Have them take a look at the track of your knee when you run and buy a pair of running shoes that support your stride. Not all running shoes are the same and the wrong ones can lead to joint pain. Finally, if these suggestions don’t quite cut it, it might be worthwhile visiting a personal trainer or a Pilates instructor who can evaluate your imbalances and provide you with a more specific program to follow.
Michael Feigin is the producer and host of the nationally syndicated radio show, The Fitness Guru, and the co-owner of the Fitness Guru Lab in DUMBO, Brooklyn. www.fitnessgurunyc.com
