Ellis: 5 Ways To Beat Knee Pain While Running

Ellis: 5 Ways To Beat Knee Pain While Running

Newsletter

SPRINT INTO SPRING WITH FOOT ORTHOTICS Springtime is here! People are becoming more active outside. People start enjoying going for walks or begin running again because of the nicer weather and enjoy the outdoors. Make sure you have the proper footwear and support to prevent injury. Here at EPT, we can help with any concerns or question you have about getting back into a more active lifestyle. A lot of things that we see in the spring are people with foot, ankle, and knee pain after starting a running/ walking routine again in the spring. A lot of those people can benefit from a custom orthotic that we provide at our clinic. There are many routine treatments for foot problems, from anti-inflammatory pills to cortisone injections, to a million different pads, cushions, ointments and, of course, surgery. All of these have temporary, pain-relieving effects. But, if you want the chance to permanently solve the problem, you must change the way your feet function on the ground. Two basic states of the foot should be very familiar: arch up and arch down. The arch down state happens when, after the heel strikes the ground, the foot unwinds inside and the arch does a free fall due to gravity. Most people can do this so well they overdo it. Please come visit us if you are interested in orthotics that will greatly reduce pain in feet, ankles, and knees. Sole Supports are Full Contact foot orthotics. Since sole supports are custom fit to the patient’s feet, they maintain constant contact with the bottom of the patient’s feet and provide total support.

Newsletter Health &Wellness

5 SIMPLE WAYS TO BEAT KNEE PAINWHILE RUNNING

INSIDE: • 5 WAYS TO IMPROVE KNEE PAIN • PATIENT SUCCESS SPOTLIGHT • EXERCISE ESSENTIALS • DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE ONE-ON-ONE PERSONALIZED TREATMENT WORK ACCIDENTS WE HELP YOU HEAL SPORTS PERFORMANCE ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS SENIOR PROGRAMS TREATMENT FOR ALL AGES

Weallknowthatrunning isgreatexerciseforourbodies, but often people stop due to knee or lower leg pain.This can happen for a variety of reasons, but usually ones that we are not aware of. Over 50 million Americans deal with some sort of knee trouble, as the knees are the second most common injured joint, the first being the joints in the spine. Therefore, it is essential to know what you can do to prevent knee troubles from even starting. Most all knee and leg pain can be attributed to the following issues: • Poor muscular strength • Imbalance of muscular strength with certain muscles

Don’t push through the pain While feeling a stretching sensation or muscle burn is a normal part of exercising, feeling pain is not. Sharp or dull pain should be paid attention to and not pushed through. Make sure you are doing adequate warming up prior to exercising as muscles and tissues require internal lubrication to work properly. Warming up brings natural fluids to the area to help with lubrication, improving elasticity and function. In addition, make sure to properly stretch after exercising to ensure that flexibility is maintained and gained. Contact us at 208- 523-8879 to learn more about how you can return to a pain-free active lifestyle!

stronger and others weaker • Poor muscular coordination • Poor biomechanics of walking / running • Lack of flexibility

CALL TODAY! (208) 523-8879

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5 WAYS TO IMPROVE KNEE PAIN

1. Increase your leg strength. Do wall sits, knee extensions, toe raises, hip side-lifts and more. Speak with one of our professionals for how to perform these exercises correctly. 2. Improve your patella (kneecap) tracking. Your patella needs to glide to actually form a C pattern when you bend your knee. Do leg lifts with your whole leg rotated outwards to strengthen the inner thigh and knee muscles. Make sure to stretch your kneecap up and down, side to side, to ensure gliding. Most patellofemoral pain comes from poor patella tracking and a physical therapist is the expert to diagnose and treat this problem. 3. Maintain and improve flexibility. With running and exercising it is very common for the powerful muscles in the leg to become tighter. For example, the hamstring and outer tissues of the leg (iliotibial or “IT” band) can become very tight, altering the mechanics of the knee causing pain. Stretch after every time you run and do adequate warm ups prior. Try integrating yoga and stretching into your routines. 4. Improve your balance and coordination. Do balance exercises to build up your proprioception (sense of balance position). Exercises such as standing on one leg with and without eyes closed are important. Don’t forget to make sure you setup for safety when performing balance exercises by having a steady surface nearby to hold onto when needed. 5. Improve your agility. Many casual runners, simply run, but do not perform other types of important exercises such as strengthening, balance and agility training. Mix up your workouts to include these other types of exercises.

Seeing a Specialist. If you have recurring knee pain or discomfort for more than 3 days, it is time to see a specialist. The ideal specialist to see is a physical therapist as they are medical experts in joint movement and function (kinesiology). A thorough evaluation needs to be done of your movement, walking patterns, strength, joint mobility, patella tracking and proprioception. Only then, can the true source of the pain be found, treated and help you understand what you can do to prevent it from returning. In addition, if you are an avid athlete, a physical therapist is key in helping you discover new ways to improve your movement and function, helping you improve your game. Get on the path to healthy knees and call us today for a free joint movement analysis. Discover how liberating it can be to run or exercise pain free.

Call us today at 208-523-8879 to schedule an appointment!

Exercise Essentials Flexibility, strength, and stability are needed to keep you loose and pain-free... Not all exercises are appropriate for every person. Please consult with a healthcare provider before starting.

KNEE EXTENSION STRETCH While sitting, tighten your top thigh muscle to press the back of your knee downward towards the ground. Stretches Knees

Relieves Knee Pain SHORT ARC QUAD Place a rolled up towel or object under your knee and slowly straighten your knee as you raise up your foot.

Exercisescopyrightof

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DISCOVER HOW TO LIVE PAIN-FREE

At Ellis Physical Therapy, you will receive hands-on therapy treatmentsbyour friendly,caring health experts during focused and individualized sessions. It’s time to get to Ellis Physical Therapy if: • You’re tired of living in pain • You want to feel better and move better • You have been in an auto accident or injured on the job • You want to prevent injury

Patient Success Spotlight

“A couple of years ago, I was dealt a devastating blow with a diagnosis of a progressive debilitating disease. I had to quit work and started to go downhill with loss of strength and balance. Ellis PhysicalTherapy and their Aquatic Program have helped me to regain some strength, balance and mobility that I thought would never happen again. Even my wife is seeing an increase in strength, improvement in balance and mobility. They are very knowledgeable, caring, and patient with my needs. They take the time to explain things that I need to know or understand to help make my rehab adventure successful.” – Scott B. Seeing an increase in strength! CALL TODAY TO SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT! (208) 523-8879 HEALTHY RECIPE

1. Call and talk to your therapist 2. Discover why your pain has come back 3. Get your custom recovery program

www.EllisPhysicalTherapy.com

Eating Right Never Tasted So Good!

Roasted Root Vegetables

INGREDIENTS • 12 oz rutabaga, peeled & cut into ¾-inch pieces • 8 oz celery root, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces • 8 oz peeled baby carrots • 8 oz fingerling potatoes • 3 medium parsnips, peeled & cut into

1-inch-thick slices • 1 medium fennel bulb, cored & cut into thin wedges • 2 shallots, peeled & cut into thin wedges • 2 tbsp olive oil • ½ tsp salt • ½ tsp ground pepper

INSTRUCTIONS Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine rutabaga, celery root, baby carrots, fingerling potatoes, parsnips, fennel, and shallots in a shallow roasting pan. Add oil, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Increase oven temperature to 425°F. Bake, uncovered, about 10 minutes more or until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned.