Knee injury from squatting or running?

[justine05]

Hey everyone.

I've always been active (running, playing sport etc) but I'm relatively new to proper working out/lifting etc.

Lately I've been noticing my knees getting a bit sore, and clicking a lot. Not sure what to put it down to...

I run for about 30 min 4 or 5 times a week (on mostly bush tracks with the dog) and also including squatting in my workouts (again, 4-5 times a week), both bodyweight and barbell.

Because I am quite new to it, I havnt been loading the weight on when I'm squatting because I want to nail the technique first. The heaviest weight I squat, I can do about 15 reps with good form.

I'm not sure if I should slow down on the running, or go lighter on the squatting? I think my form is pretty good - feet slighly turned out, not letting knees go over toes etc.

Another thing I read recently, was that squatting below parallel is actually better for your knees than only going to parallel? (Not to mention working your glutes more) is this correct? I try to go below parallel but do find it quite hard as I don't think I have good hip flexibility.

So... any advice on knee strengthening, or what I am doing wrong?

[FellowshipOfTheRon]

hey welcome to the forums

 

squatting below parallel is good and important to make the exercise effective for the entire lower body but that aspect is too often the only part that people focus on and forget about the other parts which are just as important (if not more).

* make sure knees are tracking outwards and not inwards through the entire movement. you have to actively monitor it and might even need to get someone else to check it for you as it can be hard to notice

* make sure all the weight is supported by the heel of the foot and not shifting towards toes at any point. if you are not very flexible this WILL be a problem, you will try to go low as you hear about that so much but in the process will end up with the weight on your toes, going further than you should for your current flexibility level and putting stress to the knees as a result.

 

you can still squat while working on improving your flexibility but pay attention to your movement and take note of exactly what depth you can go down to before the weight shifts forward and just go down to that for now. you might be made fun of for being a quarter squatter or whatever but it's better you try to keep strict form in the other aspects of the exercise than try force going low and blowing out the knees

 

there are a few mobility drills you can do, need to work up ankle flexibility, make sure you have active glutes (do glute bridges), hip flexor stretches etc. stretch heaps all the time

 

i assume running is not one of those things you had stopped for a while and just got back to right? if you just got back from a break, you might also want to take some time to re-assess your running form.

 

other than the aforementioned stuff, it certainly isn't easy incorporating lower body weights training sessions with a regular running schedule (at least not for me it wasn't). you may find the legs will still be in recovery mode a coulpe days after a good leg workout and trying to push yourself with running you may find it tough to keep up the proper form and put pressure on certain joints like ankles, hips, knees. if that's all it is, consider cross training (mix up some of the run sessions with bicycle or swim instead)

[justine05]

Awesome thanks for that. Unfortunately having two large size dogs that need regular exercise, that sort of dictates what I do with my 'work out time'. I usually mix it up between running and biking, but maybe I need to slow down every now and then and just do some power walking instead!

Cheers!

[Psyke]

For what it's worth I have found heavy squating with CORRECT FORM have actually solved a lot of the issues I was having wiht my knee.

Soon as I stopped squatting and went back to running only though the knee started to hurt again.

Squats with good form should go a long way to strengthening everything around the knee therefore supporting it more in day to day activities.

[Murhf]

Excellent post FellowshipOfTheRon, only thing I could add to this is "Box squats". Under rated and rarely used [at my gym]. Great for getting the glutes and hams up to scratch. Make sure to start light and drop back like your sitting. Get used to that placement of the bum before you go heavier, also dn.t let the knees come forward over the ankles. This will help alot by activating the glutes and taking the pressure off the knees, instead of being an all quad squat. Maybe try your stance a bit wider, close stance will put much more strain on the knees.