What went wrong?

[kombatmaster777]

I use to run consistently in the mornings last year while doing
kung fu 3x a week. Now my problem is that after I ran it felt
like my knees were cracking and I got tired a lot.

I was running on concrete and did the stupidest thing for
the first 5 months of my 12 months running. I put on
7 and 1/2 lb ankle weights on each leg and ran with them
on.

I ran 7-10 miles everyday in the mornings before school
and practiced sam-sing on a nearby tree for 10 minutes
while doing kung fu.

I don't know much about running, but even after I stopped
running with my leg weights my knees still started to hurt
and I want to know what you guys think because I feel
that every time I run I get scared that I will bust my
knees.

[rubberband]

Could be one of several over use injuries. you should see a sports medicine certified doctor and sports medicine certified chiropractor. you might also consider taking up swimming...

take care, steve

[flammee]

You could try out running on the balls of your feet.. If heel strikes the ground first, the force of strike is absorbed by knee joint, but if ball of the feet hits the ground first, force is absorbed by calf muscle..

http://barefootrunningshoe.blogspot.com/2008/01/heel-striking-versus-mid-foot-strike.html (read comments also)

http://www.posetech.com/training/archives/000574.html

[kombatmaster777]

Thanks for the advice flamee and rubberband.

I tried running on the balls of my calf everytime
I use to run, but the I think I get lazy and start
landing on my heel. I once ran three miles on
the balls of my foot and they were burning really
sore afterwards.

If I start running again I will definently run on
the balls of my foot and if something goes wrong
I'll have to see sports medicine certified doctor
and sports medicine certified chiropractor.

Thanks again,

-kombat

[Kurtka Jerker]

Maybe riding a bike? It develops different muscles, but it's great for building strength and endurance in the area around the hips. I don't think I've heard anyone say there's a better place to develop for martial arts, other than the stomach.

[slipthejab]

To be honest... just run the way normally run. No weights on your ankles... no adjustment to your gait... just run how your body wants you to run.

You're body will generally sort it out. If you start looking for ways to land your foot differently you'll have to start adjusting all sort of other things that you don't even know your body is trying to adjust. What's worse is if you are wearing running shoes and you start to land on the balls of your feet you're going against what your nervous system is telling you. Your body makes the judgment of how to land on impact based on the information all the propriomotor receptors in the soles of your feet.

At any rate... you need to rest until your not in acute pain. If you hit the running and your knees are in actual pain and hurting... wake up... that's a big sign from your body not to be running until it's healed.

Skip running for a bit... get on a bike... or get in the pool and give your knees a break. Go see a sports physiotherapist... they're someone who can actually assess your situation and give you a realistic course of action... to be honest here we're simply best guessing.

Don't screw your knees... you need them. You're young enough that you shouldn't have knee problems. Use your head and get it sorted.