Are you increasing the distance you are running? How are you knees?
Recently in clinic I noticed I am treating more clients who are starting to increase the distance they are running ahead of a half or full marathon. What they had in common was tight Iliotibial Bands (ITB).
Iliotibial Band Syndrome or Runner’s Knee is characterised by pain on the lateral side of the knee joint (epicondyle of the femur) when running. The pain stops when you are resting and then returns again when you resume running. It often feels like something catches or “twangs” over the bone.
It’s mostly the running activity itself that causes IT band irritation. For instance, a motion like running causes repeated extending and bending in your knee. This motion stretches the band, which makes it become tight, and even swollen. If it does become swollen it will benefit from being iced and resting. If your IT band is irritated then it along with the rest of your legs may benefit from massage.
It is also worth trying to avoid running on cambered roads. In addition if you notice that when you run, one or both of the soles of your feet tilt outwards (eversion of the foot) then you may want to consider if you need orthotics.
Related Posts
Stretches for Head, Neck and Shoulders
These stretches can either be done as a complete series or individually and most of them can be done at your desk. Some will ease tension in specific parts of the body whilst others are generally relaxing. Please remember stretching should always be relaxing and never painful! To get maximum benefit from these stretches you should do them daily and hold each stretch for 15 seconds and repeat twice. Head And Neck
- Head rotation - keeping your head level, slowly turn from side to side.
- Slowly drop your head sideways moving your right ear towards your right shoulder and push down with your left shoulder - repeat on other side.
- Stand with your feet shoulder distance apart; look down towards your right foot (hold for 15 seconds), dropping left shoulder - repeat the exercise looking towards your left foot.
- Drop the lower jaw and open the mouth wide.
- Shrugging shoulders in a circular movement - forwards and then backwards.
- Raise your shoulders high and let them drap heavily; whilst letting breathing out.
- Clasp hands behind your head, with elbows back - push your chin back. Hold for 15 seconds. From this position look down and push your elbows together at the front and hold for a further 15 seconds.
- Clasp you hands and push up towards the ceiling, palms up now look down.
- Sit upright in a chair with a firm seat. Raise your arms as high as possible and remaining seated drop forward letting your head and arms hang heavily towards the floor.
Yet more scientific evidence of the benefits of chair massage
A number of studies have identified that nurses experience a range of symptoms indicative of work related stress including
- Headaches
- Shoulder tension
- Fatigue
- Muscle and joint pain
- Overall quality of life
- Self-perceived levels of stress
- Anxiety
- Symptoms relating to anxiety
- improvements in sleeping
- reduction in pain, stress and tension
- reduction in headaches
