To knee support or not to knee support

[nchunc]

First of all, sorry I haven't posted here for a while. A bit selfish I know.

I have not given up after graduation. Gone down couple of inches.

3 days a week. Going at it for every week for the past two years!

I have slight knock knees, stayed with me from my obese childhood. Not much of a problem except any sudden impact such as change of direction or traffic light stop would cause a slight discomfort every now and then.

Shoes only helps so much. Even if I wanted to run a bit faster mid-run, I am a bit afraid I would damage my knees and go back to my usual plodding pace.

I was browsing through Decathlon's running section and have come across their compression knee support.

TARMAK SOFT 300 RIGHT/LEFT MEN'S/WOMEN'S COMPRESSION KNEE SUPPORT - BLACK - Source: decathlon.co.uk/soft-300-kn...

Does anyone here have any experience with knee supports without prescription? Is this a good idea with knock knees (ankles bent outwards)?

I do not want to use knee support and make any problem worse, what with having a different impact profile on the knees than they have been used to all these years.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Will pop by GP if necessary but thought I would give fellow runners a shot first.

[theoldfellow]

To be quite honest I think you would be well advised to consult the GP first. The knee is the most complex load-bearing joint in the body, and you really really don't want to mess it up.

I wore braces on my legs as a toddler because I was bandy (they don't do it now, but this was the 1950's) and it has left me very slightly knock kneed - to the extent that in trousers my knees brush every step. I am using one of those knee supports at the moment when running, despite it being a damn nuisance, but it was prescribed by the physio, I don't think it is doing anything though.

A better solution might Kensiotape:

barbend.com/kinesiology-tap...

but again, I would recommend getting GP or physio advice, and training on how to apply it. It could do more harm than good.

[nchunc Graduate in reply to theoldfellow]

Excellant. Thank you.

I don't know what I was thinking going non prescription.

I definitely don't want any issues down the line.

.

As it stands, I was a bit worried I might get one because of knock knees. NHS should be my next stop on this.

[Boofle999 Graduate]

I agree that a visit to the doctor is probably appropriate, however from a non medical perspective, and my experience only, but I had knee issues in Week 3, pushed on through Wk4 but had to take a week off before Wk 5 as they were really painful. By the end of the week off they felt a lot better, I bought some knee supports from Amazon and started back in on Wk 5 and they have been absolutely fine, hardly any pain at all, just a small twinge, but I don't think I had the support tight enough. I have continued to use the supports and am now on Wk 6, they seem to have worked for me. I don't intend to use them forever, but for now they are allowing me to complete the programme - if I thought I was doing more damage I would stop, but my knees feel a lot better and stronger so will stick with them for now. As I said though, just my experience, there is no substitute for official medical advice, hope you find a solution :o)

[theoldfellow in reply to Boofle999]

We all develop more muscle, and stronger tendons as we grow as runners, well any athletics. Some of those muscles stabilise our joints as well as providing the motive power. If you are fortunate to have well developed joints and the development of the muscles proceeds evenly, then there is no need for more than the exercise itself, and the ability will come along in due course. This is the case for 85% (guess) of C25K graduates.

Where I was worried about the question that nchunc asked was that bit about knock knees. And that's the reason why I think a quick check with the medic is appropriate.

My C25K was like yours, uneventful apart from the 'growing' pains, but when I pushed on the faster, longer, and most important: not-flat runs, then I found I could easily damage my knees. But as you say, we are all different, and my experience will not necessarily be applicable.

[Boofle999 Graduate in reply to theoldfellow]

Absolutely agree that any kind of issue such as knock knees should be checked out by a doctor, this was sound advice. Glad to hear that you have had an uneventful C25K, I'm doing better than I was in terms of aches and pains, hopefully this means that my body is accepting that it is going to turn into a running machine at some point! :o)

[nchunc Graduate in reply to Boofle999]

Keep On, Keepin' On! Hope it would be uneventful for you too.

Thanks for the suggestions above.