Joint stiffness!

[Greer12]

I just started W5R1 today and was over the moon I did it as have had a few days off, what I have noticed as the runs are getting longer that my legs are really aching after a couple of hours after my run, am I not warming up and warming down properly? Any ideas?

[Beachcomber66 Graduate]

Sitting down tightens up the back of my knees post run. I haven’t found a way of stopping it after 3 years of running. I just get rid of it by exercising the joint; sitting on a chair with a folded towel under the thigh and steadily straightening each leg one at a time 15x3 times each. It seems to loosen things up a bit for me.

[Greer12 in reply to Beachcomber66]

Thank you, I do my run early in the morning like 06.00 and I work from home behind a desk so sitting, hence me doing C25K! I may just need to remember to move more often! Thanks for you help

[UnfitNoMore Graduate]

These are good aches, the muscles are recovering. All moving around you can do helps as it pushes blood with oxygen and nutrients around to the recovering muscles. I also work from home, and now have my computer at a raised level so I have to stand to use it... possibly a little extreme but standing is better for us than sitting.

[Greer12 in reply to UnfitNoMore]

For sure! I move quite often to be honest and my office is upstairs so that helps! Just would like the aches to go!

[UnfitNoMore Graduate in reply to Greer12]

My weakness is a lot of work is done via my phone, and then the couch calls me 🤣

I don’t suffer too many DOMS episodes now, unless I extend my endurance or push my pace. It will get better.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Stretching immediately after every run, nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/h... while muscles are still warm and supple, pulls out contractions, avoiding carrying tensions into the next run and also improves recovery by improving blood flow, as recommended in the guide to the plan.

Many people do not hold their stretches for long enough or put enough effort in. Hold post run stretches for 30 seconds and make sure the pull is strong enough to be on the verge of discomfort.

Keeping your fluid intake up to a minimum of 2.5lt per day, running or not.

Keep moving as much as possible both in the hours after your run and on your rest days will help avoid stiffness and aches.

[Mrsrun Graduate]

We use a foam roller here at home and all swear by them to roll out our aches. IannodaTruffe link is very good as well, stretching is the key. For naughty aches that insist on staying I use spray Arnica , it is very cooling and does the trick.

[Greer12 in reply to Mrsrun]

Thank you, will try the arnica, have done some stretching today and it seems to have helped, god help me after my 20 minute run!