From 5K and 10Ks, half, full, or ultra marathons to adventure runs and team relays, Idaho summers are chock-full of races. It can be tempting to register for as many of them as possible, trying to beat your personal record at each one. As you begin to tick off each race, your knees may start to feel tender. Near the middle of the summer, orthopedic surgeons have been known to encounter a plethora of patients who come in complaining about sore knees. However, rather than visiting an orthopedic surgeon, you may consider visiting a physical therapist here at Saint Alphonsus Rehabilitation Services (STARS)!
It may come as a surprise, but for a lot of patients misaligned or poorly developed hips are often the cause of sore knees. When a person runs— often without stretching properly after—their hips tighten, which in turn causes their knees to tighten as well. Imagine a car’s steering wheel—if the steering wheel locks, the wheels on the car are unable to turn. It is the same idea as with your hips and knees. So, while you are training and running races, visiting a STARS physical therapist can help loosen your hips and relieve your knee pain.
During an appointment, along with manual therapy, the physical therapist will often create an exercise and stretching program with you. You may only need an appointment or two in order to understand your new healing regimen. Soon enough you’ll be back on the course, training, getting PRs, and maybe even winning races!
To learn more about Saint Alphonsus Rehabilitation Services (STARS) visit our website at www.starspt.org or call us at 208 367 STAR.
