Beginner's Fitness Programs

Because women’s bodies are designed for child-bearing, the hip joint angle is quite different from that of men. This puts more stress on women’s knees, and women have more knee problems from running than men do. The most common cause is patellofemoral pain (PFP). Basically, the bottom end of the thigh bone rubs against the knee cap and causes pain. Eventually, it wears out the cartilage and causes osteoarthritis.

To prevent this problem, researchers at the Department of Physical Therapy at Indiana University recommended that women strengthen their hip muscle groups, which may significantly reduce or even eliminate runners’ knee pain. One problem for female runners, especially beginners, is that they concentrate on running and totally ignore weight-training. It is very important to incorporate leg workouts into your training schedule.

Here are some of the hip-muscle exercises:

• Squats:
  If you have access to a gym, you can use a leg-press machine. To work more of your hip-muscle groups, you should put your feet higher than the normal positioning. You can also do regular standing squats with or without hand weights. If you want to challenge yourself, try single-leg squats.
• Abductor/adductor muscles
  If you have access to a gym, use the abductor and adductor machines. If you don’t, get a stretch band. Tie the band around your ankles and walk sideways to work the outside of your hip muscles. Then tie one end of the stretch band to a fixed object (such as a heavy table leg), and the other end around your ankle. Pull the band across your body so that you can work the inside of your thigh muscles in a standing position. You can do the same workout with a cable machine at a gym.
• Kickback
  If you have access to a gym, you can use the kickback machine. You can also use a cable machine to do the same exercise. Put your ankles in the straps, face the machine frame, and slowly move your leg backward. Keep your leg straight so that you are using the hip muscles instead of the hamstrings. You can do the same exercise at home using a stretch band.

Many physical therapists also recommend stretching the inner-thigh muscles. Since they are not easy to stretch, most people have very tight muscles. These tight muscles shift the position of the knee and cause knee pain. The best way to stretch the inner thigh muscles is to use a foam roller. Laying on your side, place the inside of the quad muscle on the roller. Roll up and down the thigh until either the rolling gets too painful or you feel the muscle relax. If you have not done this before, you will probably find it painful, but it is telling you that your muscles are very tight. You will feel less pain on the knee, once these muscles are loosen up.

Source: Hip exercises found effective at reducing, eliminating common knee pain in runners, study suggests: Indiana University 2010, June

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