Is running good for you - what about my knees?

My Morning Running Track

I took up running last year because I used to be able to and at 53 thought I was too young to give up hope of doing it again.  Five years before, I’d heard of the Couch to 5K app and thought I didn’t need it because I could run 5K.  To prove it I got up and ran 5K - no poxy warm-ups and cool downs needed for me!  I then couldn’t walk for a whole week.  Once I’d recovered, thinking it would be easier this time, my knees hurt so much after only 10 metres I decided they just weren’t up to it any more.

Roll on a few years and I am still wistful that my knees have had it.  However, I am blessed to be surrounded by inspirational women.  One of my neighbours ran the London Marathon the year of her 50th birthday and another friend with 4 young children managed to find time to train for it and run it for a charity which supported a friend who lost her baby.  Another neighbour told me I should give the NHS Couch to 5K app a go.  Since its launch in 2016 it has had seven million downloads.

I listened to the wonderfully uplifting book Running Like a Girl by Alexandra Heminsley and decided I wanted in on this running thing and if my knees were going to be a problem then maybe I should give the Couch to 5K app a go.  Their claim of “offering support, motivation and a friendly voice to keep you going - no matter where you are on your journey.” was spot on and I am indebted to Steve Cram for getting me back into my trainers again.

So is running good for you?

It turns out my knees are just fine.  Taking it steady, building gradually, there was a week near the beginning where they were a bit sore but now, so long as I get out there three times a week - and it has to be running as walking doesn’t use the muscles in the same way - I don’t feel any pain.

This has taken YEARS off me. Knowing I can run if I need to get somewhere faster or further is enormously liberating.  Alexandra Heminsley’s book crucially contains lots of information about boobs, periods, hips and toilet breaks all wrapped up in the witty and wonderful story of her journey from the couch.  It reminded me of this heartbreaking Always advert.

How can Homeopathy help?

I'm off to help WildFox Adventures who organise the Glencoe Marathon this week and am excited to meet some braver runners than me! I've been along the route on a bicycle and it was very rugged and steep! It got me thinking what remedies would be helpful if I were running this.

Arnica

If you've had a fall nothing is better than Arnica for taking the shock out of the situation and letting the body get on with fixing itself. In my experience homeopathic Arnica (not the cream) halves expected recovery time. Don't put the cream on an injury if the skin is broken as this can cause blistering.

Arnica is also great to help the body find the energy to complete an event. I always have it with me for long hill walks and find it works like a sit down, a cup of tea and a sandwich but without all the delay that entails. My good friend used Arnica in her water bottle to help her when she was swimming the channel and told me afterwards she was astonished not to get tired.

Rhus-tox

This is called the "gardener's friend" because it is perfect for tired aching bodies where you're as stiff as an old gate when you get out of a chair but you get quicker once you've moved around gently for a bit. Stiffness and aching can be much worse in the morning and evening but not too bad through the day. It's also great for when symptoms are better in a warm bath.

Ruta

This is good for tendons and smaller joints. So if you were to fall over and sprain a wrist I would use this alongside arnica. When the bones break the fine nerve-rich skin that covers the bones called the periosteum tears and pain can be excruciating but this remedy lifts it in a way painkillers can't. Ruta helps fingers, toes, wrists and ankles but if you have a sore shoulder or hip you're better off with Rhus-tox. Knees and elbows can be either. Ruta is great for big bursitises if you knock an elbow on a rock falling over.

Bryonia

I love this remedy. The pain when you have it is unbearable and people with this pain are often called The Bear. They want to be on their own in their cave where no one can touch them and make their pain worse. The slightest nudge or displacement can cause them to scream out. They quite often say they want to go home and are very hard to be around. Some Bryonia works like lifting a cloud from you.

Combination R Tissue Salts

This one isn't for Marathon day. It's better in the run up. If you're out training this remedy makes sure you have enough of the right minerals in your body to handle the extra stress you're putting on your body. It's called the Teething Formula because it contains all the minerals for bones, muscles and blood.

Mag Phos

This is known as "homeopathic aspirin" because it works in the same way. It is very like it's close relation Mag Sulph which is what Epsom Salts are made from. It relaxes muscles, reduces inflammation and helps you to sleep. It's basically a hot bath in a pill!

I now firmly believe running is good for me. It gets me outside three times a week whether I want to or not and every single time I get home I feel I can do anything for the rest of the day. I go gently if I'm under the weather and building up to something massive like a 10K. Maybe one day the Glencoe marathon but I've stopped thinking my 50s are the end of the road for me!

If you're reading this and thinking you'd like to give it a try I found the Couch to 5K app a really gentle and thorough approach. If what's stopping you is your health why not book an appointment and I'll see if we can get you feeling more like your old self again. I am tireless at helping people of every age get back on their feet.

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