Road running vs treadmill=knees killing me!!

I posted o the C25K fb  page, thought you guys c ould really help as well. Should I go back to the gym and do road work maybe one day a week?? I quit the gym to save money but I HONESTLY cannot do this w my knees feeling this way. I sat with frozen veggie on them tonight, helped. 


 Emily erThe Couch-to-5K Running Plan

Did up to week 7 last summer on a treadmill in the gym, no problems, started Week 1 on the road last week and can barely move my knees hurt so bad. Is road running that much harder on the knees????

32 minutes ago · Like · 

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• Magdalayne likes this.
• •   Meredith  Try to stay off concrete if you can. When I got off the sidewalks that helped. Stretch a lot after your run and on your off days. If you haven't been fitted for running shoes, definitely go. They are worth every penny. Also, make sure you are running mid foot and not striking on your heel. That can lead to a lot of knee pain. 28 minutes ago · Like
  •   Cathie r I ran through a park here the first couple weeks and the pavement killed my knees. Since then, I have taken it to the streets and sidewalks and have done fine. 12 minutes ago · Like
  • Emily er Its a neighborhood road out in the country, mostly asphalt but I think the older roads may be concrete. Maybe I'll try to stick to the side of th e yard. ?? 11 seconds ago · Like

I think you may need shoes that have more cushioning.  Check out this link that gives you the technical aspects of the shoes you should be looking at.  Also, make sure you get fitted properly - they should have a camera and film you running and then have a program analyze your form for the best fit.  

Edit:  Also make sure you are not extending your stride unnaturally (ie you should be landing with your feet right below your body) now that you are not on the treadmill.  That could cause pain too.  

Agree with the shoes.  If you haven't already go to a Running Store not a sports store to get fitted  as for the technical aspects of the shoes I wouldn't worry to much unless you are doing a lot of long distance stuff.  If you go to a running store they will make sure you have the correct type of shoe for your foot and stride.  once they narrow it down to the shoe type it becomes a thing of comfort, and don't let the fact that it is a speciality store make you think they jack the prices up, I paid the same at a running store as I would at Dicks for my shoes and love them.

As for the road versus treadmill for me there is a huge difference that is noticable for me.  I hate the dreadmill but think it has improved my pace as it forces me to maintain a set pace.  The treadmill I find easier on the joints as it has some cushioning when you land your feet, where the earth well not so much.

While running listen to your body if something is truely hurting then slow down a bit or tweak the intervals, thats what I did actually I never got passed Week 1 Day 2 of C25K  but I now run 5Ks.

Good Luck!

as they others said, shoes are a BIG DEAL.

Also, perhaps you want to start by just walking outside more.  Yes, the treadmill treats your joints VERY differently than concrete, asphalt and even a track do, so maybe doing more walking first will help develop the muscles in your leg to help absorb the shock of running.

You might also do your running on softer outside surfaces first, like dirt, grass or a track (though they post their own challenges - you get less a bounce off of dirt and grass, more tripping hazards - and the track just bores me to death).

Whatever you decide works for you, good luck! (and keep us posted!)

I had quite a bit of knee pain when I started running a year ago--sent for MRI.  Diagnosis:  arthritis.  Doc said running wont hurt it so run if I want to--and I do and did.  I think I've gotten used to it now and don't have much pain at all.  When the pain was bad, a nice soak in a hot bath right after the run worked miracles (the glass of wine helped too!!).

the TM is definitely easier on the bod, it will cushion your footstrike, and if you watch somebody run on one, you see the area below the belt bow down when the footstrike happens absorbing much of the shock.  the road, as you know, won't do that.  so when you transition to outside, you will have to take some time and ease into it, your body will have to get used to absorbing more shock.  that being said, i run more on the TM than i do outside, mostly for convenience.  but when i transition outside, i have to make allowances for the differences in surface.  best of luck!