Things Sore Runners Try

Happy Friday Folks!
The theme for this Friday 5, hosted by Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia, is "about us".
Well the thing about us lately is that we've both been hurting. No, it's not because we just finished the Goofy challenge which was 39.3 miles of pure magic..haha. We both have been hurting since RnR Vegas in November. I've had the whole knee tendonitis and IT band thing going on and Lacey has had a pain on the outside of her knee that's been slowing her down a bit.

Here are some common things we've tried and our take on it. Let us know what you think of these products.

1. KT Tape: I have read so many blogs where the runner has said KT tape saved their running career or they could not have gotten  through a race with out it. I had high hopes for this tape. Unfortunately this has not worked for me. I will admit that my pain may be more serious than what Kinesiology tape can fix. I have the opportunity to try out Rock tape but I have a feeling that will be no different.

2. Tiger Balm: This is an old remedy that has been introduced to us. My mom has used it on some sore spots and says it works like a charm. I will admit that it does sooth my pain for a bit.

3. Marathon Cream: My sister picked this up at the RnR Las Vegas Expo.  It is kind of like Bio freeze in that it gives you that tingling feeling but it smells better! Now of course it doesn't fix the problem, She is still having trouble with her knee but it definitely helps out alot during her run when she puts it on beforehand. She has it laying right next to her treadmill so she doesn't forget to apply it before she runs. Not only does it help runners, it can be used for all types of pain and arthritis. I think for the price it is very economical as well. A 4oz bottle is only $20. I do not think this is sold at any retail stores yet, but if you are interested in trying it go to
Http://www.marathonpainrelief.com and check out the testimonies.
4. Knee Straps: I picked up a knee strap before the WDW Marathon weekend. It said that it was for people who had knee tendonitis so I decided to give it a try. I did a trial run on the treadmill ( of only one mile) a few days before I left for Florida.  hen I put it below my knee it just slipped off. I put it above my knee like I've seen other runners do and that sort of put pressure on the muscle ( in a good way) to prevent in from hurting. I got through the mile with no pain and thought I had a winner. Unfortunately the strap didn't do anything for me on race day.
5. And  when we are not running, we have been stretching and icing and of course foam rolling and using the massage stick and all sorts of other massage tools we have. We've also been taking lots of Epsom salt baths too ( which prove to be more for relaxation then anything else).  
Lacey is going to continue to nurse her knee and rest and ice until Princess  weekend and see how it goes. I will be returning to the Orthopedist for another consult.  Other runners have suggested ART therapy for me, which I tried to have done at my Chiro last year but he wouldn't perform it because he said it would hurt too much. And just recently someone mentioned Dry Needling to me which I believe is some sort of acupuncture from the little that I've researched.
Would you try dry needling? What things do you use when you have pain in your legs/knees?

36 comments:

  1. I use KT Tape regularly. Rock Tape is really the same thing. Don't let anyone sell you magic beans there. I've also used knee straps. To be honest, I can't really state how one works over the other. I feel like both have given some relief, but once my IT band really starts in, the only thing that helps it is stopping.

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  2. Sorry to hear about your injuries. I've tried a knee strap below my knee and it worked for me for a while. I used it and then the velcro started coming undone and realized I didn't need it anymore. I must have built up enough knee strength. I'm not sure if I'd dry Needling. Sounds interesting though.

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  3. Im really surprised that your chiro wouldn't do art because it would hurt too much! It does hurt a little but thats kind of the point..then it will feel better after! I've tried KT tape and that helps for more minor injuries but not anything longer lasting in chronic in my experience. Good luck and let me know if you have more questions about dry needling!

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  4. Sorry to hear about your injuries. I can definitely relate to that, after having a bad knee injury for a while. I haven't heard of a lot of these things though, so I will keep them in mind for if I get injured again.

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  5. I did dry needling, it hurt more than anything I've had done, was horrible experience with no relief and bad side effects. I'm against it (though I'm open to acupuncture). My chiro does ART and Graston - which hurts (I highly recommend both) as well as assisted stretching and e-stim. If you've done trigger point on yourself (again, I'd highly recommend trying it), ART is similar but can be more painful. The chiro would push on trigger points/knots while you are moving as instructed to help loosen things up, break down scar tissue. Graston hurts more than ART, but both of them are tolerable for the length of time they're done and worth it (and the ensuing soreness) for a result. My DH who has a variety of knee problems due to past injury/surgery goes to the same chiro and finds it effective also. I've had massages that left me sorer than ART. I'd say at least give ART a try - the chiro could start and if it's too much for you, stop. Ask him why he thinks it would hurt "too" much. Good luck!

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  6. I like KT Tape a lot but I also have the (unfortunate?) advantage of having been taped a lot while I was recovering from a knee injury in high school. My ortho and PTs would tape me frequently for non-swimming workouts so I know what it should feel like. And I've watched the videos on the KT Tape website a bazilion times! Hope that both of you start to get some relief before Princess. I'm a big believer that rest and care can definitely help! -C

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  7. Sorry to hear about your injuries. My grandmother use to put Tiger Balm on us when you were younger. Also nice when you are sick - almost like a Vaporrub.

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  8. I like Rock Tape, but it's not a miracle worker for sure. It helps me when I'm feeling that first twinge from a possible injury. I've heard awful things about dry needling (and I love acupuncture)! I think ART is wonderful and I've had several injuries (mainly tendonitis related) that got much better after a tough ART treatment. It does hurt, but it's not unbearable (and most runners have high pain tolerances anyways) and it's so effective (for me at least). One other thing to try is Arnica cream. It's plant based and really helps with inflammation. My mom uses it for arthritis but it helps with any muscle or tendon pain.

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  9. I've never had to use any pain cream fortunately. Normally a good ice bath and foam rolling does the trick!

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  10. I'm a lover of KT tape. I've also tried Arnica which is also another icy hot type lotion but the verdict is still out on that one.

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  11. I've never used a pain cream, maybe that's where I go wrong.. I always run until my SHINS hurt.. its wierd.. it's my one running hang up everytime I try to train for a half marathon.. - www.domesticgeekgirl.com

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  12. My recent pain-plantar fasciitus has me trying everything known to mankind. rolling on frozen water bottles and sticking my foot in an ice bath fun times!

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  13. Rock Tape works so much better for me than KT Tape. I've done ART and it did not hurt as much as Airrosti, but both keep me loose and they got me running again.

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  14. Yuck, I'm sorry you're both experiencing so much pain :( hopefully you can find something that gives relief. I haven't gone any further than icing, rest and foam rolling yet. Oh, and I have a knee brace I use. I don't think I actually need it any more but I've still been using it since I'm kind of scared to stop.

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  15. I haven't had good luck with KT tape, either. Part of it is that I can't get it to stick that well, but I think most of it is that, like you, usually what's ailing me requires more than a band-aid.

    Good luck! I hope you get over these aches and pains very soon.

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  16. I've tried Tiger Balm, but I like BioFreeze the best for topical products. I've yet to try KT Tape; I have no idea where to put it - ha! I think, for me, icing and rest are probably the best things to do when something hurts. I hate to hear that you both are going through this right now, so take care of yourselves and don't do too much! Easier said than done, I know...

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  17. Thanks so much for this post! In addition to rest and ice (boo) I'm desperate to figure out what the heck is going on with my knee and how I can continue to run without pain. I've used KT tape in the past on an annoying foot pain (worked like a charm), just not for my knee. Truth be told, I have no freakin' clue how to put it on! But I would definitely look into some of these!

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  18. I've never used any of the tapes, I'm still skeptical about how can tape make you feel better? lol! I hope you both feel better soon! Keep on foam rolling!

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  19. Sorry about your injuries! that really sucks. I've heard of KT tape and have even gotten a sample but have never used it I'm not sure how I feel about it although I've heard lots of good things.

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  20. Biofreeze is my favorite for achy muscles. I use the 360 spray and it works very well.

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  21. I was obsessed with Tiger Balm as a girl b/c of the tennis pro that used to rep the brand. Now I can't remember his name... I think it works well, though! Toe caps are something I can't live without as a runner... especially for long distances.

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  22. I don't need these yet (knock on wood), but am flagging this post to come back to for when I do. I remember you talking about the marathon cream. Thanks for adding the link!

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  23. Oh, Girls, I've been hurting since Marathon Weekend, too! My massage therapist is helping me IMMENSELY but I'm going to check out some of the things on your list. Here's to us all being back to our old pain free selves soon!!

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  24. gosh, i'm so sorry that nothing is working for you ladies. i hope you both find the solution soon!

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  25. sorry you are both hurting - hope you find the solution soon. i have never tried any of these things or anything really, so i'm zero help!

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  26. KT Tape & Biofreeze are my best friends usually :)

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  27. Wow, not one but both of you injured. Hope you both improve soon especially with princess just a month away. Christine uses KT tape and I use perform cream for aches and pains.

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  28. I tried KT tape but didn't think it helped at all. The knee strap makes my ankle pop with every step. And, Biofreeze burns when I apply it. I need some new remedies to try. I do LOVE my foam roller.

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  29. I tried KT tape when I first came down with the tendonitis, but it really didn't do anything I couldn't tell any difference, even though a lot of people swear by it. I had a PT tell me that KT tape and braces are more of a mind thing for a lot of people and that is why they think they work. I can see that, the mind is a powerful tool:)
    Have you had a running or gait analysis done? I am wondering if just changing the way of your stride or how you hit the ground would fix especially the knee pain. It's not an easy thing to change, but it is doable. I have had to do this, and although it takes a lot of thought at the beginning and feels awkward, it makes a world of difference. Now anytime I get a pain or ache I just concentrate on changing what I am doing and usually the fix if not immediate, takes one or two runs. You don't need an analysis to change it, but if you can't pinpoint what you need to change and ways to do it, then having one and having someone else tell you what to do, can help.
    But I am really sorry that you are both having problems right now, hopefully you can all be healthy and pain free soon and your upcoming races will be AWESOME!!!

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  30. Ahh good luck with all your aches and pains! Y'all are rock stars for powering through though! I've always been curious about KT tape. It seems like there's no way it would work, but I mean people swear by it..

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  31. I use KT tape aka placebo tape...but I think it really helps. I have my trainer tape my toe before a big race. I think it brings me good juju....

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  32. Love your post this week. I like that you include options that dont work for you but others can consider and try to see if they work for them. Best of luck with getting out of the sore zone.

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  33. I am a huge fan of foam rolling! I need to use KT tape more, but I get rashes from the adhesive....so I use it sparingly.
    Hope you are both all recovered soon!!

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  34. No suggestions, but I hope you both get some relief soon!

    Jen@jpabstfitness

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  35. I have a sports med chiro. That has been my solution.

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Fairytales and Fitness is a personal blog authored and edited by us, Meranda and Lacey. The thoughts expressed here represent only our own and are not meant to be taken as professional advice. Please note that our thoughts and opinions change from time to time. We consider this a necessary consequence of having an open mind in an ever changing society. Any thoughts and opinions expressed within our out-of-date posts may not be the same, nor even similar, to those we may express today. Some links may contain affiliate links. Some links are just to pages we'd like to share.