Q: I recently started running and my knees are killing me. How can I stop the pain?

“Whenever your foot strikes the ground in front of your hip you'll experience a braking motion in your stride,” says Danny Dreyer, creator of ChiRunning and ChiWalking, two movement techniques influenced by t’ai chi. “This impact sends a shock directly to your knees, causing the pain known as runner's knee.” To avoid this, try tweaking your running technique:

• Shorten your stride and run at a cadence of 170-180 steps/minute. Over-striding is the main cause of knee problems. If you need help setting an efficient cadence, try using a runner’s metronome.
• Allow your entire body to fall forward so that you lean slightly from the ankles.
• Land with knees slightly bent in a midfoot strike, not a heel strike.
• Don't reach forward with your legs when you run. Let your upper body fall forward while your legs swing to the rear.

Got a question? Send it to halfQs@meredith.com.

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