How are your knees holding up when you run? Running is an enjoyable and healthy sport, but it can be tough on the body, including the legs, feet and especially the knees. You may feel fine during the actual activity, but after you stop, knee aches can chase you down, fast! Knee pain problems after jogging are common and can happen in one leg or bilaterally. The feeling may range from a minor knee ache to a terrible sharp pain. Knee aches and pains, as a result of running can last for a few minutes, or they can last for hours on end.. Regardless of your particular symptoms, if you experience knee aches after running, you probably just want some relief. Period. Knee pain issues can derive from a number of different conditions. These pain issues may come from a chronic condition such as degenerative arthritis, or they may be the result of a misalignment of the kneecap, a prior injury, or any number of troublesome conditions. Only a qualified doctor can definitively diagnose the source of your knee aches after running. But regardless of the particular condition, the root cause is likely to be stress on the knees. You can treat the symptoms with home remedies such as ice/heat or anti-inflammatory medications (all medications to be discussed with your physician). Question: Would it be preferable if you could stop the pain problems before they ever started? There are several steps you can take to make sure you are lessening the shock to the knee joint as much as you can. A.) Your Shoes : You should assess your footwear to ensure that it is providing the proper support for running. There are shoes designed especially for running that help keep the foot properly aligned and this, in turn, will improve your gait and help take some stress off the knee joint. 2.) The Surface You Run On : You can also try changing the surface you are running on. For example, many individuals go running on hard surfaces like concrete or asphalt. Running on these types of surfaces can cause a jarring impact to the knee with each step and increase the incidence of knee problems after exercising. Thus, consider running on a specifically designed track or on a treadmill, or even a dirt path instead of the sidewalk. 3.) Meaningful Support From A Knee Brace : Most importantly, though, to help avoid knee aches and pains after jogging, you should consider wearing a knee brace on one or both knees. Take this moment to think about it... Knee supports are available to anyone and they are something that you can use right away to help add meaningful support to your knee. Since they do not generally have to be custom made, you do not have to mortgage your house to afford one. A properly fitting, low profile support can really help you when you are out there pushing yourself to keep in shape. As a result, a knee support can help to reduce the likelyhood of knee pain problems. Supports can come in a variety of sizes and styles, several of which are quite compatible with running. The bottom line is this, you can hope your knee pain goes away, or you can do something about it. Whatever you choose to do, consider using a knee support because they are affordable and can greatly help reduce your pain because of the meaningful support that they can provide.