Runner's Knee - Why Rest Alone Doesn't Work

Описание: You rest. You feel better. You start running. By mile 3, the pain is back. If you're stuck in this maddening cycle with runner's knee, there's a reason rest keeps failing: it's treating the symptom, not the cause. This video breaks down why your knee pain often comes from problems above (your hip) and below (your ankle) - and why understanding the kinetic chain is the key to actually fixing it.

🔬 WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
→ Why the rest-resume-hurt cycle means you have kinetic chain dysfunction, not just a local knee problem
→ The "train on rails" analogy - how your kneecap tracks and why it goes off course
→ VMO muscle shutdown: the reflex inhibition mechanism that keeps your stabilizing muscle offline
→ How weak hips above and stiff ankles below create the perfect storm for knee pain
→ The tug-of-war between your VMO (pulling inward) and IT band/VL (pulling outward)
→ Eastern medicine's channel theory perspective: Spleen deficiency + Gallbladder excess
→ The 3-stage recovery plan that rest alone completely skips over

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - Understanding Runner's Knee: The Frustrating Pattern
1:08 - Identifying the Cause: Beyond Training Errors
1:31 - Assessing the Knee: The Train on Rails Analogy
2:07 - Analyzing Muscle Imbalance: The VMO vs. IT Band Tug-of-War
3:09 - Investigating Upstream and Downstream Effects
4:33 - Understanding the Biomechanical Puzzle: East Meets West
5:43 - Implementing a Recovery Plan: The 3 Stages
6:37 - Viewing the Body as a System

🎯 KEY CONCEPTS:
Your kneecap (patella) needs to glide centered on its groove - like a train on rails
When your hip is weak or ankle is stiff, the "rails" themselves get rotated wrong
The VMO muscle pulls your kneecap inward but shuts off from reflex inhibition
IT band and vastus lateralis pull outward - when VMO is offline, they win unopposed
Western biomechanics and Eastern channel theory describe the same dysfunction
Stage 1 (Relieve) calms inflammation, Stage 2 (Restore) retrains motor patterns - this is the stage rest skips
Your knee isn't the problem - it's the victim of forces from above and below

📖 READ THE FULL BLOG POST:
www.mikeacupuncture.com/blog/runners-knee-why-rest-alone-doesnt-work

🏃 FOR ATHLETES:
If you're stuck in the rest-resume-hurt cycle with runner's knee - whether it showed up during your marathon training buildup or it's been nagging you for months - the pattern we discussed (VMO shutdown + hip weakness + ankle limitations) is incredibly common. But everyone's kinetic chain dysfunction is unique. The best way to understand what's happening in YOUR specific body is through proper assessment. I offer complimentary 15-minute assessments at my San Diego practice where we can test VMO activation, hip strength, ankle mobility, and trigger point patterns to map your exact dysfunction pattern.

📍 SCHEDULE YOUR FREE ASSESSMENT: www.bookacu.com

🔗 CONNECT WITH ME:
Website: mikeacupuncture.com
Instagram: @acupunctureathlete
Strava Club: www.strava.com/clubs/1048347

📍 ABOUT FUNKTION ACUPUNCTURE:
I'm Michael Cohen, LAc, specializing in sports medicine acupuncture for endurance athletes in San Diego. I integrate motor point therapy, trigger point release, and traditional channel theory to help runners, marathoners, and triathletes recover faster and prevent injuries. Runner's knee is one of the most common patterns I treat - the kinetic chain dysfunction pathway responds incredibly well to motor point retraining combined with channel balancing.

Practice location: Kearny Mesa/Central San Diego | Weekend appointments available

🎬 CONTENT CREATION:
Created with AI assistance (Claude AI & Google NotebookLM). All clinical insights and Eastern medicine perspectives from Michael Cohen, LAc, at Funktion Acupuncture, San Diego.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER:
This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Individual results vary. Always consult qualified healthcare practitioners about your specific situation.

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