Running Knee Pain

Running Knee Pain

Running knee pain is not uncommon for runners of every ability.

Let's face it. As connectors between your upper and lower legs, your kneeshave to endure a lot of stress and friction.

So it is not that strange, that while running, knee pain or a knee injury can quite easily occur.

Common causes of running knee pain :

Iliotibial Band Syndrome

Medial Collateral Ligament Injury

Runner's Knee

Knee pain due to hamstring problems

Iliotibial Band Syndrome is discussed in a separate article.
Here I will cover the other three injuries.

Medial Collateral Ligament Injury

Damage to your ligaments can be amongst the most serious causes of knee pain and injuries for runners. Usually caused by twisting your knee if you lose your footing or get you foot caught in anything, such as a branch or hole, not only is this extremely painful, but can actually permanently affect the way you walk if left untreated, or continued running through the pain.

While you can technically treat this injury yourself, using the RICE system (Rest the area, use Ice packs on the injury, keep control of any tears or wounds with Compression and keep the leg Elevated to stop any blood pressure build-up), it is wiser to seek medical advice on this type of injury.

Therefore, discuss with both your doctor and physiotherapist about what treatment methods are best for you, which will normally be focussed on building your strength back up and concentrating on your quadriceps muscles, as well as ultrasound treatment. You should be running again in a matter of weeks (although it can be longer, dependent on the injury).

Runner's Knee

Another form of knee pain from running is what's known as "runner's knee". This happens when the joints around your kneecap don't work properly together, to allow your knee flexibility when running. The result is usually a dull, constant ache when running, or a sharper, stabbing-like pain instead.

To treat this, you can either wear knee supports, although these can often cause further problems, as they prevent further flex in the knee. More often than not, a visit to a sports therapist for physiotherapy is usually required. Making sure you have properly supportive running shoes is a good way to prevent this kind of injury.

Hamstring Problems

It's a common belief that hamstrings usually just affect the upper thigh area, but they can also cause behind-the-knee pain as well. Therefore, runners can suffer from these as much as the more usual sprinters or soccer players. They are most usually caused by a combination of a person's hip being straight while their knees are straight as well.

Treating a hamstring injury is quite straightforward, although it can sometimes be time-consuming to recover from. By using a combination of ice packs, stretching exercises and physiotherapy carried out alongside ultrasound treatment, you should be able to get back into running again fairly soon. The best way to try and avoid hamstring problems is to make sure you stretch properly, and both warm up and cool down when running.

Be Prepared And Enjoy Yourself

Although there are risks, like any impact sport, running knee pain and injuries don't need to stop you from enjoying your hobby. As long as you take the proper time to prepare for your exercise, and use the right equipment just like in any other form of exercise, you should be able to avoid any pitfalls. And if you do suffer any knee pain, by knowing the symptoms, you can treat it before any serious injury is caused.

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Running Injuries
Achilles Tendinitis | Black Toenail | Heel Spur / Plantar Fasciitis | Iliotibial Band Syndrome (ITB) | Nipple Chafing | Leg / Calf Cramps | Knee Pain | Stress Fractures | Shin Splints

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