Why do you run? Because it feels good. Because it relieves stress. Because it enables you to eat cake. Many runners suffer from achy knees. The majority of them are freaked out: can I still run? Am I going to have to switch over to swimming? Fortunately, most knee conditions aren’t going to keep you off the road for long. Here’s what you need to know about the most common knee injuries.
Runner’s knee
Where would it hurt?
Pain that feels worse under your kneecap after running and as you go up or down the stairs
What’s happening?
When the patella falls out of alignment while running, the cartilage underneath it becomes irritated.
Treatment:
- Mileage Reduction
- Cross-train with activities that do not exacerbate the knee
- Use ice for 15 minutes, five times a day.
- Take an anti-inflammatory drug
- Roll your Quads with Foam
- See a doctor if the pain continues,
Prevention:
- Power Train
- Regular foam roll
- The strain off your knees can be taken by shortening your stride. 170-180 foot strikes per minute are directed at
Patellar tendinitis
Where would it hurt?
Pain at the top of your shin and below your kneecap; it sharpens on the run. It hurts to go up or down the stairs too.
What’s happening?
The force exerted on the knee may often put too much pressure on the patellar tendon while running.
Treatment:
- Avoid running before you can do so free from pain; instead, cross-train
- Use ice for 15 minutes 5 times a day.
- A patellar tendon strap can minimize pain
- See a doctor if it doesn’t improve.
Prevention:
- Power Train
- Stretch your hamstrings and quads
- Regular foam roll
Iliotibial band syndrome
Where would it hurt?
On the outside of your knee. It’s normally five minutes into a run, and when you’re done, it subsides.
What’s happening?
Crossing the knee joint, the iliotibial band (ITB) extends from your hip to your knee. Between the outside of your femur and the ITB, above your knee, lies a fluid-filled sac called the bursa. The bursa gets squeezed, causing pain when the ITB is tight.
Treatment:
- Unless pain forces a shift in your form, you can run. Reduce your cross-train and mileage
- Roll your ITB with foam on the soft part of your outer thigh
- Wear motion-control shoes when you overpronate,
- If it continues, see the doctor
Prevention:
- keep your glute and core muscles strong
- Foam roll your ITB daily
- A shorter, faster stride would help. 170-180 foot strikes per minute are good to aim for
Osteoarthritis
Where would it hurt?
During running or even day-to-day activities, pain, swelling and stiffness in your knee.
What’s happening?
The wearing out of hyaline cartilage allows the bone to grind on the bone (lining of the joint).
Treatment:
- Continue moving. Activity keeps lubricating the joints
- Take an anti-inflammatory drug
- Run on surfaces that are soft
- Visit a physiotherapy clinic
Prevention:
- Power Train
