This is a classic injury for runners (clue is in the name). The pain comes from the knee cap not sitting smoothly in its groove (the trochlear groove). Studies have found that a common link with runners’ knee is having weak muscles, two of which being weak quadriceps and abductor muscles – commonly people only focus on quads, but both are important here!
Causes of Runner’s Knee
- Overuse
- Direct impact (on roads mostly)
- It can be a result of overpronation or other problems with the feet. Overpronation is when your ankle rolls inwards when you walk or run due to collapsed arches
- Weak quadriceps and abductor muscles
Symptoms of Runner’s Knee
- Pain when bending knee, for example when running or walking.
- The pain worsens if going downhill.
Treatments of Runner’s Knee
RICE!….
- REST – Allow your body time to recover before going again.
- If the knee is swelling slightly, ICE gently for 20 mins 2-3 times a day
- Use straps, tapes or a knee brace to COMPRESS the knee. Knee braces are used to relieve the pain during the recovery period.
- ELEVATE your leg.
- Take Ibuprofen. The drug helps reduce swelling as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Use the instructions in the pack to know how much ibuprofen you should have.
- Stretch and warm up before exercise. Target the quadriceps and hip abductors here with clamshells and single legs squats.
- Orthotics – this can be seen as a short term fix. You don’t want to always use orthotics otherwise your feet can end up relying on them too much.
Prevention of Runner’s Knee
- Get yourself a good pair of running shoes – It is said that we should replace our shoes after using them for 400-800km. Go in to shop and get the right ones for feet rather than ones that go best with outfit – however tempting it is to get the snazziest shoes.
- Avoid road running – The road is a hard surface which means there’s greater impact on your knees each time you put one foot in front of each other. Trail all the way!
- Cross train – swimming or cycling are great exercises for poorly knees.
- Strengthen and stretch the quads & hip abductors
- Hill & stair training isn’t always good for the knees if you’re not properly prepared for the workout. Stay clear for the moment.
Exercises for runner’s knee
- Fire hydrants – Kneel on the floor on all fours. You then cock your left or right leg so that your thigh is left horizontal. Repeat the exercise for a set number of times. You can increase the intensity of this exercise by having exercise bands around your thighs.
- Single leg squats – Stand on one leg and lower your bottom to the ground in a squatting movement. Try to engage all of your muscles to ensure your body stays aligned.
- Split squat – Stand just in front of a chair, exercise bench or other similar object. Rest the foot on the object behind you with the sole of your foot facing the ceiling. Then lower yourself using your front leg. Repeat this for a set number of times. To increase the intensity of the exercise you can introduce weights by holding dumbbells in both hands.
- Side plank – Lie on the floor on your side with your feet stacked and your forearm on the ground. Then lift up your hips and knees from the ground so your body is in a straight line from your toes to your head. Hold this exercise for a set length of time.
More intense exercises for runner’s knee
- Double leg squat jumps
- Single leg forward hops.
