Runner’s Knee: What It Is, How to Prevent It, and What to Do If You Have It

Runner’s Knee

What’s up, goal crushers – today we’re gonna take some time to talk about a pretty serious problem, and it’s something that you need to be aware of whether you’re going to be pounding the pavement or hitting the treadmill any time soon.

Have you ever heard of “Runner’s Knee?” If not, there’s a reason it’s named that: it’s very common among runners or anyone who engages in any type of exercise that has you getting up and bending your knees regularly.

What is Runner’s Knee

Doctors and physical therapists call Runner’s Knee, patellofemoral pain syndrome, or PFPS. It’s a painful condition, caused by irritation between your kneecap (patella) and your thighbone (femur). You can get it in both knees at once or just one at a time, and believe it or not it’s much more common for women to get it than men.

What Causes Runner’s Knee?

It’s kind of hard to say what causes Runner’s Knee in the first place. There could be a biomechanical culprit – if your kneecap is naturally misplaced, it might tend to rub and scrape more than someone else’s. Conditions like flat feet, high arches, and worn knee-joint cartilage can all play a role, but so can tight calf or hamstring muscles. If you’ve got weak quads, that can do it too. Finally, the simple act of running can trigger it, so it’s not like you’ve necessarily been doing anything wrong if you do have it.

Prevention and Treatment of Runner’s Knee

Good news is there are ways to prevent runner’s knee. Making sure you have a proper pair of running shoes for your gait and your foot type. Be sure to read: 8 Tips for Buying Running Shoes. Stretch out your calves and hamstrings before a run, get your quads in shape, and be gradual when it comes to your mileage increases and hill work. Finally, running on softer surfaces will help to minimize the chances you’ll develop Runner’s Knee. Maybe that treadmill isn’t such a bad idea after all!

If you already have Runner’s Knee, you’re not out of luck, either. You do need to take action pretty quickly if you don’t want it to keep getting worse, though – cut back on your mileage as soon as you start getting those twinges. Try to minimize downward slopes, stairs, and engaging in any activities that require bending your knees excessively. This means that if your bedroom is on the second floor, you might want to sleep on the couch a few nights to avoid going up and down those stairs until your knee starts to feel better.

The good news is that that swelling and irritation should begin to go away fairly quickly, especially if you keep from straining that knee in the meantime. If the pain keeps up, make sure you go to the doctor though – you might not have Runner’s Knee but something more serious!

There you have it goal crushers – a crash course on Runner’s Knee. Ever experience it for yourself? Leave a comment below with how you dealt with it! Until next time, keep crushing those goals!