Runner’s Knee – Diagnosis and Exercizes
Runner’s Knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome is probably one of the most common ailments that affects not only runners but any athlete who participates in sports that require a lot of knee bending. This covers sports such as cycling, walking, jumping as well as running.
At the bottom of this post is a great video that goes into runner’s knee in detail but first, let’s go over briefly what this condition is.
Although it sounds like a specific knee problem, runner’s knee is, in fact, a general term that covers several knee conditions that result from varying causes. Diagnosis of runner’s knee is not a simple matter and should be carried out by a professional.
CAUSES OF RUNNER”S KNEE
The main causes of this condition are:
- Injury – if the knee is knocked or hit directly
- Foot problems – overpronation (flat feet or fallen arches)
- Overuse
- Muscle weakness
SYMPTOMS of RUNNER’S KNEE:
- Pain when the knee is bent
- Walking downhill or down stairs intensifies the pain
- Swelling around the knee joint
- Pain in the vicinity of the kneecap, sometimes from behind the kneecap
- When the knee is bent, there is a sensation of grinding or popping in the knee.
TREATMENT FOR RUNNER’S KNEE
There are several treatments for this condition ranging from rest to strengthening exercises to taking anti-inflammatory drugs.
Here is an excellent video that goes into detail about what runner’s knee is and explain some of the treatments for it. It’s a long video (about 22 minutes) but if yuou are suffering from knee pain and suspect runner’s knee then I highly recommend watching it. I hope it helps. It certainly answered a few of my questions.
