Pain felt in the patella and the front of the knee is generally referred to as "runner's knee" (kneecap). Although there are many types of pain and stiffness, they can become so severe that even the most basic everyday activities, like getting out of bed or climbing stairs, become unbearable.
That's bad, right?
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Find out what a runner's knee is specifically, what the symptoms are, and most importantly, how to recover from it and avoid getting it again.
There are different types of runner’s knee that you may encounter.
Several different varieties of runner's knee may be bothering you. The portion of your knee that aches the most can be isolated to determine your condition in the simplest way possible.
PFPS, or patellofemoral pain syndrome
The most typical type of runner's knee is PFPS, which is typically felt in front, behind, and below the kneecap. Going upstairs tends to make PFPS runner's knee more painful, although this discomfort often develops quite slowly and can become worse over months and years. You might find that sitting with your knees bent makes it worse, but standing usually makes it worse.
ITBS, or Iliotibial Band Syndrome:
You have probably heard about or perhaps dealt with this one. The massive, tendon-like iliotibial (IT) band extends from your hips into your thigh and knee.
ITBS can result from the IT band becoming inflamed or exhausted and causing discomfort on the side of the knee. When going down, ITBS hurts worse, and it typically hits more suddenly than PFPS. When your kneecap is firmly pressed into the knee, you don't feel any special discomfort, but you can have a painful region that is particularly sensitive on the side of the knee.
Patella chondromalacia:
The cartilage in the knee softens and degrades due to the chondromalacia patella. Probably behind your kneecap, near the front of your knee, you'll feel a dull, painful discomfort.
It's usually advisable to have a professional diagnosis before choosing your runner's knee treatment plan, so you are fully aware of the situation. Stop reading and make an appointment with your doctor if you're suffering numbness or tingling since they are not signs of a runner's knee!
At the SMC, we help our customers start a new day pain-free; massage therapy is just one part of what we do.
With tools like a movement assessment tool, a dynamometer for strength testing, and a body composition analyzer, we provide evidence-based care. These tools allow us to comprehend our patients' movements and strengths and weaknesses to treat the underlying issue.
Some of the most common reasons for runner’s knee include:
The kneecap acts independently of the rest of your bones, floating freely when you move back and forth.
The pain might result from any workout that requires repeatedly bending and flexing your knee. Other possible causes of your problems include poor technique, misusing sporting goods, using new shoes, or changes in the surface.
The runner's knee may also be brought on by patellar misalignment or inadequate kneecap tracking. When your knee is bent, your patella is forced out to one side of the trochlear groove and rubs against your thigh bone, putting pressure on the soft tissues and causing irritation.
Imagine the patella as a locomotive travelling along the trochlear groove's rails. The train veers off course due to some unusual mechanics up or down the track, putting tension on the side of the kneecap and inflicting discomfort.
Patellar malalignment is caused by several reasons, including:
Flat feet:
If you have foot discomfort when jogging in addition to knee pain, flat feet may be the cause of your problems. Without arches, a runner's feet will often roll outward, their legs will twist inward, and their knees will move uncomfortably and unnaturally.
Hips and ankles out of alignment:
Those whose bones aren't quite aligned properly may experience issues with a kneecap that moves excessively to the left or right or rises too high in the trochlear groove.
Weakness or imbalances in the muscles:
A muscular imbalance, particularly in the quadriceps and hip muscles, may result in aberrant patella tracking. It may be time to stop jogging and start strength training if you also have aching leg muscles and knee discomfort.
The Best Treatment for Runner’s Knee:
With a greater understanding of the type of runner's knee you have and the location of your discomfort, you can start to concentrate on finding a solution so you can stop sitting on the sidelines and resume your regular running schedule.
The two greatest ways to avoid developing a runner's knee are to make necessary form corrections and to strengthen your supporting muscles. Cross-training not only improves your overall athleticism and prevents injury, but it also lengthens and accelerates your stride.
Your best course of action for avoiding injuries and reducing ligament, cartilage, and muscle deterioration is sports massage. The SMC uses soft tissue and sports massage techniques on various muscle groups and will go through the advantages of the procedure with you.
"Runner's knee" is a simple word for a basic problem, which is an injury. One of the most common signs of a runner's knee is pain or discomfort around the kneecap. Most frequently, it occurs because the quadriceps muscles aren't coordinating properly. Running exercises that strengthen the quadriceps may enhance performance and reduce the risk of runner's knee.
The overworked quadriceps muscle groups must be massaged to treat the runner's knee. To relieve discomfort, regain mobility, and treat the quadriceps, the manual therapist may also extend and release the tendons around the kneecap.
In the event of a contraindication, when the message should not be given, we will advise delaying the therapy and seeking expert medical advice or performing treatment on other regions of the body that are not injured.
