Knee Pain While Running

The knee joint is the weight-bearing joint of the body and also a complex joint in the body. Knee pain while running and jogging affects those runners who have started to run about 40 miles per week. To understand knee pain while running, it is important we learn about the anatomy of the knee.

Anatomy of the Knee
There are four bones which meet at the knee. The knee is a joint which joins the large bone in the thigh, called the femur, and the leg bone, called the tibia. The knee also joins the femur and the knee cap, called the patella. The knee joints have ligaments, tendons or fluid-filled sacs, and cartilage along with the bones.

Types of Knee Pain while Running
The amount of use the knee joint undergoes over a lifetime and various injuries lead to different kinds of knee pain. The different causes of knee pain while running are enumerated here.

Runner’s Knee: It is caused by imbalance of the muscles. Runner’s knee is also referred to as chondromalacia of the knee cap. The symptoms of this condition are pain around the knee cap and frequent cracking noises from the knee. There can be swelling and inflammation around the knee cap as well. This happens as the cartilage becomes soft and irritated. To heal runner’s knee, it is suggested to do a hamstring workout to strengthen the hamstring, quadriceps, thigh and calf muscles. It is suggested you change your running shoes to alleviate the pain and use shoes that have a better running mechanism.

Patella Tendonitis: The knee cap is connected to the lower leg by the patellar tendon. Swelling and inflammation of this tendon are caused due to overuse, which eventually leads to tendonitis. In this type of knee pain, the pain can be accompanied by swelling and it is felt just below the knee cap. Resting the knee and knee stretches help in strengthening of the knee cap and the tendon. Ice compressions also help to alleviate the pain.

Meniscus Degradation: The crescent-shaped cartilage, which is the shock absorber for the knee cap, is called the meniscus. Excessive overuse can lead to wear and tear of this cushion. For minor knee pain of this kind, Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) treatment is usually prescribed. In case of serious injuries, arthroscopic surgery might be required.

Iliotibial Band Syndrome: This syndrome is generally referred to as IT band syndrome. The knee pain while running is usually on the outside of the knee. The IT band extends from the outer pelvis region to the outer part of the knee. The IT band is the stabilizer of the knee. The pain is noticed when the IT band becomes short and rubs tightly against the bone of the leg, leading to irritation. This generally happens due to over-training. The pain is sporadic and disappears as soon as you stop training. Ice pack helps a great deal with this pain as well. It is advisable to reduce the distance that you are running till you fully recover.

It is important to check that your foot is not imbalanced while you run. Foot imbalance will lead to knee imbalance, which causes knee pain while running. Remember to train your quadriceps muscles along with the hamstring muscles. Weak quadriceps also can lead to knee imbalance. At the same time, strong hamstring muscles can also cause the imbalance. Remember, the knee joint is one of the most important joints in the body. Therefore, do not neglect any kind of pain in the knee. Have it looked at!