Runner’s Knee Pain: What Causes It and How to Treat It

Knee pain and runners is like peanut butter and jelly, like coffee and cream, ketchup and mustard!😆

Kidding, it doesn’t have to be this way! But bottom line is that it is very common. Knee pain actually accounts for about 40% of all pain reported while running.

“Runner’s knee” is a blanket term for pain in the anterior part of the knee, under or around your patella (aka kneecap). These diagnoses may include patellofemoral pain syndrome, chondromalacia, etc.

There may be several things going wrong if you are experiencing some anterior knee pain. The first problem could be your running form itself!

A common error of runners is your foot landing out in front of you, often referred to as break landing or over-striding. The foot landing out in front of you causes increased force to be sent through the knee joint which creates pain. In proper running form the foot lands underneath your body, allowing the whole lower extremity to absorb that force, instead of just the knee joint.

If you are new to running or even just want a refresher, you may want to get your form checked out by a qualified professional, and we love doing this at Mission Move!

Another issue that may be contributing to knee pain is the lack of range of motion in the joint. There are so many benefits to having full knee range of motion, and strength within that range to back it up! Building both range of motion and strength can take time, but we promise you the pay-off of having no knee pain, improved performance, and confidence in the abilities of your body are well worth it. Check out the video below for some specific exercises to get started with this! And stay tuned for more content about how strengthening your hips can also help get rid of knee pain.

Are you an active adult or athlete living in Roswell, Johns Creek, or Alpharetta, and experiencing some knee pain or other issue that is holding you back? Since 2008 our proven 3 step plan has helped people stay in the game and keep doing all the awesome activities they love. Please give us a call or text at 678-400-0300.