Runner’s Knee- Injuries Athletic Therapists Treat: A Monthly Series
Welcome to our monthly series!
Our goal is to share with YOU how Athletic Therapy can help you recover from common injuries you or a loved one may be experiencing. Each month will showcase and discuss a new condition athletic therapists see and treat each day
Enjoy!
Runner’s Knee
What is Runner’s Knee
Runner’s knee is a broad term for many repetitive and over-use conditions, but for this blog we will be discussing more specifically Iliotibial band Friction Syndrome (ITBFS), as it pertains to knee pain when running. With ITBFS you will have pain on the outside (lateral) part of your knee joint that is very common with runners. The iliotibial band is a band of connective tissue (fascia), that runs from your hip to your knee. It can become tight and rub on the outside part of the knee bone (femur), causing the knee pain.
What Causes Runner’s Knee
There are many reasons why a person may get ITBFS and it is important to see a health-care professional who will look at the body as a whole, rather than looking just at the knee, to find the actual cause of the knee pain. Some of the reasons why a person may get pain on the outside of their knee include:
Signs and symptoms of Runner’s Knee
Treatment of Runner’s Knee
Discovering & identifying the root cause of why you have ITBFS is the first step to recovery. Rest and/or modifying activity for the short term (swimming instead of running) may be recommended. Strengthening muscles, wearing proper fitting shoes & replacing your shoes regularly, taping or bracing for a period of time, wearing a custom orthotic, stretching exercises/increasing flexibility, and reviewing proper running form technique are all forms of treatment that might be beneficial. Your doctor may order an xray to rule out any bony abnormalities, and while it is very rare surgery may be needed for severe cases of runner’s knee. An orthopedic surgeon can remove or replace damaged cartilage and.or correct the position of your kneecap to send stress though the joint more evenly.
Runner’s knee is not something you can just google to find exercises for and fix. Rest may help in the short term, but will not fix the underlying cause of the knee pain. Going to see a qualified professional, such as a certified athletic therapist, to identify the problem and get you on a proper treatment plan is the only way to go. If you think you have Runner’s Knee and want to resolve it, contact us today: Contact Us