Knee Pain While Running?
BeachLife Physio • 22 May 2020
How to Prevent Knee Pain When Running:
Anterior knee pain
- Also known as 'runners knee': pain over the knee cap or front of the knee.
- Very common in running.
- Occurs when there is an increase or change in load (i.e. an increase in the amount of running you're doing).
- Multiple other factors are involved in why this may be happening, such as poor lower limb strength, poor movement control, decreased flexibility and running style.
Tip #1 - Modify your load
- Initially decease the amount of running you are doing to a load (distance, time or speed) you can tolerate without pain.
- Avoid running down hill and stairs, decrease your speed.
- Modify or decrease activities that put a high load through the knee joint, including going up-down stairs, doing deep squats and lunges, and heavy seated knee extensions.
Tip #2 - Reduce pain while running
- Run only a load (distance, time or speed) that keeps your pain less than 2/10 during running, and that settles quickly when you stop.
- One way you can do this is by increasing your running frequency, but decrease the distance or speed you run.
Tip #3 - Strengthening
- The main muscles that affect knee pain are the gluteals and quadriceps.
- Initially isometric exercises for these muscles can help to increase muscle activity while avoiding pain.
- Exercises can be increased gradually as pain decreases.
- Here are some examples:
- Sidelying hip abduction
- 1/4 lunges
- 1/4 squats
Tip #4 - Improve single leg control
- Hip and knee control is vital in activities such as walking, running and jumping.
- Ensure when doing exercises for single leg control that your hip, knee, and ankle remain in a straight line throughout.
- Don't let your hip drop out to the side.
- Make sure your knee stays in line with the 1st and 2nd toes.
- Here are some examples:
- Single leg squats
- Single leg balance
Tip #5 - Trial altering your running style
- Increase your cadence (step rate) by 10%.
- Ensure your knees aren't brushing together when you run.
- Staying tall/upright while running.
- If you continue to experience pain, a running assessment will be beneficial to you for individualised strengthening and technique modification.
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