Runner's Knee Treatment in Northern Indiana

What is Runner's Knee?

Patellofemoral pain syndrome, which is another name for runner's knee, is a dull pain in the front of the knee (patella). This is where the lower part of the thighbone (femur) meets the knee.

runner's knee

Runner's Knee Symptoms

Most people with runner's knee experience these symptoms:

  • When you move, you feel pain in and around the knees. Or pain from sitting with bent knees for a long time. This can sometimes make people feel weak or unstable
  • When you bend and raise your knee, the kneecap makes a rubbing, grinding, or clicking sound
  • Kneecap that hurts when you touch it

Runner's knee signs may look like those of other conditions and health problems, which makes it important to see an orthopedic physician for the proper diagnosis and treatment.

What Causes Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome?

Runner's knee can be caused by a problem with the way the knee is built or by the way a person walks or runs. Some other reasons could be:

  • Too high of a kneecap in the knee joint
  • Weak muscles in the legs
  • Hamstrings that hurt
  • Tight Achilles tendons
  • Poor foot support
  • When walking or running, the feet roll in while the leg muscles pull the kneecap out
  • Too much training or too much use
  • Injury

Runner's Knee Treatment

If you have runner's knee, the best thing to do is stop running until you can run again without pain. Some other treatments could be:

  • Ice packs
  • Putting the leg up
  • Knee wrap with pressure
  • Medications like ibuprofen
  • Physical therapy and stretching exercises
  • Workouts to get stronger
  • Shoes with arch support

Knee surgery is rarely needed to treat patellofemoral pain. It is only done for serious cases that don't get better with nonsurgical treatment.

How to Prevent Runner's Knee

To avoid runner's knee, you should not put too much pressure on your knees. This can be done by:

  • Losing weight if needed
  • Stretching before running
  • Getting more involved gradually
  • Having good shoes to run in
  • When you run, lean forward and bend your knees

If you have experienced runner’s knee in the past, there are other things you can do to keep the pain from coming back. These include:

  • Putting on shoes that are appropriate for your activities
  • Warming up well before doing something physical
  • Stretching and flexibility exercises for the quadriceps and hamstrings as part of your warm-up routine and stretching after activity can help your muscles stay in good shape
  • Getting more training over time
  • Trying to do less of the things that have hurt your knees in the past
  • Keeping a healthy weight to avoid putting too much stress on your knees

Runner's Knee Care in Michiana

At OSMC, our goal is to make sure that your knee gets the best care and treatment possible. Call us at (574)319-9994 or make an appointment online to see one of our top-notch doctors and get back on the road to health.