It’s that time of the year again, the sun is out, the days are getting longer, and people are slowly coming out of winter hibernation. You slowly start to run again, but unfortunately, there seems to be a nagging pain in your knees! There was no obvious injury that you can remember – not a single incident comes to mind. A very common injury in this instance is runner’s knee (or more technically known as patellofemoral pain syndrome).
Symptoms
Runner’s knee will typically affect younger, recreational runners (although, an advanced runner who suddenly ramps up their mileage may also be susceptible), and women twice as frequently as men. Usually, pain is felt “behind” or “around” the kneecap. Things that make it worse are typically impactful activities such as running, jumping, squatting, and going down the stairs.
Causes
There are countless factors that can contribute to runner’s knee. For example, research shows that people who suffer from this injury typically are weak in their quadriceps and hip abductors, while being too stiff in their calves and hamstrings. As well, many studies are also showing that poor biomechanics could be the cause (i.e. you run weird!). Again, this is just to name a few potential causes for runner’s knee, and this list is not meant to be exhaustive.
Treatment
At Physiolab, we will complete a thorough assessment to determine the root cause of the problem. As mentioned above, there are numerous factors that could lead to runner’s knee. We will work with you and customize a treatment plan that is unique to your needs. The treatment plan may range from simple stretching and strengthening, to something more aggressive such as dry needling or bracing. It all depends on what your body needs.