Running knee injuries include runner’s knee, iliotibial band syndrome, baker’s cyst, and osteoarthritis. Prevention measures include stretching, strengthening exercises, wearing proper shoes, and reducing mileage. Treatment may include icing, anti-inflammatory drugs, knee braces, and surgery.
Knee injuries while running can affect muscles, tendons, ligaments, or cartilage. They can be caused by, among other things, overtraining, muscle weakness or tension, or poor running form. Some of the more common types of running knee injuries include runner’s knee, iliotibial band syndrome, baker’s cyst, and osteoarthritis.
Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the most common running knee injuries, so much so that it is known as runner’s knee. This pain around the kneecap is caused by irritation of the groove where the kneecap rests on the femur. Although the normal strains of long-distance running can cause pain in a runner’s knee, it’s more often due to tight hamstrings and calves, weak quadriceps, worn cartilage, or high or flat arches in the feet. Wearing shoes that are appropriate for a particular foot type, performing stretching and strengthening exercises, and gradually increasing the distance can help prevent runner’s knee. A runner who incurs PFPS can continue running, but should reduce mileage, avoid hills, and ice the affected knee after a run.
Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) refers to inflammation of the iliotibial band (IT), a muscle that runs from the buttocks to the knee along the outer thigh. This muscle can become stiff from lack of stretching or ill-fitting shoes, or simply from too much running, especially downhill. Preventive measures for ITBS include stretching and strengthening exercises and wearing proper shoes. Runners experiencing ITBS should reduce mileage, avoid hills, take an anti-inflammatory drug before running, and stretch and ice after the run. If symptoms don’t improve after two to three weeks, a runner should stop running and see a doctor.
Osteoarthritis, or degenerative arthritis, is the wear and tear of articular cartilage. It is a chronic condition that tends to worsen with age, but osteoarthritis pain can appear sporadically, depending on the severity of the condition. A swollen and sore knee may indicate osteoarthritis rather than other running knee injuries. Symptoms can be relieved by wearing a knee brace, doing strengthening exercises that target the muscles around the knee, and taking joint supplements. A runner suffering from osteoarthritis should run shorter distances at a moderate pace.
Baker’s cysts occur behind the knee at the joint. Also called popliteal cysts, these are fluid-filled bumps that can cause swelling and tightness. Runners and tennis players are the most common sufferers of a baker’s cyst. There is usually an underlying problem if a baker’s cyst is present, such as a cartilage breakdown or arthritis. The cyst should be removed by an orthopedic surgeon and the underlying problem should also be treated.
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