If you’re a runner who suffers from knee pain, you’re certainly not alone. Many of even the most in-shape people will experience intense knee pain at some point, and when that happens, it could suggest that an adjustment to one’s running repertoire is in order. A new report analyzes runner’s knee, a condition otherwise known as Patellofemoral pain syndrome, and offers some tips on pain reduction. Hopefully, these can help runners move beyond such pain without the need for knee arthroscopy surgery or some other type of medical intervention.
Pain might start out mild, and as such, runners tend to ignore it until it becomes too much to bear. If you start to feel such pain, the first thing you’ll want to do is take steps to correct the issue right away.
What’s interesting about runner’s knee is that it can derive from any number of circumstances, and so you must first figure out what the root cause is and what can be done to remove pain. Tissue could be degrading in that area, impacts could wear down the joints and muscles, or a component of the knee called the synovium could suffer from inflammation.
Barring an exact diagnosis, the first thing you might want to do is take a closer look at your workout with an eye toward deducing when pain becomes common. For instance, does knee pain only spring up after a given amount of time? If so, you may need to shorten your runs. Or perhaps pain only occurs every few days, which could indicate that you should take a rest day between instances of running.
If you don’t carefully analyze the situation in this way, the pain can become worse, and eventually it will reach the point where your every run results in pain. If you’re able to make adjustments and you find that the pain has gone away, then you can slowly get back into a more intense regimen, backtracking when pain rears its head anew.
You can also look into the possibility of an anti-inflammatory medication. Ibuprofen should help, but make sure you follow the directives of the label. Ice packs might offer further aid. You can consult a doctor or a trainer for the best medication administration regimen.
The actual technique with which you run could also play a factor in your knee pain. If you tend to pound your heels into the pavement every time you take a step, this shock damage could take its toll on your knee. Instead, get in the habit of bringing your feet flat against the ground when they land. You might also be able to improve knee health when you limit the length of your strides, as larger strides could also increase the impact you feel.
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