If you are active in cycling, biking, or athletics, you must know how to prevent runner’s knee.
Runner’s knee is a condition also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome or anterior knee pain.
With runner’s knee, you experience pain on the front part of the knee, known as the patella. Patella is the point where the knee joins the femur – the lower end of the thighbone.
Besides sports where hard runs and cycles are grouped, a runner’s knee could also be caused by structural defects such as weak thigh muscles, tight hamstrings, tight Achilles tendons, a high kneecap, poor foot support, and excess training or injury.
Research indicates that runner’s knee contributes present in 16.5% of injuries reported by runners across the world.
Research further offer that women are more prone to suffering from runner’s knee than men. Obese individuals are also at higher risk of suffering from this condition because the excess weight builds stress on the knee joint.
IS IT OK TO KEEP RUNNING WITH RUNNER’S KNEE?
If you are into hard movement sports, chances are you could suffer from runner’s knee problem, especially if you are an athlete.
With this condition, the big question is whether you can still run. The answer to this is yes and no.
Some fitness experts say that you should not run to give time to healing when you suffer from runner’s knee.
Nonetheless, others say that low-intensity exercises and moderate runs are okay. The logic behind this is that it keeps the muscles active.
However, if the pain is severe, seek a doctor’s advice and keep off exercise no matter how moderate it is.
WHAT HAPPENS IF RUNNER’S KNEE GOES UNTREATED?
Learning how to prevent runner’s knee problem is critical. It helps address health fatalities such as arthritis, which develops if the runner’s knee problem is not treated.
If untreated, the runner’s knee begins popping or producing a cracking sensation in the knee, and it damages the cartilage of the knee in extreme untreated periods.
Also, not getting treatment leads to the complete dislocation of the kneecap.
RUNNER’S KNEE SYMPTOMS
Runner’s knee is characterized by tenderness or dull pain on the knee’s front part or sides. This is where the thighbone and kneecap meet.
A swollen knee is also characteristic of runner’s knee. The pain is felt when walking, bending the knee, squatting, or running. There is a cracking or popping sound produced in the affected area.
10 POWERFUL TIPS ON HOW TO PREVENT RUNNER’S KNEE
Runner’s knee is expected to happen the minute you resort to running. Learning how to prevent runner’s knee becomes paramount.
This is what you should do if you are suffering from runner’s knee problem.
1. PHYSIOTHERAPY EXERCISE
Physiotherapy exercise is an effective runner’s knee rehab treatment model. It strengthens the hip and knee muscles, thereby reducing pain around the knee cap.
It also improves the normal functioning of the kneecap in 6-12 weeks of treatment. Athletes who have had this form of rehab treatment stay for more than three years without any pain caused by the initial injury.
2. FOOT ORTHOTICS
Foot orthotics, according to research, is a comprehensive treatment on how to prevent runner’s knee.
Orthotics are special shoes or heels which orthopedic surgeons custom for a person and insert them. They treat runner’s knee and other foot deformities.
Orthotics are special shoe or heel inserts a doctor prescribes that are custom-made specifically for you.
3. WARM UP AND STRETCH
A light stretch and warm-up before turning to a hard run or any other exercise piles more stress on the knee. It is an effective runner’s knee exercise that keeps the muscles strong and flexible. This eases pressure on the knee.
4. KEEP YOUR BODY IN GOOD SHAPE
The right body weight is a good start on how to prevent runner’s knee.
A heavy body mass keeps the knees under pressure. When you run, the stress build-up goes extreme, and pain begins. Keeping your weight in check is a superb runner’s knee treatment mechanism.
5. GET CHECK-UP BEFORE YOU START RUNNING
Ian McDermott, a consultant orthopedic surgeon, advises that you get a full check-up by a specialist doctor if you have runner’s knee symptoms or before you begin running.
“Going hand in hand with this is getting a full and detailed biomechanical assessment with gait analysis, from a senior experienced, qualified physiotherapist or biomechanist,” McDermott advises.
This, he explains, helps how to prevent runner’s knee.
6. GET GOOD FOOTWEAR
Another great way on how to prevent runner’s knee is to get good footwear for running.
Many people do not know that what you wear during exercise has a lot of effect on your general well-being.
Orthopedic surgeons recommend you get the appropriate shoes for running. To get them, get in touch with a professional who knows about foot posture and the best shoes for a particular exercise.
7. RUN ON FLAT, SOFT SURFACES
The surface on which you step is a major player when it comes to how to prevent runner’s knee.
It is recommended that you run on a soft synthetic surface or the grass. Concrete and asphalt surfaces do more harm than good.
8. LEARN MORE ABOUT RUNNING PATTERN
The secret of preventing runner’s knee lies in a downhill run. Always ensure that your run assumes a zigzag pattern and not a straight line because it causes pain in your knees.
9. GRADUAL INCREASE OF WORKOUT INTENSITY
If you are used to doing one mile and want to go farther, it is all right. However, the track’s rule is to keep the knee safe, add the distance slightly and gradually so as not to stress the patella so much.
A gradual increase in distance is what will unlock your potential to cover bigger distances with no runner’s knee issues.
10. USE A KNEE BRACE IF YOU HAVE HAD RUNNER’S KNEE BEFORE
The use of a knee brace has, according to research is a major tactic on how to prevent runner’s knee.
Band bracing or a strap are both designed to ensure that the kneecap is relaxed and comfortable. They keep the knee in the right position.
The band brace deflates the pressure on the knee, which, in turn, does away with the pain likely to be experienced in this area.
Straps can be worn when running or cycling.
CONCLUSION
It is better safe than sorry, an adage goes. Preventing runner’s knee is an embodiment of this saying.
Knee pain can be traumatic in extreme conditions or with some injuries such as runner’s knee. The good news is that every problem has a solution. The solution for runner’s knee lies in its prevention, which is doable.
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