Runner’s Knee
As the name suggests, Runner’s Knee is a common ailment among runners, but it can also strike any athlete who does activities that require a lot of knee-bending – like walking, biking, and jumping. It usually causes aching pain around the kneecap.
Runner’s Knee isn’t really a condition itself. It’s a loose term for several specific disorders with different causes. The most common official term is patellofemoral pain syndrome.
Runner’s knee can result from:
- Overuse – repeated bending of the knee can irritate the nerves of the kneecap. Overstretched tendons (tendons are the tissues that connect muscles to bones) may also cause pain in Runner’s Knee.
- Direct trauma to the knee, like a fall or blow.
- Misalignment – if any of the bones are slightly out of their correct position when moving – or misaligned – physical stress won’t be evenly distributed through your body. Certain parts of your body may bear too much weight. This can cause pain and damage to the joints. Sometimes, the kneecap itself is slightly out of position.
- Foot problems – Runner’s Knee can result from flat feet, also called fallen arches or overpronation. This is a condition in which the impact of a step causes the arches of your foot to collapse, stretching the muscles and tendons.
- Weak thigh muscles such as the gluteus muscles, quadriceps, or hamstrings.
Whatever is required depends on the degree of Runner’s Knee presented, and that is why it is important to have a team of doctors that is able to identify the root injury. At BBC Health in Lewisville, Texas, we know how to identify, treat, or refer in the proper direction for Runner’s Knee injuries. Contact us today to see how we can keep you running and staying active!
Author
Dr. Matthew Gilbert
