5 Effective Ways to Prevent & Treat Runner’s Knee

Knee pain is the bain of many runner’s existence.

It stops them dead in their (running) tracks.

If you’ve experienced knee pain while running, you know how frustrating it is – and you probably want to know how to prevent runner’s knee to avoid this pain, right?

Keep reading to learn more about runner’s knee, it’s symptoms, it’s causes, and most importantly: effective ways to treat runner’s knee so you can enjoy running again!

What is Runner’s Knee?

You may hear runner’s knee referred to as patellofemoral knee pain or  patellofemoral pain syndrome.

It’s a type of knee pain experienced by runners, cyclists and any other athletic endeavor that puts long and frequent impact on the knees.

Runner’s knee occurs when the patella, aka the kneecap, is out of alignment and rubbing against other bones or cartilage to cause pain.

Runner’s Knee Causes

Many things can cause the kneecap to become misaligned.

Some causes include:

Weak leg muscles

Specifically the quads and hips (but also the hamstrings and glutes too).

Bad Form

Incorrect running form can cause poor alignment. And poor alignment has a high likelihood of causing the kneecap to become misaligned because other forces are pushing it in the wrong direction…causing knee pain.

Worn-Out or Ill-Fitting Running Sneakers

Running sneakers support your feet and help you land in a way that best fits your body.

So when you allow your sneaks to wear out, your landing will be affected, likely causing a misalignment of your ankle/leg/knee, which (you guessed it) can cause runner’s knee.

Being A Woman

Unfortunately, women are more prone to this injury (especially if they have weak hips or quads).

Jordan D. Metzl, M.D, observes the following at Triathlete.com:

I see this condition in more women than men because of what is called the Q angle or the knock-kneed angle, which is caused by their wider hips and can result in overpronation (when the foot falls inward)

Jordan D. Metzl, M.D.,

Extra reason to strengthen those legs ladies!

Runner’s Knee Symptoms

Runner’s knee symptoms include pain located behind and around the knee cap, often experienced by runner’s during and after running.

Sometimes it’s a shooting pain but it can also present as a dull ache or constant straining feeling.

How to Prevent Runner’s Knee

Prevention is preferred over treatment (although for many runners, you don’t know you have a problem until you feel the pain).

Here are 5 ways to prevent runner’s knee:

1.) Avoid Overuse

Rules of Thumb: never increase weekly or long run mileage by more than 10% week over week.

Runners who increase mileage too quickly may experience knee pain because your muscles get too worn out to provide the correct support.

However, overuse can also be jumping into a training plan too quickly without building a proper base. Or overworking muscles during training.

Moral of the story: ease into any activity and only do the effort your body can handle at your current fitness level. This will help prevent runner’s knee (and a myriad of other problems too).

2.) Warm Up and Cool Down Properly

Running with tight muscles is one cause of runner’s knee.

To make sure your body is properly warmed up, do a 5-minute series of dynamic stretches or walking.

This gets the blood flowing and warms up the muscles so they’re ready for the movements and impact running requires.

Then, after your run, stretch it out!

Try these 10 Post-Workout Stretches for Improved Recovery.

Static stretching keeps the muscles from tightening up too.

Attacking tight muscles before and after running helps prevent runner’s knee.

Bonus tip: Add some foam rolling in too and you’ll improve your chances of avoiding tight muscles even more!

3.) Wear the Right Running Sneakers

One of the most important running tips ever: get fitted for runner sneakers!

Go straight to your local running store and ask to be fitted. They know their stuff.

Despite seeming easy, getting fitted for the right pair of running sneakers requires knowledge and experience.

Wearing cheap sneakers, or “any old pair”, that you grabbed without being fitted, won’t work.

Especially if you’re trying to prevent runner’s knee. Poorly-fitting running sneakers cause misalignment (overpronation or underpronation, etc).

So do yourself a favor and get a great pair of sneakers (and replace them every 250-400 miles).

4.) Do Strength Training (Consistently)

As mentioned under “causes” of runner’s knee – weak quads, glutes and hips are a major factor causing runner’s knee.

Strength training helps strengthen those muscles to provide better stability and reduce the risk of misalignment caused by weak muscles.

Try these 8 Strength Moves for Runners and get started immediately. Strength train 2-4 times per week for maximum benefits.

Watch this quick video to learn my 5 Favorite Strength Moves for Runners:

5.) Check Your Running Form

Bad running form will bite you in the butt. Well, the knee, in this case.

Read up on proper running form tips to see how you fare.

Alternately, get evaluated by a professional so you know exactly what to fix based on an in-person analysis.

How can bad running form cause runner’s knee?

Again, it goes back to alignment.

If your form is off, your muscles aren’t being used properly. Certain muscles are probably being used too much, or improperly, which can cause force on the kneecap, or mess with it’s movement. Which causes knee pain.

So focus on maintaining proper running form and you’ll improve your chances of preventing runner’s knee too.

How to Treat Runner’s Knee

Disclaimer: we’re not doctors or physical therapists, so please consult with a professional to see what is right for your body.

However, if you’re looking for some quick tips from running friends, here are our thoughts on treating runner’s knee if you’re experiencing it now:

1.) Stop Running

Yeah, I know. This one stinks. But seriously, let your knee heal before piling on the miles again.

2.) R.I.C.E.

A runner’s favorite acronym: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation.

This approach is applied to many injuries involving muscle inflammation (think sprains).

According to Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan:

As soon as possible after an injury…you can relieve pain and swelling and promote healing and flexibility with RICE.

Rest: This is hard for runner’s to swallow. We love running…and hate resting. But please, if you are actively experiencing pain in your knee, do not keep running. Let it rest and recover (or you risk injuring it further).

Ice: Apply ice to the knee to reduce inflammation. Many professionals recommend 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off. Additionally, icing is mostly recommended during the first 24-48 hours after an injury (then consider switching to heat, which increases the blood flow to help heal it).

Compression: Wrap the knee (lightly) with a stretchy fabric or bandage to compress it, which will help reduce the swelling. Don’t wrap too tightly or you’ll do more damage than good.

Elevation: Elevate your knee as much as possible. Try to keep it above your heart by propping your leg up on pillows. This also helps reduce swelling.

3.) Again: Strength Training

To treat runner’s knee, you must stop further knee aggravation.

Strength training helps stabilize the hip, quad, and hamstrings so you don’t continue putting incorrect pressure on your knee.

See the video earlier in this post for 5 incredibly helpful strength moves for runners.

4.) Know When to Take It Easy

Maybe you tweaked your knee again or feel it acting up? Learn to take your training down a notch.

When you’re trying to treat runner’s knee you must know when to take it easy. Because pushing it too hard when injured doesn’t do you any good.

So take a deep breath and dial back the miles, or the intensity, or the speed, or all 3 of those, and let your body heal.

5.) Know When to See A Doctor

Sometimes you need a professional.

If your injury won’t go away, or keeps coming back, schedule an appointment with your doctor or physical therapist immediately.

They’re trained professionals and can put you on a path to healing.

In Summary, Knee Pain Doesn’t Mean the End of Your Running Career

I hope this post highlights that you can do things to prevent and treat runner’s knee!

Don’t give up.

And above all else – when in doubt, see a professional.

Visiting my physical therapist was the BEST thing I’ve ever done for running. He’s helped me through various injuries and pains.

There is help, and there is hope – don’t let knee pain ruin your running fun!

Want some help preventing running injuries?

Want Help Preventing Running Injuries (like Runner’s Knee)?

Sign up for the (free) Runner’S Injury Prevention Guide & kick injuries to the curb:

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Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pronation_of_the_foot