Learn More About Runner's Knee in Vacaville

If you are an avid runner, then you may have experienced this knee pain condition at some point in your life. Luckily, it is not too alarming and it can be treated with simple solutions. If ever it hasn't affected you yet, there are ways that you can do to prevent it from happening.

The great thing about running is that it can provide you with lots of benefits. It can help beat stress and allows you to stay in shape while being outdoors.

Unfortunately, running regularly can put you at risk of developing knee pain. Over the past years, a lot of people have taken a liking to running, which means that running-related injuries in Vacaville have increased. Upon examining the injuries in marathon runners, the most common one so far was knee injuries.

What is runner's knee in Vacaville?

According to research, the condition known as patellofemoral pain syndrome (runner's knee) accounts for up to 25% of all injuries that develop in runners. This can cause pain around or behind your kneecap. You will start feeling the pain as soon as you sit down for a while with your knees bent. It can also be felt when you run, squat, or climb the stairs. The knee pain can either be dull or sharp and a popping or clicking feeling can be noticed on the knee.

At the knee joint, your shinbone and thigh bone come together. Your kneecap is aligned in a groove at the bottom of your thigh bone, and movement within the groove is known as patellar tracking. If your kneecap doesn't move too well in this groove, the bending and extending of your leg while running can cause the runner's knee.

Risk factors

These are some of the factors that could increase your risk of having runner's knee:

• Overuse - Too much running
• Trauma or injury
• Weak thigh muscles
• Poor flexibility - Tight thigh muscles and ligaments
• Poor kneecap alignment, which results in the wear and tear of the kneecap cartilage

Other knee pain causes in people who love running include arthritis, cartilage damage, or irritation of tendons in the joint.

Prevention

There are many ways that you could avoid runner's knee such as reducing extra weight to lessen the stress on your knees, gradually increasing your running speed and distance, and running on soft surfaces if possible. Make sure to also stretch well before you exercise and always wear well-fitted, quality running shoes.

Rest and rehab

One of the best ways to treat runner's knee is to simply take fewer steps. In short, ease off on running for a bit. You may have to reduce your mileage or temporarily switch to another activity like cycling or swimming. Elevate your leg and apply a cold compress on the joint for a short time after running to reduce your knee pain.

Another large component in treating runner's knee is through rehabilitation. People with runner's knee simply gets relief from the symptoms by doing exercises to address the issue. You can ask your physical therapist to create a customized program of stretching and strengthening exercises that are good for the cause of your runner's knee.

Other common treatments include the following:

• Wearing special inserts in your shoes
• Wearing a kneecap brace for support during activity
• Surgery to remove the damaged cartilage if other treatments don't resolve the issue

When you take the necessary steps to prevent knee pain caused by running, you can continue doing your exercises without a problem. Pay attention to the symptoms caused by your runner's knee and take care of it so that you can continue doing what you love - running.