Running knee - what can you do if your knee hurts from running?

Author Gabriella Nagy | 2019.03.14.

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The good weather is here at last, which for some people also means getting their running shoes back on and hitting the city's trails. Unfortunately, this is when knee pain, joint pain and running knees occur due to sudden exertion. In this article, I'm going to write about one of the most common problems, the so-called „runner's knee”, which typically starts to cause problems on the outside of the knee after a certain distance has been covered.

Read the article by Gabriella Nagy, physiotherapist at BMM.

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How does knee pain occur?

Although the advertisements stress that there is no time for pain and that it is enough to rely on pills and creams to get better. I think the conscious person of today would like to look behind the scenes and find a real solution to the problem!

First, what is the part where the pain occurs? On the outer surface of our thigh runs a strong connective tissue plate (Tractus Iliotibialis) which touches the outer part of our femur (Lateralis Epicondilus) when we bend or stretch our knee. If the Tractus is in good tone it does not cause any problems by moving back and forth on the bone, but if it becomes too tight it can easily cause irritation, which leads to inflammation.

What are the most important things to do in case of knee pain?

Rest

In the first phase of rehabilitation the aim is to relieve the affected limb. So we need to stop the movements that cause knee pain for a short time. This does not mean, of course, that we have to do nothing for our recovery except rest. In fact, the real work is just beginning!

Relaxation stretching

One of the most important things is to start loosening up the tight tissue. Fortunately, there are many tools available today to do this. Various massage rollers, trigger balls. But here I would like to draw your attention to a mistake that many people make. I often see people in the classroom rolling the tape itself. Even though it is very painful. True „No Pain, No Gain!” but that's not the goal in this case. It is not the tape itself that is being rolled, as it is not a contractile element, so instead of improving the condition, we are actually doing more damage to ourselves. The part that we need to stretch and relax is the muscle called the Tensor Fascia Late (hamstring tensor), which is located on the front lateral part of our hip.

Strengthening weak muscles

And what caused the tension in the extensor muscle? In most cases, it can be due to the inadequate functioning of the muscles around the hips, the lack of stability in the trunk and the lack of a proper arch in the feet. Relaxation and stretching exercises should therefore always be complemented by targeted strengthening! For personalised exercises, be sure to consult a specialist (physiotherapist, rehabilitation trainer) who can guide you safely through the right exercises.

In summary, it is essential to fully address the „treadmill”:

• Sufficient rest before resuming sport
• Relaxing and stretching our tight parts
• Functional training for weak muscles

Proper warm-up

+1 TIP: We need to change the way we think about sport. The problem can be caused by inadequate warm-up, over-exertion during movement and lack of regular stretching. If we stop doing the exercises we learned during rehabilitation as our symptoms progress. If we carry on as if nothing had happened, we can almost guarantee a recurrence of knee pain.