How to Treat Runner's Knee

Runner's Knee's proper name is patellofemoral pain syndrome and occurs in athletes and hobbyists who enjoy activities that heavily exercise the knee, resulting in radiating pain at the site. Activities such as running, biking, walking, and jumping can result in Runner's Knee from all the bending involved. It's important to know that Runner's Knee is not a specific injury but rather a description of the pain. Several causes are to blame.

What Causes Runner's Knee?

A few common causes include:

• over-use and exercise
• trauma to the joint
• malalignment of the spine
• lose joints around the foot
• flat feet
• weak an imbalanced muscles (especially in the thighs)

Patients describe the pain in a variety of ways. Some say it is in the front, back, or around the kneecap and increases when the knee is bent such as when walking downhill or down stairs, squatting, jumping, or simply getting up from a chair. More severe symptoms include feeling or hearing a popping of the knee as it moves, or worse yet, grinding.

How to Diagnosis and Treat

An appointment with your doctor will include a physical exam and possibly an X-Ray, MRI, or CT scan to look inside the joint to further diagnose the cause of your symptoms and pain. It's highly likely that your body will heal the cause on its own when you address it with lifestyle change and attention. 

Use the RICE method

The RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevate) method is a very common way of treating sports injuries. To speed your recovery naturally, you will first want to rest the knee. Reduce or eliminate all the activities that aggravate your condition and allow the knee to rest, when the body does its healing. When you rest or sit, prop your foot and leg up to elevate it higher than your heart. This will relieve unwanted pressure and increase circulation and blood flow in the proper direction. To further aid your body in reducing pain associated with the swelling and inflammation of the area, you can ice it for up to 30 minutes every 3-4 hours.

Compression is Important

A support product can be an amazing addition to your treatment plan. A knee wrap or compression bandage is something you may want to keep in your home if you're vulnerable to this type of injury due to the activities you enjoy. Keeping your knee wrapped, especially during movement throughout the day, will keep the knee and its surrounding tissues warm, increasing ease of movement and reducing pain and swelling. This light compression increases circulation of blood, nutrients and oxygen, and promotes faster healing. Patients also express that wearing one keeps them conscious of the movements they are making, a reminder to keep proper form and take extra care not to injure themselves further. If you suspect that your Runner's Knee is somehow associated with your feet, you may want to purchase an in-sole product to offer them more support.

That is the extent of the least invasive treatment options you have available to you when you experience knee pain. These treatments should help you recover from Runner's Knee quickly, but in case you are in need of more options, here are treatments you can employ if weeks have gone by with little improvement.

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Medications

With your doctor's recommendation, you can take Ibuprofen or Naproxen, NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) that can provide occasional relief from unbearable pain. The reason you want your doctor's recommendation is because of the side effects associated, such as higher risk of obtaining ulcers and internal bleeding. These drugs should only be taken occasionally and any drug considered should be weighed heavily first and recommended by your doctor.

Can Physical Therapy Help?

Stretching and exercises can be beneficial to healing your runner's knee, but doing the wrong exercise or too much can severely set you back and if you want to apply this option in your treatment plan, look for a recommendation from your doctor of a local physical rehabilitation therapist. Physical therapy is often said to be the most important part of recovery from injuries, especially post-surgery, so do understand how valuable it can be. If your Runner's Knee is mild, however, it's not likely you would need this professional if you reduce your pain using the first non-invasive treatment suggestions and experience success with it.

Is Surgery Necessary?

Severe Runner's Knee sufferers can be good candidates for surgery. Recovery from Runner's Knee varies from patient to patient and depends on how dedicated you can be to your treatment. Never return to your previous work out routine or activity if you are still experiencing pain or you might injure your knee for the long term. Make getting your knee as strong as its opposite your goal and don't stop caring for it until it's reached that potential. It's possible to make a full recovery and important to research how to prevent future injury such as making slow transitions between exercises, wearing the best footwear, and avoiding exercise on hard surfaces.