Running is among the most cost-effective, easiest, and accessible forms of exercise. You don’t need a lot of equipment and you can do it almost anywhere, anytime. However, we know that like any high-intensity exercise, running comes with risks and one of them is developing the runner’s knee.
What is runner’s knee?
Right off the bat, it is worth mentioning that runner’s knee isn’t just a problem specific to runners. Rather, runner’s knee is a broad term used to refer to the pain you feel in your knees.
Medically speaking, runner’s knee is known as patellofemoral pain syndrome. In this condition, patients feel dull pain behind or around the patella or kneecap. Pain can be felt when you walk, climb or descend from the stairs, kneel, squat, run, sit, stand, and bend the knee for a long period of time.
What causes runner’s knee?
Runner’s knee may develop when the soft tissue, cartilage, or tendons in your knee are irritated, injured, or strained. The following can increase your chance of developing a runner’s knee:
- Overuse of the knee without enough rest – you may develop runner’s knee when you don’t continuously use your knees without any rest interval.
- Trauma to the knee – trauma may happen when your knee is hit by a blunt object.
- Any misalignment of your bones from your hips to the ankles – when you have an existing anatomical abnormality, there could be a disproportional distribution of weight to your lower extremities. This too could lead to runner’s knee.
- Unbalanced or weak thigh muscles – your knees are supported by your muscles. If you have weak muscles or the power of your thigh muscles aren’t balanced, then your knees receive undue pressure and eventually get injured.
How is runner’s knee treated?
The most common way to treat a runner’s knee is to simply give your knee a rest. Depending on your health condition, rest may last for a few days to a few weeks.
You can start by minimising physical activities. If that’s not enough, you might consider giving your knee a complete rest or check sports injury rehabilitation techniques from qualified professionals to learn more.
Aside from rest, you can apply cold and hot compresses. Wrapping your knee with the use of elastic bandage, sleeves, or patellar straps could also help. When you lie or sit down, use a pillow to elevate your legs.
How physiotherapy can help?
Physiotherapy is among the best treatment modalities for runner’s knee. It is safe, non-invasive, and effective. With physiotherapy, you don’t have to resort to steroid injections or surgeries.
Physiotherapists are highly trained to analyze your posture and body alignment. They can easily identify possible causes of runner’s knee and start treatment immediately.
Moreover, you get to know important exercises to strengthen your muscles and joint tissues to prevent runner’s knee in the future. Physiotherapists offer health education to help you learn how to properly perform various physical activities and exercises.
In some cases, physiotherapists would also prescribe foot orthotics when necessary. Foot orthotics help in correcting biomechanical foot issues. It’s a great way to heal a runner’s foot and prevent it from coming back.
There are various physiotherapy treatment modalities that could help. These include manual therapy, sports rehabilitation, osteopathy, and dry needling Dubai services, to name a few. A combination of these techniques will surely help improve your condition.
Looking for the right help
Now that you have a better idea of what runner’s knee is, it is time to get the right help. This is where Scandinavian Physiotherapy Center comes in. The leading Dubai physiotherapy clinic has already helped thousands of people recover from musculoskeletal injuries and have kept a lot of them healthy. They will not just manage your runner’s knee, but also assist you in achieving a stronger body. Give them a call today and see for yourself how they can improve your overall wellness level.
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