What is Runner's Knee?

As the name suggests Runner’s Knee is knee pain suffered by runners. Rather than being a specific condition, runner’s knee can be one of numerous injuries. Essentially most runner’s knee falls into either anterior knee pain or lateral knee pain commonly experienced by runners. What Causes Runner’s Knee? Anterior Runner's Knee Pain Sources Anterior knee pain is pain felt in the front of your knee.  The most common conditions in runners are: Patellofemoral Joint Pain Syndrome Chondromalacia Patella Patella Tendonitis Knee Bursitis Fat Pad Impingement Lateral Runner's Knee Pain Lateral knee pain is felt on the outside of your knee. The most common cause of lateral knee pain in runners is iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome. What are the Symptoms of Runner’s Knee? As mentioned earlier, runner’s knee is not a specific diagnosis but rather a cluster of knee pain conditions suffered by runners. Therefore, by definition, runner’s knee symptoms can be described as “knee pain during or after running”. In most cases, they are overuse type injuries rather than acute trauma.  For more specific symptoms, it is best to have your runner’s knee professionally assessed to identify the specific injury. Until then, more information about the various runner’s knee conditions and their symptoms please click the link to the specific conditions. Patellofemoral Joint Pain Syndrome Chondromalacia Patella Patella Tendonitis Knee Bursitis Fat Pad Impingement Iliotibial band (ITB) syndrome. How is Runner’s Knee Diagnosed? Your sports physiotherapist or sports physician are experts in the diagnosis of runner’s knee. For an accurate diagnosis, please seek their professional opinion since treatment can vary considerably depending on the diagnosis. Contact PhysioWorks or Book Online What is Runner’s Knee Treatment? Runner’s knee treatment will vary according to the specific underlying condition. Some typical example of runner;s knee treatment can include the following: Immediate Injury Treatment Avoid the HARM Factors What are the Healing Phases for a Soft Tissue Injury? What to do after a Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain Acupuncture and Dry Needling What is Sub-Acute Soft Tissue Injury Treatment? Core Stability Exercises Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises Active Foot Posture Correction Exercises Gait Re-Education Biomechanical Analysis Balance Enhancement Exercises Proprioception & Balance Exercises Agility & Sport-Specific Exercises Medications? Heel Cups Orthotics Real-Time Ultrasound Retraining Soft Tissue Massage Walking Boot Electrotherapy & Local Modalities Heating Pads How to Strap an Ankle ITB Roller Joint Pain Relief Techniques Kinesiology Taping Neurodynamics / Neuro Mobilisation Prehabilitation Strengthening Exercises Stretching Exercises Support Brace Supportive Taping & Strapping TENS Machines FAQs’ about Runner’s Knee What is Pain? Physiotherapy & Exercise When Should Diagnostic Tests Be Performed? What are the Different Massage Styles and their Benefits? How Does Kinesiology Tape Reduce Swelling? How Can You Prevent a Future Leg Injury? How Much Treatment Will You Need? How to Stretch? Sports Injury? What to do? When? What are the Common Massage Therapy Techniques? What are the Early Warning Signs of an Injury? What Can You Do To Help Arthritis? What is Chronic Pain? What is Sports Physiotherapy? When Can You Return to Sport or Work? Why Does Heat Feel So Good? Helpful Products for Runner’s Knee Related Conditions Achilles Tendon Rupture Achilles Tendonitis / Tendinitis Adductor Tendinopathy Back Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain Bulging Disc Calf Muscle Tears Chondromalacia Patella Degenerative Disc Disease Facet Joint Syndrome Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) Foot Bunion Gluteal Tendinopathy Groin Strain Hamstring Strain Heel Spurs (Calcaneal Spurs) High Ankle Sprain Hip Arthritis (Osteoarthritis) Hip Labral Tear Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome Knee Arthritis Knee Ligament Injury Knee Meniscus Injury Metatarsalgia Muscle Pain: Strains or Tears Neck Headache Osgood Schlatter's Disease Osteitis Pubis Overuse Injuries Patella Tendonitis (Tendinopathy) Patellofemoral Pain (Kneecap Pain) Pinched Nerve Piriformis Syndrome Plantar Fasciitis Poor Hip Core Quadriceps (Thigh) Muscle Strain Rotator Cuff Impingement Rotator Cuff Injury Sacroiliac Joint - SIJ Pain Sciatica Severs Disease Shin Splints Sinding Larsen Johansson Syndrome Spondylolisthesis Sprained Ankle Stress Fracture Trochanteric Bursitis (Hip Bursitis)

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What is ITB Friction Syndrome? How to Treat?

Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome (ITB Friction Syndrome) is a common overuse injury which gives pain on the outside of the knee during and following running or repetitive leg activity.

Being an overuse injury, it is caused by repeated trauma rather than a specific incident.

It's common name is "Runner's Knee".

The ITB, or iliotibial band, is a long, thin band of fascia which runs down the outside of your thigh. At the top of your thigh it is attached to your Tensae Fascia Latae (TFL) muscle, and at the bottom it attaches to your tibia (lower leg bone) and kneecap.

Just before its attachment at the knee, your ITB runs over a highly innervated fat pad. As you bend your knee, your ITB tensions up and places more pressure on this fat pad.

What Goes Wrong with your Iliotibial Band?

Sometimes the TFL and ITB can shorten and tighten up. This can occur for a number of reasons:

• Poor biomechanics (running technique)
• Weak gluteal muscles
• Weak inner quadriceps
• Worn out or unsuitable joggers
• Thigh muscle fatigue
• Change of running time, distance and/or terrain

With a tight ITB, when you bend your knee the fascia rubs and compresses excessively over the fat pad. If this occurs over and over, as happens with running, the fat pad can get irritated and inflamed. This in turn causes pain and swelling.

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Treatment for Iliotibial Band Friction Syndrome

The aim of treatment is to reduce inflammation and, more importantly, correct the cause.

• Immediate Injury Treatment

• Avoid the HARM Factors

• What are the Healing Phases for a Soft Tissue Injury?

• What to do after a Muscle Strain or Ligament Sprain

• Acupuncture and Dry Needling

• What is Sub-Acute Soft Tissue Injury Treatment?

• Gait Re-Education

• Biomechanical Analysis

• Balance Enhancement Exercises

• Proprioception & Balance Exercises

• Agility & Sport-Specific Exercises

• Medications?

• Orthotics

• Soft Tissue Massage

• Electrotherapy & Local Modalities

• Heating Pads

• ITB Roller

• Kinesiology Taping

• Neurodynamics / Neuro Mobilisation

• Prehabilitation

• Strengthening Exercises

• Stretching Exercises

• Support Brace

• Supportive Taping & Strapping

• TENS Machines

Are you using an ITB Roller? 

Click this picture below for more info: