Running is an essential part of many sports, but what do you do if you suffer from niggling knee pain during, or after you run?
Pain when running can mean you are slower off the mark, can’t keep up with the competition, and ultimately end up sitting on the bench.
Many athletes do suffer from knee pain and knee injuries though, and it’s particularly common in certain sports like basketball due to the packed game schedule combined with lots of running, change of direction, and jumping.
Fortunately, there are steps that athletes can take to reduce, or even stop knee pain when running.
“Why Do I Get Knee Pain When Running?”
Knee pain happens when running during sports due to many factors. We treat athletes ranging from youth to elite level, every day helping them recover from various knee injuries, and every person is unique – however, there are some common triggers than can lead to knee pain when running.
Insufficient Rest
Knee pain can often strike because there is too much running and activity with too little rest and recovery. This is common during the season when you are playing at a competitive level, and the frequency of games can become too much for your knees to keep up.
The challenge for athletes is that they don’t control when their season is played, and therefore the athletes that manage and optimize their rest and recovery best, are the ones that will be able to play longer and run harder without knee pain.
Physical therapy can help athletes recover from sports using a variety of treatments such as massage, stretching, strengthening exercises, dry needling, cupping, scraping, red light therapy, and corrective exercises.
There are many treatment options that don’t include pills, injections, or surgery for knee pain relief when running, and our expert team can tailor a plan specific to you to optimize your recovery.
Running Style
If you have a history of knee pain that seems to be more uncomfortable or becomes a bigger problem when running, the issue may be your running style.
Running with improper or excessive form increases the likelihood of knee pain, so fixing your running style can address the root cause of your knee problems.
When your form is incorrect or you are using too much force, the muscles around the knee joint become strained and overworked. This leads to inflammation in the area which causes discomfort and soreness.
It also increases the risk of developing an injury due to the extra stress on your joints.
However, most people are so focused on treating the symptom (the knee pain), they fail to address the underlying issue (an improper running style).
Muscular Imbalances
Muscular imbalances in the feet, ankles, hips, and lower back can have a significant effect on the biomechanics, and in turn, can contribute to knee pain.
When these muscles are tight, weak, or out of balance with each other, your body will tend to compensate for the imbalance during running by making adjustments to the way you move. This can increase the strain on the knee joint, leading to pain and discomfort.
Therefore, it is essential for athletes to work on strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight ones, in order to address any muscular imbalances that could be contributing to their knee pain.
Physical therapy can help you find muscles that are weak and need strengthening. Making them stronger will help reduce your chance of getting hurt or having pain when running.
Bad Choice Of Footwear
If your shoes don’t fit right or are too worn out, they can cause pain in your knees when you run. The wrong kind of shoe can make it harder to move and this can lead to more strain on your knees.
It sounds simple, but consider whether your knee pain has started after a recent change in footwear, or if you’ve worn your current footwear for a long time.
Discover The Root Cause Of Your Knee Pain When Running
If you’ve been suffering from knee pain when running or playing your sport, and it’s affecting your performance, our sports specialists and physical therapy team can help.
We regularly work with athletes from a wide variety of sports and can provide an alternative to painkillers, injections, and avoid the risk of surgery.
Additionally, our sports specialists are not only able to help you reduce knee pain, but we can help you become faster, stronger and maximize your performance.
To find out more, arrange one of our Free Knee Pain Assessments by calling us on (609) 933-9922 to complete our simple inquiry form now.
You can also Arrange A Free Telephone Consultation where you can speak to us if you want to find out more without visiting our Cherry Hill, NJ Sports Physical Therapy clinic!
Get Your Free Knee Pain Report
Discover How To Stop Daily Annoying Knee Pain Without Sitting Out Of Practice, Modifying Exercises, And Without Getting Injections Or Wearing A Brace in my expert report which you can access for FREE – Download My Free Knee Pain Report
