The Scoop on Runners Knee

After hitting the treadmill or the streets for several miles you may experience the common tightness of your calf muscles and soreness in your hamstrings, but some pains are abnormal and shouldn’t be overlooked.

A common condition known as runners knee, chondromalacia patella, affects young, healthy athletes.  The pain occurs during and after your run and stems from underneath the knee cap.  For most, the knee cap gently glides up and down as the leg bends and can handle speed and distance.  However for those with runners knee, the knee cap rubs against one side of the joint and the cartilage becomes irritated and inflamed.

The good news is, the condition can be cured on your own, but time and patience are key.  It’s important to allow the knee to rest for several weeks to let the inflammation settle and depending on the severity of the damage, physical therapy may be needed.  An anti-inflammatory may be prescribed to ease the pain.  After a few weeks, once you’re ready to get back into your running routine make sure you start gradual.  It’s better to take the time off and fully take care of the problem than to keep working out and allowing the problem to worsen.