Have you ever felt a dull, aching pain around your kneecap while running or going up or down stairs? This is one of the most frequent signs of patellofemoral pain syndrome–more commonly known as runner’s knee. Finding effective runner’s knee treatment is essential to returning to your favorite activities.
Runner’s knee occurs when the tissues around the kneecap become irritated, leading to discomfort during activities like running, squatting, or even climbing stairs. At Kaizen Physical Therapy, we’ll determine the reason for your runner’s knee and then provide a customized treatment program to address your pain at its source–helping you recover faster and preventing re-injury.
Keep reading to learn more about why physical therapy is a great choice for runner’s knee treatment.
Why Physical Therapy Is a Great Treatment Option for Runner’s Knee
Runner’s knee develops when the kneecap doesn’t move smoothly, irritating the surrounding tissues. However, there are several reasons why this might happen. One reason physical therapy is such a game-changer for runner’s knee treatment is that we focus on figuring out the cause of the irritation and addressing that rather than trying to simply mask your pain.
Here are some of the common causes of runner’s knee and what physical therapy at Kaizen Physical Therapy can do to help:
Muscular Imbalances
When certain muscles are weaker or tighter than others (such as your leg or thigh muscles), they create uneven forces that can pull the kneecap out of alignment. This causes the kneecap to track improperly and leads to increased pressure and irritation around the knee joint, which, in turn, contributes to the pain and discomfort associated with runner’s knee.
Our physical therapists can assess the strength of your core and lower extremities, pinpoint any weaknesses contributing to your pain, and develop a targeted exercise program to address these imbalances.
Overuse
Overuse occurs when you repeatedly stress the knee without enough recovery time, often as a result of overtraining. The repeated stress leads to irritation and inflammation of the tissues around the kneecap.
Certain movements are more likely to lead to runner’s knee. Running is an obvious cause, but jumping and squatting are common culprits as well. It’s important to ease into new workout or training routines and perform cross-training exercises to keep your muscles balanced.
Our physical therapists can help you develop a training program that keeps your knees healthy and strong–without the stress of overuse.
Improper Running Form
Improper running form, such as misalignment of the knees or an excessive inward foot roll, puts extra stress on the tissues around the knee. This added strain can lead to uneven pressure on the kneecap, increasing the risk of irritation and pain associated with runner’s knee.
At Kaizen Physical Therapy, we can assess your running gait, pinpoint any improper biomechanics, and offer personalized suggestions for improving it. That way, you can keep running without worrying about pain and discomfort.
Runner’s Knee Treatment Here in Seattle, WA
If you love running, the last thing you want is to deal with persistent knee pain every time you pound the pavement. Schedule an appointment at Kaizen Physical Therapy to start addressing your runner’s knee today!
