Tag Archive for: Runner’s knee

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Don’t Let Running-Related Pain and Injury Stop You 

Don’t Let Running-Related Pain and Injury Stop You 

It’s running season again, with several running events happening in Victoria between May and October. Significant upcoming running events like the Oak Bay Half-Marathon and the Victoria Goddess Run have many running enthusiasts ramping up their conditioning and noticing running-related pain as a result.

Addressing Pain and Preventing Injury Will Take You Far

While most running-related pain can be alleviated with rest, it’s never a good idea to ignore pain, especially if it persists and interferes with the activities you love. Addressing suspicious pain early on can prevent more serious damage and permanent injury. 

A Few of the Most Common Causes of Running-Related Pain and Injuries

Runners Knee: (otherwise known as patellofemoral pain syndrome) is an umbrella term used to describe one or more causes of knee pain. One of the leading causes of runner’s knee occurs when the cartilage of the kneecap is compromised, resulting in an aching pain that’s often accompanied by stiffness and a popping or grinding feeling when the knee is bent. Runner’s knee can also be caused by strained tendons from overuse or direct trauma due to a hit or bad fall. In addition, gait issues and muscle imbalances are contributing and aggravating factors. 

IT Band Syndrome: (which is often associated with runner’s knee), is experienced as a sharp, burning, clicking, or aching pain on the outside of the knee. IT Band Syndrome is caused by inflammation and irritation of the iliotibial band that runs down the outer part of your thigh, connecting your pelvis to your knee. Gait issues, muscle imbalances, overuse, and running downhill or on irregular surfaces are all contributing factors.

Shin Splints: describes that hard to mistake aching and burning pain at the front of your lower leg, which is caused by repetitive strain of the tibia and its connecting tendons. Contributing factors include gait issues that affect ankle alignment, weight, and running downhill or on irregular surfaces.

Nerve Pain with Sciatica: often experienced as a sharp pinching or shooting pain in the lower back and upper glutes that can radiate down the back of the thigh. Sciatica pain occurs when the sciatic nerve becomes inflamed, pinched or compressed due to a herniated spinal disc or tight lower back or glute muscles.

Plantar Fasciitis: a common running injury that results in burning or stabbing pain in the heel or midsole of the foot due to inflammation of the plantar fascia that runs from your toes to your heel bone.

Stress Fractures: a common cause of running-related pain and injury. Stress fractures from running occur when muscles become strained and cannot sufficiently absorb the impact of a runner’s feet striking the ground, resulting in small cracks in a bone. Symptoms include sharp pain and swelling that worsens during activity and often persists at rest. The contributing factors are running on hard surfaces, unresolved gait issues, poor footwear, and muscle overuse. In runners, the bones of the shins, ankles, and feet are most commonly affected.

Achilles Tendonitis: experienced as pain, tension, and stiffness of the back of the ankle and heel caused by inflammation of the Achilles tendon due to tight calf muscles, bone spurs, and overuse. Achilles tendonitis typically occurs when running distance and intensity increase.

Muscle Strains and Sprains: includes muscle tears and pulls that cause pain that persists despite rest, which can be accompanied by swelling, bruising, redness, weakness, and obstructed mobility of the affected muscles. Hamstrings, quadriceps, calves, and groin are the most common muscles affected by tears and pulls from running. 

Sore Hips: burning or aching pain and stiffness of the hip joints and surrounding area is often caused by muscle tension, overuse, muscle imbalances, and unresolved gait issues. In some cases, hip pain may be caused by stress fractures or cartilage tears.

Bursitis: caused by inflammation of the fluid-filled sacs (bursae) that protect the joints. Bursitis pain typically manifests as intermittent (flare-ups) of sharp, shooting, or aching pain, stiffness, swelling, and redness of the affected joints and is often a result of overuse injury.

There Are Several Things You Can Do Now to Prevent Running-Related Pain and Injury While Training

  • Take time to warm up, hydrate, and stretch before more strenuous activity.
  • Adequate rest
  • Proper footwear
  • Vary running surfaces (running on turf or softer trails versus road running to reduce shock on your joints).
  • Addressing possible gait issues, pain, past injuries, and muscle imbalances.
  • R.I.C.E.

How to R.I.C.E. Away Running-Related Pain

At the first indication of pain and swelling, follow the RICE method to help alleviate pain, swelling, and further injury:

Rest: Immediately stop the activity to prevent further damage.

Ice: If swelling is present, apply a cold pack in 10-20 minute increments (wrap cold pack in a towel to avoid causing ice burns to skin).

Compression: Painful joints can be carefully wrapped in a compression bandage to help with pain and swelling. Ensure you don’t wrap the area too tightly! Numbness, coldness, a change in colour, or swelling in the area below the wrap indicates your bandage is too tight, negatively affecting circulation. Compression should not be used over broken skin, while sleeping, or by people with diabetes or compromised arterial circulation without direction from a physician or health practitioner.  

Elevation: To help reduce swelling, use pillows to elevate the affected limb above the level of your heart. 

If Pain Persists

It never hurts to have things checked out by a health professional. Consider that catching concerns early and the right course of treatment can alleviate pain, prevent further injury, and improve your performance.

Treating running-related pain and injuries may include a combination of

  • Physiotherapy, 
  • Chiropractic care, 
  • Gait analysis and Customer Orthotics, 
  • Massage Therapy, 
  • Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy 

The proper course of treatment depends on the nature of the injury and what’s needed to alleviate pain, address muscle imbalances, and correct movement patterns to prevent recurrence and further damage. 

Take the Next Step towards Running Without Pain and Injury

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a novice runner, when pain or injury slows you down, our practitioners at Diversified Health can help. Take the first step on your road to recovery by booking an appointment with one of our practitioners today. Call (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. We offer direct billing and weekday and weekend appointments. Please view our hours of operation and location details here.

Adopting the right approach to your overall health and wellbeing helps ensure you’ll be able to participate in running events for years to come!

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Knee Physiotherapy: Why Ignoring Knee Pain is Foolish

Knee Physiotherapy: Why Ignoring Knee Pain is Foolish

Whether it’s an intermittent pain that flares up during certain activities, sudden pain with no apparent cause, or chronic discomfort that tells you something about your knee isn’t quite right; when it comes to knee pain, it would be foolish to ignore it. Here’s why.

Ignoring Knees Injuries Can Lead to Permanent Damage

It might be tempting to ignore a bit of pain and swelling and push on with the activities you enjoy, assuming your knee pain will work itself out. Athletes that tend to have a high tolerance for pain and discomfort can be guilty of doing just that until the pain and swelling interfere with their performance. There’s a difference between discomfort and fatigue that can be resolved with rest versus pain that indicates something is wrong. While it’s never a good idea to ignore pain, ignoring early indications of injury can lead to permanent damage when it comes to knee pain. For this reason, it’s pertinent to have knee pain checked out early so any issues can be addressed before more damage is done. 

To avoid compounding injuries, you need to know the difference between discomfort that can be safe to train through versus pain that indicates injury, warranting further investigation. 

Common Causes of Knee Pain

It helps to know the signs and symptoms to watch for that indicate it’s time to have your knee pain assessed by a professional health practitioner. Different types of knee pain can indicate different causes. Following is a list of the most common causes of knee pain, including Runner’s Knee and Bursitis, and the key signs & symptoms associated with each:

Runner’s Knee

Symptoms:

  • Aching, throbbing pain and tenderness surrounding the knee cap or the back of the knee
  • Pain that worsens during activities that involve repetitive flexion and extension of the knees
  • Knee pain after periods of sitting or kneeling
  • Pain in and around the knee when walking downstairs or downhill
  • Clicking or grinding sensation in knee joint
  • Swelling and tightness resulting in decreased range of motion

Causes:

  • Running on hard surfaces
  • Increased volume and duration of activity
  • Overuse from repetitive flexion, extension, and strain to the knee
  • Suboptimal body mechanics, muscle imbalances, or misalignment of bones
  • Gait issues and fallen arches
  • Physical trauma and injury

Osteoarthritis

Symptoms:

  • Chronic aching
  • Knee joint pain
  • Inflammation and swelling surrounding knee, especially in the morning
  • Reduced range of motion
  • Grinding or grating feeling in knee joint

Causes:

  • Overuse and injury
  • Wear and tear degeneration of cartilage inside knee joint

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Symptoms:

  • Chronic aching, tenderness, or throbbing pain in knee joint 
  • Symptoms can wane and flare-up
  • Moderate to severe inflammation
  • Symptoms tend to worsen over time
  • Reduced range of motion
  • When pronounced, difficulty walking or placing weight upon the knees
  • Crackling, grinding, or popping sound or sensation when bending and extending the knee

Causes:

  • Genetic disposition/Autoimmune inflammatory disease
  • The body’s immune system attacks the tissues surrounding joints, leading to damage and inflammation

Gout

Symptoms:

  • Symptoms tend to wane and flare-up suddenly
  • Pain may start in another joint before affecting the knees
  • Aching or burning knee pain and joint discomfort
  • Inflammation and swelling
  • Warmth and redness in the knee and other affected joints
  • Decreased range of motion
  • Pain and discomfort in other joints throughout the body, including the big toe

Causes:

  • Hyperuricemia resulting in the build-up of uric acid in the knee joints

Bursitis of The Knee (Prepatellar Bursitis)

Symptoms:

  • Symptoms can occur suddenly or progressively worsen over time
  • Discomfort typically affects the inner knee below the kneecap
  • Stiffness and pain when moving the knee and sometimes at rest
  • Tenderness, warmth, and swelling when palpating knee area
  • Decreased range of motion

Causes:

  • A Common overuse injury caused by repetitive strain to the knee joint
  • Inflammation to bursae (synovial fluid-filled sacs in knee join that prevent bone on bone friction and cushion joints)
  • Direct physical trauma to the knee
  • Repetitive motions and kneeling on hard surfaces
  • Bacterial infection or the results of autoimmune diseases including arthritis

Jumper’s Knee (Patellar Tendinitis)

Symptoms:

  • Knee pain that gradually worsens over time
  • Pain is typically felt in the front of the knee or between the kneecap and top of the shinbone.
  • Knee pain that may only be perceptible during or following activity.
  • Pain is often worse when walking or running on an incline, stair climbing, and jumping
  • Swelling, stiffness, and redness of the knee joint

Causes:

  • Inflammation of tendons
  • Activities that involve repetitive jumping, causing extreme contraction and extension wear to the tendon
  • Muscle imbalances and tightness in the quadriceps and hamstrings.
  • Autoimmune disorders or illnesses that affect circulation

Cartilage Degeneration (Chondromalacia Patellae)

Symptoms:

  • Chronic knee pain
  • Stiffness and inflammation of knee joint, resulting in a decrease in range of motion
  • Soreness and knee pain when palpating

Causes:

  • Overuse and wear and tear from repetitive motion and high impact activities
  • Kneecap misalignment
  • Physical trauma
  • Long periods of inactivity or limited range of motion

Baker’s Cyst

Symptoms:

  • Knee pain that can worsen during activity or when bending, extending or placing weight on the knee
  • Tightness and stiffness of knee joint, resulting in difficulty bending the knee
  • Visible bulge or swelling behind the knee

Causes:

  • Cyst formation from the build-up of synovial fluid inside knee joint
  • Inflammation of knee joining from overuse, autoimmune conditions, or injury

ACL Ligament Sprains or Tears (Anterior Cruciate Ligament)

Symptoms:

  • Acute knee pain
  • Difficulty bending, extending, or placing weight on the knee
  • Popping sound or sensation when bending and straightening the knee
  • Reduced range of motion and feeling of instability surrounding the knee
  • Sudden onset of swelling–sometimes extreme

Causes:

  • Strain to ligament during high-intensity activity
  • Sprains and tears to ACL ligament caused by activities that involve sudden stops, starts, bursts, jumps, and changes in direction

Torn Meniscus

Symptoms:

  • Knee pain, most notable when rotating knee
  • Swelling and stiffness of knee joint
  • Popping sound when bending or extending the knee
  • Difficulty placing weight on the knee
  • A feeling of instability in the knee joint
  • A sensation of something interfering with your ability to extend your knee
  • Reduced range of motion–especially when extending the knee

Causes:

  • Physical trauma caused by hyperflexion and forceful rotation or twisting of the knee.
  • High-intensity activity that involves sudden stops or changes in direction
  • Strain on the knee from heavy squatting and lifting

IT Band Syndrome (Iliotibial Band)

Symptoms:

  • Gradual onset of pain and discomfort that worsens with activity
  • Pain and inflammation following activity that doesn’t quickly resolve with rest and icing
  • Pain is typically concentrated to the outside of the knee or just above the outside of the knee
  • Pain can also be felt in the shin, thigh, glute, and hip areas.
  • Pain when bending knee via walking, climbing, squatting, or even bending the knee at rest
  • Warmth, redness, and swelling surrounding outside of the knee
  • Clicking, snapping, or popping sensation when bending and straightening the knee

Causes:

  • Inflammation of iliotibial band due to injury or overuse
  • Weakening or atrophy of surrounding muscles due to inactivity or injury
  • Muscle imbalances, muscle tightness, and suboptimal body mechanics resulting in undue strain to the iliotibial band
  • Repetitive activities that strain the IT band, such as frequent running on steep inclines and declines, squatting, and rowing.
  • Poor footwear or gait issues, causing suboptimal foot dynamics resulting in undue stress to knee joint and hips

Not all knee pain is serious, but ignoring knee pain can lead to severe complications. When adequate rest, ice, and elevation fail to resolve your aches, pains, and impeded range of motion, it’s time to have things checked out by a practitioner to determine the cause of your knee pain and recommend proper treatment. 

In most cases, unless injury warrants surgery, knee pain can be significantly improved with knee physiotherapy treatments, which may include a combination of physiotherapy, chiropractic care, kinesiology, and athletic therapy to directly address the injury, strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee, and correct movement patterns to prevent recurrence and further damage. Depending on the root cause and contributing factors of your knee pain, an effective treatment plan may also include:

  • Deep Tissue Laser Therapy
  • Graston Technique
  • Therapeutic Ultrasound
  • Athletic Taping
  • TENS Therapy
  • Shockwave Therapy
  • Gait Analysis and Custom Orthotics
  • Massage Therapy
  • Acupuncture

Determining the best treatment for your knee pain starts with a thorough initial assessment to identify the injury’s extent, root cause, and other contributing factors. Diversified Health’s comprehensive approach to treating injuries allows our practitioners to custom-tailor a treatment plan to each patient’s specific needs. Our in-clinic team comprises chiropractors, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, athletic therapists, registered massage therapists, and acupuncturists, working together to offer the most effective natural treatments for pain and injury. 

Take the Next Step

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a novice runner, when pain or injury slow you down, our practitioners at Diversified Health can help. Take the first step on your road to recovery by booking an appointment with one of our practitioners today. Call (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. We offer direct billing and weekday and weekend appointments. Please view our hours of operation and location details here.

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Runner’s Knee and Other Common Running Injuries: Know the Signs

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Runner’s Knee and Other Common Running Injuries: Know the Signs

Runner's Knee and Other Common Running Injuries: Know the Signs

Few things slow you down more than pain and discomfort from runner’s knee or other running injuries, and flare-ups can occur at the worst possible times. It’s common to ignore and push through the early signs that something isn’t quite right until the pain or interruption in mobility becomes impossible to ignore. To avoid compounding injuries, you need to know the difference between discomfort that can be safe to train through versus pain that indicates injury, warranting further investigation. Here’s a list of the early signs and symptoms of runner’s knee and other common running-related injuries to watch out for. 

First, Allow Us to Explain What Runner’s Knee Is

Runner’s knee, otherwise known as patellofemoral pain syndrome, refers to various conditions that cause pain in and around the knee cap (aka your patella). Knees are especially prone to overuse and strain injuries due to repetitive motion and wear and tear to the joint and surrounding tendons. Have you ever noticed knee pain or swelling after starting a new sport that requires sudden bursts of force, jarring stops, or rapid changes in direction? During these activities, the knee joint and surrounding muscles and tendons undergo repetitive flexion and extension. 

Other conditions such as flat feet, misalignment of the knee joint, and suboptimal gait and movement patterns can contribute to one’s tendency towards common running injuries, including runner’s knee, shin splints, nerve pain with sciatica, plantar fasciitis and 

Runner’s Knee Signs & Symptoms

  • A dull, aching, or throbbing pain that radiates around the knee cap
  • Pain in the back of the knee where the thigh connects to the patella
  • Pain that comes on suddenly or worsens during repetitive movements that flex the knees (e.g., running, cycling, climbing stairs, squatting, or kneeling)
  • Pain after periods of sitting or kneeling
  • Pain in and around knee when walking downstairs or downhill
  • Tenderness on and around the kneecap
  • Clicking or grinding sensation in knee joint
  • Swelling and tightness, or reduction in mobility of the knee

Contributing Factors

  • Obesity or sudden weight gain
  • Pushing yourself during a new activity, or when returning to an activity or range of motion you haven’t performed in a long time
  • Failing to warm the muscles up and stretch before strenuous activity
  • Incorrect form during exercise
  • Repetitive strain on knee cap/patella (e.g., kneeling, cycling, squatting)
  • Activities that involve overuse of the knee joint (e.g., powerlifting, football, skiing, etc.).
  • Sudden impact during activity (e.g., bodychecks, foot slippage on uneven terrain, falls, and wipeouts)
  • Direct trauma or injury to the knee
  • Fallen arches, high-arches, over-pronation, and other gait issues
  • Imbalanced or unconditioned leg muscles (weakness or tightness of quadriceps). 
  • Occupational injury 
  • Arthritis and joint inflammation
  • Overstretching the tendons and muscles surrounding the knee
  • Knee joint misalignment 
  • Incorrect footwear for the activity
  • Running on hard surfaces such as concrete and asphalt

Other Common Running Injuries

Running Injuries Signs & SymptomsAchilles tendinitis: Pain and stiffness in back of foot (along Achilles tendon) where ankle attaches to heel. Achilles tendinitis can occur due to repeated strain on the tendon during activities that require a lot of ankle flexion (running, squatting, etc.). Muscle imbalances and tight calf muscles can exasperate it. 

IT band syndrome: Pain is often felt along the outermost part of the knee and outer thigh. You can learn more about the signs and symptoms of IT band syndrome here.

Shin splints: Pain is felt along the shin bone of the lower leg and can be caused by a sudden increase in activity volume or duration.

Hamstring, glute, and ankle injuries: This can include muscle pulls, tears, strains and sprains, or pain due to tightness in the hamstrings, calves, or Achilles tendon.

Plantar fasciitis: Pain is felt in the heel and arch of the foot and typically worsens when the toes and foot are stretched upwards towards the shin and during the morning after strenuous activity. You can learn more about the signs and symptoms of plantar fasciitis here.

Stress fractures: Pain can be sharp or aching. Pain from stress fractures can sometimes be felt during activity and rest and is often accompanied by swelling. For runners, stress fractures most commonly affect the shins or feet and can be caused by overuse, sudden increases in activity volume and intensity, or direct impact from falls.

Nerve pain with sciatica: A sharp, shooting, burning, or pinching pain can run from the lower back or hip area down through the back of the thigh and calves. When runners experience sciatica pain, it’s sometimes the result of tight or inflamed glute muscles placing pressure on the sciatic nerve. You can learn more about the signs and symptoms of nerve pain with sciatica here.

Hip pain: Commonly associated with tendinitis due to repetitive strain of the muscles and tendons surrounding joints. Burning and aching Hip pain can also be caused by bursitis, which results from muscle overuse. More serious causes of hip pain—especially if the pain is accompanied by clicking or grinding sensation indicated cartilage tears. Muscle imbalances, gait issues, running on hard surfaces, and improper or worn-out footwear can also contribute to hip and knee pain. 

Effective Treatments for Runner’s Knee and Other Running Injuries

Regardless of what hurts and why, the most important thing to do is listen to your body’s signs that something is wrong. Pain indicates it time to pause, give your body time to rest, and consider having the pain assessed by a professional, especially if it returns. Ignoring pain can lead to more significant problems, while addressing the cause of pain early on can prevent recurrence and injury. 

But First, RICE

At the first indication of pain and swelling, follow the RICE method to help alleviate pain, swelling and further injury:

Rest: Immediately stop the activity to prevent further damage

Ice: If swelling is present, apply a cold pack in 10-20 minute increments (wrap cold pack in a towel to avoid causing ice burns to skin)

Compression: Painful joints can be carefully wrapped in a compression bandage to help with pain and swelling. Ensure you don’t wrap the area too tightly! Numbness, coldness, a change in colour, or swelling in the area below the wrap indicates your bandage is too tight, negatively affecting circulation. Compression should not be used over broken skin, while sleeping, or by people with diabetes or compromised arterial circulation without direction from a physician or health practitioner.  

Elevation: To help reduce swelling, use pillows to elevate the affected limb above the level of your heart. 

Pain and swelling that returns or persists after adequate rest, ice, compression and elevation, should be checked out by a practitioner to determine the cause and proper treatment. 

Determining the best treatment for runner’s knee and other running injuries starts with a thorough initial assessment to identify the injury’s extent, root cause, and other contributing factors. 

Treating Runner’s Knee

Treatment for runner’s knee may include a combination of physiotherapy, chiropractic care, kinesiology and athletic therapy to directly address the injury, strengthen the muscles and ligaments surrounding the knee, and correct movement patterns to prevent recurrence and further damage. A treatment play may also include:

  • Deep Tissue Laser Therapy
  • Graston Technique
  • Therapeutic Ultrasound
  • Athletic Taping
  • TENS Therapy
  • Shockwave Therapy

Treating Other Running Injuries

Treatment for running injuries may also include physiotherapy, massage therapy, gait analysis and custom orthotics for improper gait issues. For this reason, Diversified Health offers a comprehensive approach to treating injuries. Our in-clinic team comprises chiropractors, physiotherapists, kinesiologists, athletic therapists, registered massage therapists, and acupuncturists, working together to offer the most effective natural treatments for pain and injury. Our variety of treatment approaches allows us to tailor every treatment plan to your specific situation and needs. 

Take the Next Step

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or a novice runner, when pain or injury slow you down, our practitioners at Diversified Health can help. Take the first step on your road to recovery by booking an appointment with one of our practitioners today. Call (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. We offer direct billing and weekday and weekend appointments. Please view our hours of operation and location details here.

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Don’t Let Runner’s Knee Interfere With Fall Running Season 

Don’t Let Runner’s Knee Interfere With Fall Running Season 

The cool, crisp climate of autumn in Victoria marks the start of another running season, including local running events and marathons. If you’re just getting back into running, as you increase your training frequency, it’s essential to prevent injury by paying attention to aches and pains and addressing them before they become more troublesome. For example, here are the typical signs and symptoms of Runner’s Knee, which is especially common amongst new and experienced runners. 

What Is Runner’s Knee? and What Causes It?

What Runner’s Knee Is and What Causes It

Runner’s Knee is an umbrella term used to describe patellofemoral pain syndrome: a variety of conditions that contribute to pain surrounding the knee cap (technically referred to as your patella). The patella is prone to overuse injuries caused by activities that place repetitive pressure and strain on the knee joint and surrounding muscles and tendons.

Examples of activities that put stress on the knee are sports that involve lots of running and directional changes (such as soccer, lacrosse, skiing, and rugby), and activities that result in repeated knee flexion and extension (such as cycling, swimming, and weightlifting).

Runner’s knee can also be caused by direct injury, obesity, misalignment of the knee joint, arthritis and inflammation, muscle and tendon strain, high-arches, fallen-arches (flat feet), or over-pronation of the feet. Regardless of the cause of Runner’s Knee, prompt treatment can help relieve pain and prevent further damage to the complex biomechanics of your knee joint. 

Signs & Symptoms

The most common symptom of Runner’s Knee is a dull, aching, or throbbing pain that radiates around the knee cap. The pain can also be felt in the back of the knee where the thigh connects to the patella. Pain can come on suddenly or worsen during repetitive movements that flex the knees such as running, cycling, climbing stairs, squatting, or kneeling. 

Summary of Contributing Factors

  • Obesity
  • Incorrect form during exercise
  • Repetitive strain on knee cap/patella
  • Direct trauma or injury to the knee
  • Fallen-arches, high-arches, over-pronation, and other gait issues
  • Occupational injury and overuse of the knee joint
  • Arthritis and inflammation of the joints
  • Overstretching of the tendons and muscles surrounding the knee
  • Knee joint alignment issues

Things You Can Do to Help Prevent Runner’s Knee

How to Prevent Runner’s Knee

  • Weight management and regular exercise
  • Adequate stretching before and after sports and exercise
  • Icing knees and elevating legs after repetitive strain from cycling or squatting sessions to help reduce inflammation
  • Wrapping knees with compression bandages or knee sleeves for added support during sports, leg-pressing, and heavy squatting
  • Gait assessment and correction if needed for flat feet or fallen arches
  • Adequate rest and recovery following training
  • Focus on proper form and hip, knee, and ankle alignment during sports and squatting
  • Nutrition that incorporates anti-inflammatory foods including healthy proteins and fats
  • Proper footwear to prevent excess shortening and tightening of thigh muscles
  • Core conditioning to support proper body dynamics
  • Investing in proper footwear for each activity—replace worn out training shoes and address gait issues with orthotics
  • Running on low-impact surfaces such as turf and soft chip trails

And finally, two other important things you can do to prevent Runner’s Knee and other injuries:

  • Ease into new activities and training frequencies. Avoid pushing your body too far too soon. Instead, give your body a chance to adapt to the new stimulus. Previously underactive muscles such as glutes and stabilizer muscles need time and deliberate focus to properly fire according to the new movement patterns and stressors.
  • Book a professional assessment with your kinesiologist, chiropractor, or physiotherapist to identify and correct any joint alignment issues and chronic muscle tension. 

Here Are a Few Local Running Groups and Clinics to Consider Joining

While many running and racing events are subject to last minute cancellations, some are being substituted with virtual runs. The RunGuides website offers regular updates on local running events, and the AllTrails website displays reviews, photos, directions, and maps of Victoria’s best outdoor walking, hiking running trails.

Island Road Racers: The Facebook Group of a Victoria running club that welcomes running enthusiasts of all ages and abilities. 

BDHQ Run Clinic: Ironman Triathlete, Jason Ball, offers seasonal running clinics and workouts for beginner to advanced runners.

Prairie Inn Harriers Running Club: Official website for Victoria’s longest-standing running club. Established in 1978, PIH is a running community that welcomes runners of all ages and abilities to partake in their running clinics, workouts, weekend, morning, and evening runs and youth programs. 

Greater Victoria Trail Running: The Facebook Group of a local running club that welcomes participants to their outdoor trail runs within the Greater Victoria area. 

Effective Treatments for Relieving Runner’s Knee in Victoria, B.C.

Runner’s Knee Treatment in Victoria BC

As we’ve mentioned before in other articles: pain indicates that it’s time to seek treatment. When it comes to knee pain, the sooner you have things checked out, the better. A damaged knee joint is difficult to repair, and so prompt treatment when pain arises is crucial. 

Because Runner’s Knee can be caused by a variety of contributing factors, at Diversified Health Clinic, we take a comprehensive approach to treating Runner’s Knee. Effective treatment often requires a combination of kinesiology, physiotherapy and chiropractic care, which may involve targeted treatments, including:

The first step in proper treatment is to book an appointment with our kinesiologist. When we meet with you, we’ll start with a thorough initial consultation before tailoring a treatment plan for you that relieves pain while specifically addressing your condition. Our goal is to help you return the activities you love and enjoy without the interference of pain or risk of injury. 

If You Suffer From the Symptoms of Runner’s Knee:

Give our team of practitioners a call at Diversified Health Clinic today at (250) 382-0018 or book an appointment online. We’re happy to help answer your questions, address the cause of your pain and discomfort, and get you on the road to recovery.

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Runner’s Knee

runners knee

‘Runner’s Knee’ is the nickname given to the condition Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFPS). It is a common issue amongst runners, both recreational and competitive. Generally characterized by pain or discomfort where the kneecap (patella) rests on the thigh bone (femur), it can range from mild to severe in the level of pain that it presents with.

 

It afflicts almost twice as many women as men; this is thought to be due to the tendency of the female hip structure to be wider, resulting in more of an angle of the thigh bone from the hip to the knee. Younger runners also tend to be more affected although the reason for that is uncertain.

 

Biomechanical issues are often to blame but other likely cause are: tight hamstrings, poorly – or improperly – conditioned quadriceps, or other muscle imbalances.

Quadriceps that are too weak to support the patella can lead to improper alignment and tracking. Tight hamstrings can pull, placing pressure on the knee and causing pain and discomfort as well. Having a professional assessment, treatment and exercise prescription can help with these concerns. Adding stretching and strengthening exercises is a proven method to treat PFPS.

 

Symptoms

Some of the most common symptoms of PFPS are:

  • Soreness or tenderness behind or around the kneecap, often around the center of the kneecap.
  • Pain in the back of the knee.
  • A sense of weakness or instability; like your knee may “give out”.
  • Sharp pain in the kneecap when going up stairs or hills.
  • Dull, aching pain with movement.

 

Prevention and Treatment

  • Run on softer rather than harder surfaces if you can.
  • Reduce your mileage and intensity if you are experiencing pain.
  • Avoid downhill slopes and deep knee bending activity until the pain subsides
  • Ensure that you are stretching properly and enough. If you aren’t sure about how to stretch or what muscles to pay attention to, speak to a professional.
  • Strengthen your muscles and maintain the strength. Again, if you are uncertain where your imbalances are; talk to a sport medicine therapist, physiotherapist or certified personal trainer for assistance.
  • Check out your footwear: if your shoes are older or worn, some attention here may make all the difference to your PFPS. Runners who put a lot of miles of their shoes need to replace them more often – remember, it’s not just how long you’ve had your shoes but how much you use them. Specialty running shops are great for advice on different types of shoes for a variety of needs and foot types.
  • Consider orthotics and having a professional gait analysis done if new shoes don’t help.
  • Have your technique assessed for movement imbalances. Having a Physiotherapist or Sport Medicine professional assess your gait (while you are actively running) can help to spot issues that you may not be aware of.

 

While Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome is a common and disruptive issue for many runners, it can be effectively prevented, managed and treated.

Happy and healthy running!

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Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome a.k.a Runner’s Knee

sore_0Runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome is a common biomechanical problem that can affect anyone who is involved in activities that requires on-going knee bending, such as walking, biking, or running.

Patellofemoral pain syndrome can result from:

  • Overuse. Repeated overstretching of the muscles and tendons of the knee
  • Trauma to the knee by a fall or blow
  • Misalignment. If any of the bones are slightly misaligned excessive stress is placed on the cartilage of the kneecap.
  • Worn cartilage in the knee joint
  • Leg length discrepancies
  • If you suffer from over pronation, fallen arches or high arches

Minor to moderate cases of runner’s knee should heal with minimum treatment and minimal down time.

  • Rest the knee. Try to avoid putting weight on your knee for a few days
  • Ice your knee to reduce pain and swelling. Do this for 20-30 minutes every 3-4 hours for 2-3 days
  • Compress your knee by using an elastic bandage, athletic tape, or a soft brace
  • Elevate your knee whenever you’re sitting or lying down
  • Use anti-inflammatory medication
  • Practice stretching and strengthening exercises
  • Use orthotics to support your arches

Chiropractic and Physiotherapy can treat runner’s knee with manual manipulations and modalities to get you back to your regular routine as quickly as possible.

  • Deep Tissue Laser Therapy – accelerates the body’s own natural healing process
  • Graston Technique – soft tissue treatment that breaks down scar tissue
  • Therapeutic Ultrasound – increases circulation to help the healing process and decreases pain.
  • K-Taping – designed for muscle, ligament and tendon pain relief and support
  • TENS Therapy – a non-invasive nerve stimulation intended to reduce both acute and chronic pain
  • Shockwave Therapy – a non-surgical treatment of soft tissue, bone, and joint pain

How to prevent runner’s knee:

  • Use custom orthotics in all your footwear
  • Wear runners with good shock absorption and quality construction, and replace them often
  • Avoid running on surfaces like concrete or asphalt
  • Stay in shape and maintain a healthy weight
  • Weak thigh muscles, tight hamstring and calf muscles can put extra stress on the knee; so stretch, stretch, stretch
  • Tape your knee while exercising, if you’ve had runner’s knee before.

As with any injury, contact your doctor or health care practitioner to be diagnosed and to create a treatment plan that’s right for you.

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