Runner's Knee

Runner's knee is a common injury. It is pain on either side of the knee, and it can happen to runners, tennis players, basketball players, etc. Dr. Murray Weisenfeld, in his book The Runner's Repair Manual, says it can happen to beginning runners, but the symptoms frequently occur when you extend your mileage. The pain may not occur until after you've completed your run, or even the next day.

Weisenfeld says you may feel the pain during the following conditions.

	Running downhill
	Walking down stairs
	Walking around after you've been sitting a while.

He suggests that you take your own "running history" to understand the possible conditions in your running that might have caused the injury.

	Running on banked surfaces
	Dramatic increases in mileage
	A lot of hill work
	A lot of speed work
	Wrong type of shoes.

"If you've got runner's knee, your foot is probably built in such a way that it makes a wrong movement every time it hits the ground...This makes your shin bone move wrong and your knee move wrong. Those wrong moves are what's causing the pain."

Weisenfeld devotes seven pages to runner's knee, including short-term and long-term first aid. My stretching-picture page includes the knee stretches recommended by Weisenfeld for runners knee (toe press, inner, outer thigh).

http://www.leigh.org/running/stretchingpic.html

Runner's Knee is only one type of knee problem. Here are some links about other knee problems.

	http://www.injurytreatment.com.au/home/injuries/knee
	http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/archive/0168-knee-injuries.htm
	http://www.lwcoaching.com/library/runnersguideitbs.htm
	http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=43529

The information on this site is for informational purposes only; it does not constitute medical or physical therapy advice. For medical advice, consult a physician. For physical therapy advice, consult a physical therapist.

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The information in this site and in my podcasts is for informational purposes only; it does not constitute medical or physical therapy advice. For medical advice, consult a physician. For physical therapy advice, consult a physical therapist.