The term “runner’s knee” refers to an inflammation of the tendon, the (ITB), that is located on the outside of the thigh. As injury to this tendon often results from overuse of the knees, and runner’s rely on their knees to function within their sport, the title “runner’s knee” is quite appropriate. The name is, however, deceptively exclusive as runner’s knee describes an ailment common among individuals who are active in a spectrum of activities such as biking, walking, or jumping.
As mentioned above, the inflammation of the ITB can be a result of overuse or overstretching of the tendon in any activity that requires repeated knee bending. Misalignment is also a factor in the injury. If a bone is out of it’s correct position, then the excess stress being placed elsewhere can result in the pulling and inflammation of the ITB. The tendon can also undergo stress because of weak thigh muscles or a direct injury to the knee such as a fall or a blow. Runners with flat feet, or fallen arches, often have knee problems as the ITB is forced to stretch in order to compensate for the missing arch.
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Jim Fortner is a weekly, guest contributor to TFS. Also check out his own personal running and advice site: “Jim2’s Running Page”.
Any treatment for Runners Knee, or inflammation of the illiotibial band (pictured to the right), must be done in conjunction with stretching of the ITB and massage.
I use two ITB stretches … one for the knee and one for the hip. They were recommended to me by the Union Memorial Hospital’s Sports Medicine Clinic in Baltimore, MD the two times I went to them with ITB problems.
The ITB stretch for the knee is simply cross-legged toe touches. Stand erect and cross your legs just below the knee with your right leg in front, your right foot on the outside of your left foot and your toes pointed forward. Then, bend from the waist to try to touch your toes.
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Runners with high arches are at increased risk for suffering stress fractures, small cracks in the bones of their feet and lower legs; and those with low arches are at increased risk for knee cap pain. When you run at six miles per hour, your foot hits the ground with a force greater than three times body weight. The faster you run, the harder your heel strikes the ground. This force can break bones, damage joints and tear muscles.
The human body is designed so you never land flatfooted when you run. You land on the outside bottom of your heal and roll inward toward the big toe. This helps to distribute the force of your foot strike throughout your foot and leg and protect you from injury. The further you roll inward, the greater the protection against this force. However, when you roll in too much, your lower leg twists inward excessively, causing your kneecap to rub against the long femur bone behind it and cause pain. This is called Runner’s Knee.
This post is written by Dr. Gabe Mirkin, M.D. and was originally published on his blog“Fitness and Health E-Zine” under the title “Runner’s Knee”.
The most common long-term running injury is runners knee, pain behind the knee cap during running. You probably have runner’s knee if your knee cap hurts when you walk or run, particularly when you walk down stairs; and it hurts a lot when you push the kneecap against the bone behind it. It usually does not hurt to pedal a bicycle.
The back of the kneecap is shaped like a triangle with the point fitting in a grove in the lower part of the bone behind it. During running, the knee cap is supposed to move up and down and not side to side. If it moves from side to side, the back of the kneecap will rub against the front bottom of the femur, the long bone of the upper leg, causing pain. Read the rest of this entry »
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