The Guru says John has Runner’s Knee: an issue with his patella tracking
November 19, 2014
Hi,
i have pain in my knee after going for a run. Hurts a lot especially when going down stairs.
I also had this pain in my knee after completing a half marathon a few months back but it felt better after about a week of rest.
Im hoping to run another half marathon next year but am worried I may further damage my knee?
John
November 19, 2014
Hi John
Sounds a lot like a classic dose of Runners Knee – or commonly known as a tracking issue with your kneecap on the front of your femur.
Normally your kneecap sits in a little groove on the front of your femur (thigh bone). When you bend your knee, your knee cap tracks up and down the femur like a train on its track.
If the patella gets pulled to the outside – by poor glut control or leg and foot rolling in then it becomes painful. If the patella tracks up and down with too much force being applied through the patella, without enough conditioning, then both of these “incidents” can cause pain.
Your sounds more like the overload issue rather than lateralisation of the patella.
I doubt it’s harmful but may hurt.
Keep running but as you start to train for the event make sure you do some interval training get stronger, do some control biased work and perhaps get in a pool or on a bike.
Keep your CV status tip top condition by doing other things apart from running…oh an foam rolling your ITBs wouldn’t go a miss…or making sure your runners are in good nick too!
The Guru
Six Physio
