Exercising is supposed to be beneficial to your body. Sometimes, exercises can lead to damaged joints, tendons, and other parts of your body. Runner’s knee is a common injury seen in people who run for long distances or frequently during the week. It’s also a common issue for runners who exert their knees the wrong way. You don’t even need to run for this injury to occur as it can happen while you’re walking for exercise or while you’re walking for pleasure.
You’ll usually notice that runner’s knee is more pronounced around your kneecap, especially right behind the kneecap. While your kneecap should move around in a straight line while you’re walking or running, it doesn’t always happen like this since it’s a free-floating part of your body. At times, your feet hitting the ground too hard while walking or running can cause your knee to twist and turn, leading to runner’s knee.
The symptoms associated with runner’s knee will usually appear over time instead of all at once. This is one way that you’ll be able to distinguish this injury from a torn ligament or another type of traumatic injury that occurs. Swelling is one of the first symptoms that you’ll usually notice along with pain soon after running or doing everyday activities. Aside from experiencing pain while walking, you might feel discomfort when you sit or when you’re standing still as the pressure on your kneecap builds.
Most of the time, runners have a lot of pressure that is put on their knees whether they have an injury or not. Playing sports also leads to runner’s knee. Add to those activities the bending and moving around that you do on a daily basis that results in runner’s knee in some people. Fortunately, there are ways to manage the pain and swelling associated with runner’s knee without the need for surgery. Ice packs are good for the swelling, and you can try to cut back on some of the activities you normally do until your knee feels better.
For further treatment and to learn more about what can cause runner’s knee, feel free to reach out and make an appointment with Plymouth Bay Orthopedic Associates! At our convenient locations in Plymouth, Duxbury and Sandwich, our devoted team of professionals will be pleased to explain this condition in greater detail and answer any questions you may have. Contact us today to set up your consultation!