How to Deal with Running Related Knee Pain

Knee pain is the most common thing that runners complain of in our clinic. There are many different causes, including traumatic injury, over use, faulty running technique and reduced muscular strength & control. Most of the runners that we see, have had their knee pain for some time before coming to see us. Dealing with pain problems that have been around for several weeks or months, brings a number of challenges. Not only do we have to pin down the source of the pain, but we also need to identify other associated issues that may have occurred as a consequence of the original problem.

All running injuries can be divided into two broad groups. The first are “acute injuries” and the second are “persistent injuries”. Most acute injuries, if dealt with quickly, are relatively easy to sort out. They are caused by a specific injuring incident and require an accurate diagnosis, followed by a treatment and management strategy that is structured around the body’s healing and regenerative time-scales. In contrast, persistent injuries usually prove to be the most challenging. They require a careful and comprehensive examination and evaluation process, that assesses not just the local painful area, but also looks at associated structures, such as the feet, hips, pelvis and spine.

We take a positive approach to the management of running related knee injuries, with exercise and functional rehab activities being at the heart of what we do. This approach has a growing amount of scientific support and is considered to be the “gold standard” of treatment options.