Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 90, January 2017 | Page 45

BODY SCIENCE
Runner’s Knee

Patellofemoral pain is a very common condition. In fact, this pain around
or under the kneecap is so common among runners, that it has earned
the alternative name, Runner’s Knee. Here are the causes and treatments
you should know about. – BY ERNEST COOPER, BIOMECHANIST

R

unner’s Knee pain is usually felt during walking, running, squatting and stair climbing,
and is often worse when walking or running downhill. Adolescents and young adults tend
to be more prone to Runner’s Knee than older adults, and females are at greater risk
than males. Runner’s Knee has a number of causes:

• Training overload: When starting with a running programme, or advancing a current
programme, it is very important to progress gradually. A sudden increases in running distance
and speed places a runner at risk of developing injuries, as the runner requires sufficient time
to become accustomed to the load they experience. Novice runners, in particular, are at risk of
wanting to do “too much, too soon.”
• Muscular weakness: The hip muscles, in particular the gluteal muscles, control hip motion
during the single leg stance. These muscles need to be strong enough to prevent the pelvis
dropping to one side and the thigh shifting inwards. Meanwhile, strong thigh muscles
(quadriceps) are needed to provide support around the kneecap. People suffering from
Runner’s Knee often have weak quadriceps, and strengthening programmes that focus on
both the hip and thigh muscles have been shown to decrease pain and improve function.
• Running mechanics: The way we move influences the way forces are applied to different
parts of the body, which can lead to certain types of injuries. Over-striding (making contact
with the ground too far in front of the body) changes the impact forces that a runner
experiences in such a way that it places increased load on the knee. If the pelvis drops to one
side on landing, and the thigh collapses or twists inwards, this leads to a change in the
alignment of the kneecap and thigh bone, which increases the pressure between bones in the
knee and is one of the mechanical features of Runner’s Knee.
So, in addition to strengthening the muscles around the hip and knee, it may be necessary
to analyse your running mechanics and then make changes to running technique as part of
the treatment for Runner’s Knee. Excessive pronation (where the foot rolls inwards) can also
contribute to knee pain. The knee is therefore often the victim of what happ