As its name suggests, runner’s knee, aka Patellofemoral pain syndrome, is so called because it’s one of the most common injuries amongst runners. Sufferers of this injury will experience pain around the knee joint which can be mild at first but will gradually get worse during activities such as running, especially if on a decline.
The injury isn’t limited to runner’s though – anyone that does any activity where you bend your knees a lot, such as cycling and walking, can experience this pain. In our Enertor Health series, we look at common injuries that we’re susceptible to, what might cause them and our Enertor Experts fill us in on how you can prevent getting one of these injuries yourself. Today we’re taking a look at runner’s knee.
Reduce high-impact physical activity
- Alternate running or high impact training days with non- or low-impact activities such as swimming, yoga or core strength sessions.
Look after the surrounding muscles
- Number one with preventing any injury is to always ensure you’re warming up and stretching properly before and after any workout.
- Avoid abrupt changes to your training – any changes should be incremental to allow your body to adapt. Don’t go from running a 5k on Monday to running a marathon on Friday if you haven’t done it before – take your time and gradually add distance to your training.
Protect the bones and soft tissues
- Stretching and strengthening exercises – strong muscles can help to take the pressure off your bones, joints and tendons. Building up strength around the knee joint can act as a protective support.
- Make sure your form is good when running – or for any exercise. For running, don’t overstride, aim to strike mid-foot and run tall.
- Wear good trainers! Make sure they fit and support your foot properly and offer good shock absorption.
- Try arch supports or orthotics for your shoes.
Stretches for runners knee
- Hamstring stretch
- IT band stretch
- Standing calf stretch
- Standing hip flexor stretch
- Standing quad stretch
Exercises for runners knee
- Donkey kick
- Wall slide
- Clam exercise
- Step up
- Straight leg lift
How can Enertor insoles help with runner’s knee?
Our 18 years of Orthotics experience, combine with D30 technology has enabled us to create a unique insole that can help. Our Performance insoles offer 44% shock absorption – more than any other insole out there – which reduces soft tissue irritation at the knee. And the patented design of our insoles offer natural heel lift which redistributes the pressure away from the tendons at the knee joint.