Knee pain and running
Are you scared of running with knee pain?
There are all sorts of knee pain – pain around the front can mean something very different from pain at the back or sides of the knee. Pain above or below the kneecap, pain with or without swelling, pain during or after running – these all mean something different and so you should make sure you let your Osteopath know in your appointment exactly where and when it hurts as much as you can.
Crunching and noise are something else entirely – if you’re getting creaking, cracking or crunching sensations, this is perfectly normal if you’re without any pain. This isn’t necessarily a sign of arthritis and shouldn’t panic you. If it seems excessive, talk to your Osteopath about it during treatment.
Moderate amounts of running per week have been associated with a reduced risk of developing osteoarthritis of the knee – so if you’re out running for 30 minutes a few times a week, this has a protective effect on the knee. If you’re not out doing much exercise at all, or you’re regularly running more than an hour, then your risk of osteoarthritis of the knee is increased.
Treatment for your knee
If you’re getting pain while you run, or immediately after, you should ease off your running schedule until you’ve seen your Osteopath for an assessment and some advice. They can get you to go through some movements and test your ligaments, muscles and cartilage for signs of injury, and give you advice.
To treat your knee, I will check your posture for signs of weightbearing awkwardly through the joint, and may use soft tissue massage, knee articulation, muscle activation and releasing techniques and other types of treatment to help your knee pain. I can very gently realign your patella in its joint if it looks to be maltracking, and will check that your shin bone and thigh bone are in alignment with each other. I will usually also assess and treat your ankles, hips or other areas of your body if it looks like you’re getting pain in your knee due to a problem at another joint.
I will usually give you advice on stretches, exercises, self-massage techniques and other homework to help you on your way to recovery. Sometimes, a full rehabilitation program may be required, while some injuries may just need a couple of treatments and one or two exercises.
