Knee Pain

What is “runner’s knee”?

Running is a physical activity that has great benefits for people who practice it with greater or lesser intensity: it improves the respiratory and cardiovascular system and also the immune system, strengthens the muscles of the lower body, improves the locomotor system, relieves stress, and helps us sleep better, among others.

However, running also has an impact on the joints of the lower body, especially the knees. Today we will talk about one of the most common injuries in people who usually practice running or disciplines that involve continuous running on different types of surfaces, the runner’s knee.

What is runner’s knee and why does it occur?

Runner’s knee is the common name for iliotibial band syndrome. The iliotibial band is a thick band of fibrous tissue (a tendon), which runs from the hip to the tibia on the outside of the thigh, and connects the muscle to the bone. This tendon is involved in the movement of the leg, so it is a common injury in sports such as cycling or running, where the lower body is especially important.

This injury occurs when this band becomes inflamed and irritated, due to friction against the bone in two possible areas: the external part of the hip or the knee.

The symptoms we may notice if we have suffered an iliotibial band injury can range from a slight discomfort on the outside of the knee (or hip) when we start exercising, which may decrease once we have warmed up, to a constant pain that does not go away over time when we move or keep the knee bent for a while.

Some causes that may lead to its appearance are:

The iliotibial webbing itself, depending on whether it is very narrow or wide
Poor leg musculature
Not warming up or not warming up properly before a training session
Running on uneven terrain frequently or on a downward slope
Running at low temperatures
Excessive training if we are not properly prepared
Biomechanical aspects, such as a tendency to flatfoot or bowleggedness
Blunt injury to the area, such as from a blow to the skin.

It is an injury of multifactorial origin, so there is no single reason why a person may suffer from this type of ailment.

How to diagnose, relieve and treat runner’s knee

The diagnosis of iliotibial band syndrome or runner’s knee can often be made by physical examination, in which the physician can move the leg and place it in different positions to see if the iliotibial band is tight. This, together with a description of the symptoms by the sufferer, may be sufficient.

However, imaging tests such as MRI or ultrasound may be needed to more accurately determine if there is damage in this area.

Treating or alleviating the symptoms caused by this injury may depend on the extent of the injury, and may range from a more conservative treatment to infiltrations or surgery.

Pain can be relieved by applying ice to the painful area, taking painkillers if advised by a medical professional, and warming up the area prior to warm-up exercises before any physical activity.

Conservative treatment may consist of reducing the training load, or temporary suspension while the pain persists, and performing exercises to correct some factors that may influence the onset of pain, such as improving technique when performing certain movements, or adjusting the load progressively once the recovery period has begun after the pain has subsided or disappeared.

A treatment that can accelerate recovery and allow an early return to activity is small corticosteroid infiltrations. corticoid infiltrations.

At Instituto Aliaga we are specialists in the treatment of pain, addressing it through a holistic approach thanks to a multidisciplinary team of professionals. If you suffer pain in your knee, you can contact us. We can help you.