Why do you run? Because it feels good, it relieves stress, it enables you to eat your favorite meals. We know it! Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned marathoner, having sore knees after running or during your runs is frustrating. If your knees hurt when you run, you're not alone. Soreness in one or both of your knees is a common complaint among runners. While knee pain in runners is often dismissed as "runner's knee," it's important to identify and treat the cause in order to reduce the risk of long-term injury and pain.
When you start to feel knee pain, you can take steps to diagnose and treat the condition on your own. Many times, there are muscular imbalances that can be managed with exercise or other simple changes. If the pain persists after a week or so of self-treatment, make an appointment with a physical therapist from Shapecare Therapy or a physician for evaluation and treatment.
Here are five common injuries that might explain knee pain when running:
Side Knee Pain: IT Band Syndrome
If you feel a sharp, stabbing pain on the outside of your knee, you may be dealing with iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS), a very common injury among runners. The iliotibial band (IT band) is a band of tissue that runs along the outside of the thigh, from the tensor fasciae latae where it attaches at the top of the hip to the outside of the knee. It helps to stabilize the knee and hip when you run.
Kneecap Pain: Runner's Knee
If you have soreness around the front of your knee or possibly behind the kneecap, you may have runner's knee, also known as patellofemoral pain syndrome or anterior knee syndrome. Running downhill, squatting, going up or downstairs, or sitting for long periods of time can aggravate the condition.
All-Over Knee Pain: Meniscus Tear
The meniscus is two wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage that act as shock absorbers between the femur and tibia. Meniscus tears can happen when a person changes direction suddenly while running or suddenly twists their knee. Older runners are more at risk, as the meniscus weakens with age.
Inner Side Knee Pain: Bursitis
If you're feeling pain over the top of your kneecap or on the inner side of your knee below the joint, you may be dealing with knee bursitis. This is an inflammation of a bursa located near your knee joint.
Back of Knee: Baker's Cyst
A Baker's cyst, also known as a popliteal synovial cyst, is swelling that occurs at the back of the knee. You may feel pain, but it is more likely that you will feel tightness or stiffness in the area and a sensation of fullness. You are also likely to see a bulge.
Most common knee injuries can be treated with rest, ice, and over-the-counter pain medication. However, if pain persists you can contact Shapecare Massage Therapy in Brussels. Our team will take care of you, adapt techniques to your needs and take care of your sense of comfort and safety. We can offer Sports Massage, Physiotherapy, and Deep Tissue Massage depending on what you need the most.
The other type of massage from Shape Care Therapy including face massage, aromatherapy massage, full body scrub massage, bamboo massage, hot stone massage is always available for you.
By the way, did you know that you can book your massage session online? You can now book your session through your phone!
This is the step-by-step on how you book your session online:
1. Go to our website
2. Click the Book-Online button next to the Home button and it will bring you to this page https://www.shapecaretherapy.com/book-online
3. Choose your preferred location
4. Choose the type of service and duration you would like to have
5. At the bottom of the page, you will find "Book Now"
6. Choose the available schedule
7. Fill in your contact details
Your session is now booked and we are looking forward to serving you!
Thank you for trusting us as your massage partner, Stay tuned for the next post!
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Sending love to you all,
Your loving Shapecare Therapy team